Director of IT

• IT Operations & Reliability
  • Own day-to-day IT operations across both restaurant and corporate environments, ensuring consistent performance, uptime, and support coverage.
  • Lead the transition from reactive support to a proactive, systems-driven IT operating model focused on stability and prevention.
  • Establish and enforce structured support processes (intake, triage, escalation, SLAs, on-call coverage).
• Restaurant Technology & Field Operations
  • Ensure reliability and standardization of all restaurant technology (POS, networking, hardware, integrations).
  • Define and enforce store-level standards (networking, cabling, hardware configurations, readiness checklists).
  • Partner with operations to proactively identify and resolve technology friction impacting restaurant performance.
• Corporate IT & End-User Experience
  • Own corporate IT systems, including endpoint management, identity and access management, collaboration tools, and SaaS platforms.
  • Ensure a high-quality end-user experience for corporate employees through reliable systems and responsive support.
  • Implement automation and self-service capabilities to improve efficiency and reduce manual support needs.
• Systems, Security & Infrastructure
  • Lead systems hardening efforts across all environments to improve reliability, security, and repeatability.
  • Ensure appropriate security controls are in place (access controls, patching, device management, vendor risk awareness).
  • Maintain accurate system inventories, documentation, and lifecycle management processes.
• Vendor Management & Cost Optimization
  • Own relationships with IT vendors and service providers, ensuring accountability for performance and outcomes.
  • Evaluate tools and systems for consolidation opportunities and cost efficiency.
  • Partner with leadership to manage IT spend effectively while improving service quality.
• Process, Change Management & Continuous Improvement
  • Establish QA and change management practices for all IT-impacting changes (testing, rollout, validation, backout plans).
  • Drive root cause analysis and permanent resolution of recurring issues.
  • Track and report on key performance metrics (ticket trends, uptime, incident recurrence, service costs).
• Leadership & Team Development
  • Lead, coach, and develop the IT team with clear expectations, accountability, and performance management.
  • Build a culture of ownership, urgency, and continuous improvement.
  • Align team priorities with company objectives and operational needs.
• Strategic Partnership
  • Partner with the CEO and CTO to prioritize IT initiatives and align technology with business goals.
  • Support evaluation and implementation of new systems and capabilities that improve operational performance.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• 7–12+ years of IT experience, including 3–5+ years leading IT operations in a multi-site environment (restaurant, retail, or similar)
• Proven track record of reducing ticket volume and improving system reliability through standardization, automation, and root-cause resolution
• Experience owning both field/operational IT (e.g., stores, locations) and corporate IT (endpoints, SaaS systems, internal support)
• Strong leadership ability with experience managing teams, setting priorities, and driving accountability in fast-paced environments
• Solid understanding of IT infrastructure fundamentals, including networking, endpoint management, and cloud/SaaS systems
• Experience managing vendors and evaluating systems for performance, scalability, and cost efficiency
• Ability to translate business needs into practical technology solutions and communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders