National Operations Manager - Stellenbosch at Hungry Lion

ROLE OVERVIEW

• We are recruiting an experienced and commercially driven National Operations Manager to oversee approximately 150 quick-service restaurants, with plans to expand this number to 300 within the next 3 years. The incumbent will work closely with Heads of Departments and will report directly to the CEO.
• The successful candidate will possess exceptional financial, analytical and strategic skills to actively support our business' rapid growth and drive increased sales, revenue, and brand footprint across diverse markets. You will be responsible for remotely managing operations across a broad geographic area and executing strategies to realise the planned business expansion.

KRAs

• Strategic Guidance: Provide strategic direction for the development and execution of commercial strategies across the portfolio of quick-service restaurants. Ensure Operations Managers have clear guidance and resources to drive growth, increase market share, and optimise profitability within their respective regions.
• Operational Excellence: Delegate responsibility for maintaining operational excellence to Operations Managers, emphasising the importance of efficiency, quality, and customer service standards. Support Operations Managers in identifying opportunities for process improvements and cost optimisation to enhance overall operational efficiency. Hold Operations Managers accountable to maintain brand integrity, facilitate stakeholder engagement, and manage compliance and risk effectively.
• Financial Oversight: Oversee financial performance across all restaurant outlets by monitoring key metrics via dashboards and other sources and addressing deviations. Manage budgets, control costs, and analyse financial data to identify cost savings and revenue growth opportunities.
• Leadership Development: Mentor and develop Operations Managers to ensure they possess the leadership skills necessary to drive operational success and promote accountability, collaboration, and continuous learning for sustained achievement of KPIs.

REQUIREMENTS

• Relevant tertiary qualification, e.g. Bachelors Degree in Financial Management, Engineering, Law, Auditing, etc.
• Experience in a senior operations management role with the capability to run over 150 restaurants and to grow that to 300+ within the next 3 years.
• Demonstrated expertise in commercial strategy development, financial analysis, and strategic planning.
• Willingness to travel as required.

COMPETENCIES

• Ability to interpret complex data to drive informed decision-making.
• Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities and business needs.
• A proactive and solutions-oriented approach to problem-solving.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with the ability to inspire and motivate teams to achieve results.
• Analytical mindset with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent communication, negotiation, and interpersonal skills, with the ability to build and maintain effective relationships at all levels of the organisation.
• High emotional intelligence to understand and manage emotions, both personally and within teams, to foster positive relationships and productivity.