Director Operational Strategy Jobs (NOW HIRING)

Competitive triathletes and passionate bakers, Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald left their careers to open a small bread shop in New York City in 1995 - Levain Bakery.

One day, they baked a BIG chocolate chip walnut cookie as energy for triathlon training. At Levain, a batch of these 6-ounce cookies flew off the shelves, and an icon was born. The cozy shop on West 74th Street became a neighborhood favorite and a destination for epicurious visitors from around the world, hungry for "the cookie."

From the start, Pam, Connie, and the team baked everything fresh on-site each day, donating the day's leftovers to charity and we still do, 30 years later. Today, Levain has bakeries across the country (with more to come!), plus ecommerce gift boxes to treat cookie lovers in every state.

Every day, we strive to embody our company's five core values:

Welcome All- We are all in it together

Work Hard and Be Kind- We pull our weight, we do our best, and take care of each other

Lead with Heart- We operate with empathy and integrity

Rise Up- We take initiative to make things better

Savor It- We are present and find the fun!

THE ROLE: Director, Operational Programs

As Director, Operational Programs, you own the facilitation of systems, tools, and collaborative teamwork needed to scale and launch all innovation and other new programs into the bakeries. Your job is to give field leaders their time back: find the administrative work weighing them down, take it off their plate, and rebuild it as something standardized, repeatable, and digestible to senior field leaders and their teams.

This is a hands-on, deeply cross-functional role. You'll combine commercial vision and strategy, field leader feedback, operational data, and a real understanding of bakery workflows to design, test, pilot, and scale the programs that make Levain Bakery the neighborhood bakery we aspire to be across the country. You own the planning and execution of the retail calendar and ensure all key stakeholders are bought in, feel supported, and set up for success.

The right person loves the nuts and bolts of day-to-day operations and is relentless about making them better. You lead through influence and build deep relationships with all teams, and you measure success by one thing: how much of a bakery team member's day goes back to customers. The Director, Operational Programs reports to the COO and is based in our NYC office, with regular time in our retail bakeries and commissary.

What We're Looking For

• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional initiatives with strong execution, stakeholder alignment, and measurable outcomes
• Excellent written and verbal communication with the ability to deliver polished, executive-ready updates and influence stakeholders
• Proficiency in process mapping and workflow analysis
• Proven experience designing business processes that drive a positive end user experience, reduce business risk, and increase overall workflow efficiency
• A strong collaborator who knows how to drive decision-making; knows when and how to balance data with intuition, and thoughtfulness with agility
• Exceptional ability to synthesize information, identify the most important thread, and move forward without needing every detail resolved
• Demonstrated commitment to building strong and welcoming cultures that help to develop others
• Embody and promote the values and standards of Levain Bakery

Job Responsibilities:

Program Strategy & Roadmap

• Own program performance: responsible for delivering complex, cross-functional programs and initiatives, ensuring alignment with all key stakeholders and long-term business priorities
• Define clear program roadmaps and execution plans, tracking progress against KPIs, timelines, budgets, dependencies, and risks

Stakeholder Partnership & Communication

• Collaborate closely with senior leaders and cross-functional partners across marketing, supply chain, commissary, learning and development, and operations to align priorities and deliver measurable business outcomes
• Establish strong stakeholder engagement, delivering clear, polished, and executive-ready communications on program status, outcomes, risks, and impact
• Communicate initiative status, progress, and roadblocks to key collaborators proactively and at the right time intervals
• Facilitate critical tradeoff decisions to leadership across operations and marketing initiatives

Risk & Issue Management

• Proactively identify risks, issues, and dependencies; propose data-backed solutions; and drive resolution in partnership with stakeholders
• Operational Excellence & Change Management
• Identify root causes, implement scalable improvements, and continuously raise the bar for quality, efficiency, and compliance
• Own the full lifecycle of process and product changes from implementation through change management, adoption, and measurement-ensuring meaningful impact for customers and the business

Business Reviews & Reporting

• Facilitate preparation and delivery of monthly/quarterly business reviews, senior leadership communications, program look-backs, and blameless post-mortems

Organizational Systems & Operating Rhythms

• Create systems and org-wide operating rhythms that maintain tight feedback loops between internal teams, enabling Levain to consistently learn and grow
• Own the planning and execution of the retail calendar, ensuring all key stakeholders are bought in, feel supported, and set up for success

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in business, hospitality, or relevant field of study required
• 7+ years of experience in program management or operations, preferably within mid-size or start-up companies
• Proven track record designing and scaling cross-functional programs in a fast-paced, multi-site environment
• Experience in multi-unit retail, restaurant, or hospitality operations, with a working understanding of store- or bakery-level workflows
• Hands-on experience with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Monday.com boards, Asana, Smartsheet) to build workflows, track progress, and keep cross-functional teams aligned
• Familiarity with retail operating systems POS, labor scheduling, inventory/ERP, and task-management or communication platforms used by field teams
• Strong computer skills with advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Excel, PowerPoint, Word, Outlook) and comfort learning new business systems quickly
• Comfort working with operational data building and interpreting reports and dashboards (e.g., Excel, Power BI, Tableau) to size problems, set KPIs, and measure program impact
• Ability to work in person at our NYC office and excitement to work in our retail bakeries and commissary; this role is 95% in office and/or on site, with occasional work-from-home days supported
• Ability to travel to bakeries in other markets as needed for pilots, launches, and program rollouts
• Stand/walk for 8-hour; some locations require walking up and down stairs
• Lift and carry up to 50 pounds
• Read and communicate in English, both verbally and in writing
• Schedule flexibility to support bakery hours during pilots and launches, including occasional early mornings, evenings, weekends, and peak periods

Compensation & Benefits

• $140,000-$165,000 + 20% annual bonus potential
• Health, Vision, Dental Insurance
• Employer-funded Healthcare Reimbursement Account
• Additional supplemental benefits: Commuter Benefits, Employee Assistance Program, Bike-Share Reimbursement
• 14 Weeks Fully Paid Parental Leave
• Four Weeks of Paid Time Off
• 401K with 3.5% Company Match