Director of Operations

Who we are
Join the team at Cookbook Market , where passion for great food and genuine hospitality come
together in a fast-paced, energetic environment! We’re looking for dedicated, team-oriented
individuals who thrive in a dynamic setting and take pride in delivering exceptional guest
experiences. Whether you’re a seasoned hospitality professional or eager to grow in the industry,
we offer a supportive and inclusive workplace with opportunities for career advancement. If you love
working with great people, enjoy a lively atmosphere, and want to be part of a team that values
quality, teamwork, and community, we’d love to hear from you!

Our Core Values
Hospitality
Hospitality is who we are; it's the kindness we extend to each other; it's the friendly and genuine
reception of our guests. Hospitality is the excitement and enthusiasm with which we approach our
guests, our spaces, each other, and our positions. We expect our team members to execute our
concept every day and hold hospitality paramount.

Intention
The best things in life are built and created with intention. Our concept is beautifully designed.
When we approach our work with intention and thoughtfulness, it encourages everyone to create an
exceptional experience for our guests and for each other.

Respect
Respect is fundamental to who we are. We respect our guests, ourselves, our team, our products,
our resources, our peers, our leaders, and our space. We hold ourselves to the highest standards
of integrity and moral principles.

Teamwork
We value our commitment to working with and listening to each other as a team; kindness and
generosity are an integral part of our professional relationships. Teamwork is essential to provide a
great experience to our guests.

Determination & Readiness
We are determined to make our guests happy and we are ready to pivot and adapt at any time. We
are determined to keep our restaurants clean, organized and on a path of improvement. As a team,
we are able to improvise, adapt and overcome any situation for our team and our guests. We have
a readiness to satisfy the guests and meet and exceed their expectations.

What You'll Do
The Director of Operations is responsible for executing the Cookbook Market brand vision, driving
operational and financial performance across all store locations, and supporting the consistent
delivery of an elevated, community-rooted guest experience. This position provides leadership,
coaching, and strategic oversight to General Managers and department leads to ensure service
excellence, operational consistency, and adherence to Cookbook's standards across grocery, café,
and retail operations. Success in this role requires strong communication, routine follow-up,
frequent on-site presence, and a deep understanding of specialty food retail and hospitality
operations.

Core Responsibilities

• Directly oversee General Managers across all Cookbook Market locations.
• Conduct weekly reviews of manager schedules to ensure appropriate coverage and labor efficiency.
• Review hourly team scheduling and training to reduce break penalties and overtime exposure.
• Oversee weekly invoice review, with a trained alternate reviewer designated for continuity.
• Audit and oversee payroll on a biweekly basis.
• Review prime costs weekly; establish costing goals, optimize labor deployment, and develop strategies for improvement.
• Coordinate with People Services to ensure employee file audits and compliance maintenance are current.
• Meet each new management hire within their first week of training.
• Oversee the café and coffee program to ensure program standards and barista training compliance.
• Maintain management email groups to ensure timely communication across all reporting.
• Other duties as assigned.

Grocery & Retail Operations

• Train and audit tracking systems for all grocery, retail, and paper goods inventory.
• Oversee inventory levels and par standards for all Cookbook-branded and third-party retail goods.
• Manage bulk purchasing and coordinate distribution of goods and supplies across locations.
• Audit MarginEdge regularly to ensure invoice accuracy, cost tracking reliability, and data integrity for financial reporting.
• Partner with the Corporate Chef and store leadership to ensure product quality, seasonal program alignment, and menu cohesion across café and prepared foods offerings.
• Oversee the execution of daily café operations, grab-and-go programs, and fresh product rotations to ensure quality and minimize waste.

Store Audits & Manager Development

• Audit weekly manager meetings at each location; if unable to attend, review distributed notes.
• Assess each store's needs and opportunities and create improvement plans with the GM.
• Conduct follow-up on progress to ensure measurable, documented results.
• Conduct individual manager check-ins to review responsibilities, performance, and development goals.
• Conduct quarterly formal performance reviews with General Managers and AGMs.
• Develop deep-cleaning plans with store leadership and verify cleanliness and food safety standards are consistently maintained.
• Assist People Services in pulling camera footage when incidents, investigations, or training opportunities require review.

Facilities Management

• Develop and oversee maintenance plans, ensuring execution by both facilities vendors and store-level leadership.
• Support repairs and improvement projects across all Cookbook Market locations.
• Ensure physical environments reflect Cookbook's brand aesthetic and community-forward identity.

Hospitality & Guest Experience

• Ensure all employees embody Cookbook's core values: Hospitality, Intention, Respect,
• Teamwork, and Determination & Readiness.
• Oversee service operations and ensure adherence to all steps of service and standard operating procedures.
• Evaluate recurring guest issues or trends and collaborate with management on action plans and follow-up.
• Build and implement systems to strengthen guest experience and service performance across all stores.
• Safeguard consistent product and food quality across all locations.
• Oversee online ordering, pick-up, and delivery operations in alignment with Cookbook's brand standards.
• Develop sales strategies to optimize throughput, staffing efficiency, and revenue during peak periods.
• Ensure the in-store atmosphere — music, merchandising, ambiance — is consistently executed and aligned with brand identity.

Loss Prevention & Compliance

• Oversee implementation and ongoing enforcement of the company-wide shoplifting and loss prevention SOP.
• Ensure all GMs are trained on loss prevention protocols and conduct regular audits to verify compliance.
• Partner with People Services and leadership to manage incidents with documented follow-through.
• Maintain compliance with all applicable health, safety, and labor regulations across locations.

Training & Development

• Lead operational training programs in partnership with the Corporate Chef and People Services teams.
• Update and evolve all Front-of-House and retail training manuals to reflect current standards, service expectations, and operational needs.
• Run orientations for new management and represent the Cookbook brand during onboarding sessions.
• Participate in hiring and recruiting processes for store management roles.
• Coordinate with People Services to develop and implement a certified trainer program ensuring consistent onboarding and performance standards across departments.
• Coach and develop managers to strengthen leadership pipelines and deepen operational knowledge.
• Execute performance strategy management, ensuring expectations, accountability, coaching, and follow-up are consistently applied across all locations.

Technology & Third-Party Platforms

• Maintain full ownership and operational efficiency of all Cookbook Market technology platforms, including Resy, Toast, MarginEdge, 7Shifts, Google Drive, Paychex, TipHaus, and DoorDash.
• Ensure all managers across the brand are trained to an expert level on every platform; establish proficiency standards, oversee onboarding to new systems, and conduct regular audits to verify competency.
• Serve as primary point of contact for all platform vendors — managing relationships, troubleshooting issues, and overseeing account changes or upgrades.
• Audit 7Shifts weekly, including management schedules and labor compliance.
• Oversee Toast accuracy, menu configuration, and LAB settings across all Cookbook locations.
• Audit MarginEdge regularly to ensure invoice accuracy, cost tracking reliability, and data integrity.
• Oversee Resy configuration and reservation management to support optimal guest flow and revenue performance.
• Monitor TipHaus distribution settings and ensure accuracy and compliance across all tipped positions.
• Review DoorDash performance analytically on a regular basis; ensure delivery settings, menus, and radius configurations are accurate for all locations.
• Maintain Google Drive organization and access controls to ensure all operational documents, SOPs, and reporting are current, accessible, and properly shared across the team.

Purchasing Department Oversight

• Directly oversee the Purchasing Manager, who is responsible for all retail and produce buying across Cookbook Market locations.
• Review and approve purchasing decisions, ensuring product selections align with Cookbook's brand standards, quality expectations, and budget targets.
• Oversee the costing and pricing process for all retail and produce items, ensuring accuracy, margin integrity, and consistency across locations.
• Support the Purchasing Manager in identifying and evaluating the best pricing options across vendors and suppliers, with a focus on cost efficiency without compromising quality.
• Oversee the new item introduction process, ensuring all new products brought into the market have received approval from ownership and align with the Cookbook brand vision.
• Partner with the Purchasing Manager to maintain accurate inventory levels, minimize shrink and waste, and ensure par levels are appropriate across all store locations.
• Conduct regular check-ins and performance reviews with the Purchasing Manager to assess execution, identify gaps, and support professional development.
• Ensure purchasing activity is reflected accurately in MarginEdge and that financial reporting captures cost of goods with full integrity.

New Location Openings

• Lead the operational execution of new Cookbook Market openings, ensuring alignment with brand standards.
• Partner with People Services to recruit and staff new locations.
• Maintain on-site presence during openings to guide operations, training, and the initial guest experience.
• Audit equipment, smallwares, and inventory with GMs prior to each opening.

Qualifications

• Experience in multi-unit food & beverage or specialty retail operations in a leadership capacity; Director-level experience preferred.
• Strong financial acumen, including labor management, cost control, and P&L analysis.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal, and leadership skills.
• Ability to manage competing priorities, shift between high-level strategy and day-to-day needs, and maintain consistent follow-through.
• Proficient with operational platforms including Toast, 7Shifts, and MarginEdge.
• Passion for food culture, specialty retail, and community-driven hospitality.
• Ability to train, motivate, and hold teams accountable to high standards.
• Strong understanding of guest relations, retail hospitality, and specialty food service standards.
• Ability to stand, walk, bend, and lift up to 50 pounds, depending on operational needs.
• Ability to work a flexible schedule, including weekends, as business demands dictate.
• Maintain an up-to-date Manager ServSafe certification and anti-harassment training.

FLSA Status: Exempt

Physical Demands:
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee
to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be
made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to stand; walk; use
hands; reach with hands and arms and talk or hear. The employee is frequently required to stoop,
kneel, crouch, or crawl and taste or smell. The employee is occasionally required to sit and climb or
balance. The employee must frequently lift and/or move up to 75 pounds. Specific vision abilities
required by this job include close vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust
focus.

Why Join Cookbook Market?

By joining our team, you’ll be part of a passionate, supportive group that’s constantly looking to grow, innovate, and provide the best possible experience for our guests. This role is not just about managing the floor—it’s about being a part of something bigger, contributing to a brand that’s all about warmth, inclusiveness, and the joy of sharing great food and wine.

If you’re excited about becoming a part of the Cookbook Market team and are ready to take on the challenge of a high-volume, hospitality-focused environment, we’d love to meet you!

Apply today and let’s create unforgettable experiences together.