Restaurant District Manager

Our client is seeking a District Manager to oversee a small group of restaurant locations in the downtown Chicago market. This is an excellent opportunity for a strong operator who is ready to step into multi-unit leadership, or for an early-stage multi-unit leader looking to grow with a nimble, people-focused brand.

This role is best suited for someone who is highly operational, development-oriented, and comfortable working in a lean environment where leaders stay close to the business. The right person will know how to coach General Managers, build strong teams, drive execution, and balance day-to-day operational priorities across multiple locations.

Responsibilities:

• Oversee operations across approximately four to five restaurant locations within the district
• Visit all locations regularly and adjust time spent in each store based on business needs
• Conduct store assessments and operational audits, then communicate strengths, gaps, and action plans to leadership teams
• Drive continuous improvement in guest experience, cleanliness, food quality, safety, training, and procedural execution
• Coach and develop General Managers to lead strong teams, improve performance, and build bench strength
• Support succession planning through recruiting, hiring, development, and retention efforts across the district
• Analyze store performance, sales trends, labor performance, and operational metrics to identify opportunities for improvement
• Partner with store leaders to drive sales growth and improve profitability through strong execution
• Support local store marketing efforts and other field-based initiatives as needed
• Help maintain labor efficiency and staffing health while ensuring stores are positioned to meet operational goals
• Serve as a liaison between field operations and the support team
• Reinforce company policies, compliance standards, and applicable labor laws
• Respond to operational issues as needed, including occasional emergency or alarm-related support

What Success Looks Like:

• General Managers are well coached, accountable, and developing their teams effectively
• Stores are executing consistently and improving performance through strong operational leadership
• The district is staffed appropriately and leadership bench strength is improving
• The leader is visible in the business, engaged with teams, and able to shift priorities as needed
• Operational execution is strong, with sales growth supported by people development and disciplined follow-through

Ideal Candidate Profile:

• Strong restaurant operations background, ideally in fast casual, quick service, or similar high-volume environments
• Experience as a tenured General Manager, multi-unit General Manager, Area Manager, or early-stage District Manager
• Demonstrated ability to lead through others, especially by developing General Managers and store-level leaders
• Strong time management and prioritization skills across multiple locations
• Comfortable operating in a leaner, more hands-on environment without heavy corporate infrastructure
• Able to balance people development, operational execution, and business performance
• Willing to work flexible hours and maintain visibility in restaurants during a variety of operating periods, including evenings and weekends

Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required
• 5+ years of restaurant operations leadership experience at the store level or above-store level
• Multi-unit exposure strongly preferred
• Fast casual or quick service experience preferred
• Strong people leadership, coaching, and team development skills required
• Must be able to pass a background check
• Must be willing to work a variety of days and times based on business needs, including evenings and weekends
• Must have reliable transportation to travel between locations within the district
• Must be able to provide or obtain required food safety certifications prior to start
• Must be authorized to work in the United States
• Must be able to perform the essential functions of the role, including standing, walking, lifting up to 50 pounds, and working in a fast-paced restaurant environment

Compensation and Benefits:

• Base salary in the $70,000 to $75,000 range
• Bonus opportunity tied to store growth and sales performance
• Health benefits
• 401(k)
• Phone allowance
• Company-provided computer
• Career growth opportunity within a developing organization