Senior Director of Restaurant Operations – Papa Johns

About Us

Papa ERDR is a growing QSR franchise group operating Papa Johns restaurants across New Jersey and New England. We're operator-led, people-first, and serious about performance. We invest in our teams, build real systems, and expect our leaders to drive results we can measure.

The Role

We're looking for a proven multi-unit, multi-market operator to lead our Papa Johns restaurant operations across New England and New Jersey. You'll own field leadership, operational execution, people development, sales growth, and profitability for the entire Papa Johns portfolio. You'll lead our field leaders, set the standard for operational excellence, and turn strategy into consistent results in every restaurant.

This is a senior leadership role for someone who has already done this successfully and can show the numbers to prove it.

What You'll Do

• Lead, coach, and hold accountable a team of field leaders (Directors and Area Operations leaders) across multiple markets
• Own P&L performance for the Papa John's portfolio, including sales, labor, food cost, controllables, and EBITDA
• Build and execute operating plans that drive same-store sales growth, transaction growth, and margin improvement
• Drive operational excellence in speed of service, order accuracy, food quality, cleanliness, and guest experience
• Ensure consistent execution of brand standards, food safety, and franchise compliance requirements
• Develop a strong leadership bench through structured coaching, performance management, and promotion-from-within pathways
• Partner with People Operations on hiring, retention, staffing models, and labor law compliance across NJ and New England
• Partner with Marketing on local store marketing, promotions, and community engagement to grow sales
• Use data and reporting to identify underperforming restaurants and lead turnaround plans with clear accountability
• Support new restaurant openings, remodels, and acquisitions as the portfolio grows
• Serve as a key member of the senior leadership team, contributing to company strategy and growth