Location: Europe x Uk

Start: ASAP

Salary: €140.000 + bonus + more incentives

Languages: English + any other European language is a bonus

I am seeking a commercially minded and hands-on Director of Operations – EMEA to support the next phase of growth for a fast-scaling global QSR brand.

This senior role will lead Operations and People strategy across established markets and new market entries, partnering closely with franchisees, regional operations leaders, and central functional teams.

You will act as a strategic adviser, operational expert, and key decision-maker, helping markets build the capability, systems, and infrastructure required for sustainable growth.

The ideal candidate is culturally astute, commercially focused, and comfortable operating in a fast-paced, high-growth environment. You will combine strategic thinking with practical restaurant experience, spending time where it matters most: in the restaurants.

Key Responsibilities

Operational Excellence

• Build a culture of operational excellence that delivers outstanding consumer experiences, repeat visits, loyalty, and advocacy.
• Define and execute the regional Operations Strategy, establishing the processes, routines, and systems required to improve sales growth and bottom-line conversion.
• Drive performance across OSAT, speed, accuracy, consistency, food safety, quality, service, and operational audit scores.
• Analyse restaurant P&Ls and identify opportunities to improve sales, margins, labour productivity, cost control, and profitability.
• Conduct performance deep dives and gap analyses, leading targeted remedial action, coaching, and training interventions.
• Identify opportunities to simplify operations, remove barriers, and improve execution across the restaurant network.

Franchise and Market Leadership

• Partner closely with franchisees and their operations teams to build capability, strengthen infrastructure, and support scalable growth.
• Provide operational expertise across compliance, brand standards, training, sourcing, franchising, concept development, and restaurant execution.
• Build trusted relationships with franchise partners and work collaboratively to diagnose issues and develop practical solutions.
• Provide governance and regional oversight to ensure operating standards, systems, and tools are implemented consistently.
• Support successful restaurant growth in established markets and lead impactful new-market openings across the region.
• Manage regional operational issues and crisis situations with speed, sound judgement, and a solutions-focused approach.

Growth and Innovation

• Lead regional growth initiatives in collaboration with central functional leaders.
• Support the development of BOH optimisation, tech-enabled kitchens, equipment innovation, value engineering, and the regional Drive-Thru proposition.
• Collaborate with Marketing to increase market share, revenue, and profitability sustainably.
• Partner with functional teams on initiatives including the Learning Management System, technology stack, global design standards, new product development, and concept design.
• Use market insights, operational data, and business intelligence to inform future growth strategies.

People and Capability

• Champion a People First culture across the region.
• Lead holistic people planning, including capability mapping, bench planning, talent development, engagement, and succession planning.
• Build, coach, and inspire a high-performing regional operations team.
• Create meaningful development opportunities that enable individuals and the wider business to exceed expectations.
• Work extensively with regional Operations Directors and international operations teams to drive consistency, alignment, and excellence.
• Deliver on-the-job coaching and training where required.

Measurement and Governance

• Establish appropriate operational, people, training, and commercial metrics.
• Measure, communicate, and act on performance results.
• Ensure feedback from markets and franchise partners informs the ongoing evolution of operational tools and standards.
• Translate strategic priorities into clear actions, ownership, and measurable outcomes.

Candidate Profile

• More than 10 years of experience in restaurant, QSR, or multi-unit operations.
• Significant international experience across multiple markets.
• Proven experience working within a franchise system.
• Strong understanding of QSR operations, restaurant controls, and financial performance levers.
• Demonstrated success leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Experience leading remote and geographically dispersed teams.
• Strong strategic thinking with the ability to translate vision into practical execution.
• Experience in new-market openings, operational growth, or large-scale transformation.
• Excellent stakeholder-management, communication, and influencing skills.
• Comfortable working cross-functionally with Marketing, Development, Finance, People, Technology, Training, and Supply Chain teams.
• Willingness to travel internationally approximately 40% of the time.

Leadership Behaviours

I am looking for a leader who:

• Stays humble, remains close to the restaurants, and is willing to roll up their sleeves.
• Takes ownership, moves quickly, and follows work through to completion.
• Brings solutions, ideas, and constructive perspectives—not just problems.
• Uses data and insight to improve performance while recognising the importance of human connection.
• Leads with empathy, respect, emotional intelligence, and integrity.
• Builds trust and encourages open, constructive feedback.
• Embraces healthy challenge and understands that strong teams are built through honest conversations.
• Develops leaders and creates a culture of continuous learning and improvement.
• Is resilient, curious, commercially aware, and energised by growth.