Position Summary
The Senior Manager, Growth Operations leads Panera's operational planning and execution for New Bakery-Cafe Openings, remodels, market/café ownership transitions, closures, FSO openings, new franchisee café openings, relocations, and other cafe changes within Operations Services.
This leader oversees two Managers of Growth Operations and owns critical-path governance, opening-order coordination, operational readiness, opening support and training, and post-opening stabilization.
Location: Newton, MA moving to Weston, MA (hybrid)
Key Responsibilities
Growth Portfolio Leadership
· Oversee active and upcoming growth and portfolio-change projects, including status, dates, dependencies, risks, resources, and decisions.
· Assign projects based on timing, complexity, geography, franchise group, priority, and capacity.
· Balance workload and provide support for high-risk or off-track projects.
· Establish rolling forecasts and identify conflicts with other field activity.
Critical-Path Governance
· Own and improve critical paths for each project type.
· Establish milestones, owners, dependencies, lead times, readiness requirements, escalation triggers, and completion standards.
· Conduct portfolio and readiness reviews and lead post-project lessons learned.
Opening Readiness & Orders
· Ensure each new bakery-cafe has an integrated readiness plan.
· Oversee opening orders, early orders, smallwares, uniforms, chemicals, equipment-related supplies, operational and training materials, and delivery issue resolution.
· Confirm readiness across people, product, process, technology, equipment, facilities, vendors, training, and communications.
· Oversee opening-week support and post-opening stabilization.
Remodels, Transitions, Closures & FSOs
· Oversee critical paths, business continuity, communications, systems, vendors, supplies, training, and operational readiness.
· Ensure franchise ownership transitions move access, services, ordering relationships, resources, and accountability appropriately.
· Oversee closure readiness and support the operating model and tools required for FSOs.
Team, Stakeholder & Performance Leadership
· Lead and develop two Managers of Growth Operations.
· Serve as senior integration leader across Operations Services and cross-functional partners.
· Develop portfolio dashboards, success measures, and executive updates.
· Convert recurring breakdowns and lessons learned into process and tool improvements.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
· Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
· 4+ years of experience in restaurant operations, new-unit openings, development operations, project management, franchise operations, or a related field.
· Demonstrated cross-functional program and team-leadership experience.
· Experience coordinating openings, remodels, transitions, closures, franchise partners, and vendors preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
· Exceptional project planning, organization, prioritization, and follow-through.
· Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, judgment, and creative problem-solving.
· Ability to influence without authority, navigate ambiguity, and build stakeholder alignment.
· Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and executive presentation skills.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project-management tools.
· Ability to travel based on business needs.
Equal Opportunity Employer: Disabled/Veterans
Competitive Pay $136,383 - $163,660 annually
The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
Newton Support CenterSkills Required
- Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
- At least 4 years of experience in restaurant operations, new-unit openings, development operations, project management, franchise operations, or a related field
- Demonstrated cross-functional program and team-leadership experience
- Experience coordinating openings, remodels, transitions, closures, franchise partners, and vendors
- Exceptional project planning, organization, prioritization, and follow-through
- Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, judgment, and creative problem-solving
- Ability to influence without authority, navigate ambiguity, and build stakeholder alignment
- Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and executive presentation skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project-management tools
- Ability to travel based on business needs
What We Do
Panera began in 1987 as St. Louis Bread Company, a humble community bakery founded with a sourdough starter from San Francisco and a dream of putting a loaf of bread in every arm. While our business has expanded well beyond St. Louis since then, that same sourdough starter is still used in our iconic sourdough bread and the craft of baking bread fresh each day remains at the heart of Panera Bread. Each day, our trained bakers fill our bakery shelves with delicious freshly baked cookies, pastries, bagels, and a range of breads from focaccia to classic baguettes. We believe in serving delicious, freshly prepared, clean food made with carefully selected ingredients that we are proud to serve our own families. Our menu, crafted by chefs and bakers, features classic, comforting dishes, each with an intriguing twist. We respect our planet and take measures to lessen our impacts. We believe in treating people with warmth, kindness, and respect, whether it’s a guest in our cafe or one of our associates. And we believe in helping our local communities, especially in times of need. We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we offer omni-channel access to your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering, catering, and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders, Curbside pick-up and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests. Today, Panera operates as both Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co St. Louis Bread Company in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Panera Bread is privately held by JAB Holding Company. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast-casual restaurant platforms in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels.
