Austin + Houston Ops Manager

The Yay Company · United States

About the Role: The Austin Operations Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management of our hub-and-spoke operation in Austin — overseeing our hub kitchen and the spoke schools it serves. This is a hands-on, onsite role: you'll be working from a school campus every day, not managing remotely from a desk. We're seeking an experienced operations professional who wants to be in the building, on the floor, and in front of staff and students — leading production out of the hub kitchen and ensuring flawless execution at every spoke school we serve. Key Responsibilities: Hub Kitchen Operations: Oversee daily production out of the hub kitchen — meal prep, packing, and dispatch to spoke schools on schedule. Be physically present to troubleshoot production issues as they happen, not after the fact. Spoke School Management: Own service quality at every spoke school in the Austin market — checking in on-site, walking service lines, and catching problems before they become complaints. You'll be on a campus daily, not in an office. Staff Management: Recruit, train, and directly supervise hub kitchen and spoke school staff (5–20 people), including Chef Managers and Front/Back of House staff. Run scheduling, performance evaluations, and day-to-day team leadership in person. Customer Experience: Maintain high standards of service across every location by being physically present to observe, coach, and course-correct in real time. Build in-person relationships with school administrators — this is a face-to-face role, not a phone-and-email one. Financial Management: Manage the Austin market budget, monitor daily sales and expenses, and report KPIs across the hub and all spoke schools. Inventory & Logistics Control: Hands-on oversight of stock levels, ordering, and vendor deliveries at the hub, plus receiving and inventory checks at spoke schools. Physically manage supply pickup and delivery logistics between the hub and spokes. Menu Execution: Work directly with the Chef Manager and Food Strategy team to implement and execute prep menus — including being in the kitchen to ensure recipes and standards are followed. Health & Safety Compliance: Ensure hub kitchen and every spoke school adhere to health, safety, and sanitation regulations. Conduct in-person food handling checks and serve as the on-the-ground point person with local health departments. Problem-Solving: Be the first responder to operational issues — equipment malfunctions, staffing gaps, delivery delays — across the hub and spoke schools, solving problems on-site rather than remotely. Reporting: Provide regular performance reports to the Director of Operations and President. You Will: ● Work from the hub kitchen or a spoke school campus every day — this is an onsite, in-person role

• Hire, train, and manage team members across the hub and spoke schools
• Be the primary point of contact for school administrators, in person
• Follow and help create SOPs for hub production and spoke school service
• Keep the hub kitchen and every spoke location organized and clean
• Conduct hands-on daily and weekly inventory, ordering, and receiving
• Physically manage supply pickup and delivery logistics between hub and

• Drive between the hub and spoke schools regularly as part of daily operations
• Monitor product rotation and code date management across all locations
• Run weekly team meetings and daily standups, in person
• Control shrink and waste to keep it within set targets
• Be a hands-on, present team member in every part of daily operations
• Be available for emergency issues at the hub or any spoke school

• Quick to resolve problems in real time, in person
• People-oriented with a focus on driving team engagement
• Detail-oriented and hyper-organized
• Proactive, hands-on, and willing to jump into any task — production, service, or

• Able to stay calm under pressure
• Personable and engaging with everyone from a Head of School to a 4th

• Familiarity with food safety procedures and inventory management
• ServSafe Manager or ServSafe Proctor Certification
• Proficiency with Google Suite
• Strong time management skills
• Experience hiring and developing an hourly workforce
• Strong verbal and written communication skills
• A reliable personal vehicle, clean driving record, and auto insurance (for daily

• Salary $75,000
• Company-supported insurance — Medical, Vision, Dental, Life
• Voluntary Life Insurance, Short-term Disability Insurance, FSA
• 401(k) Retirement, up to 3.5% employer match
• Flexible paid time off (unlimited time off program)
• Data stipend and mileage reimbursement
• Significant support structures, on-the-ground training, and coaching