Area Director
Boise, ID · On-site
About the Opportunity This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the ...
Quick apply

Boise, ID · On-site
About the Opportunity This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the ...
Quick apply
Boise, ID · On-site
About the Opportunity This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the ...
Boise, ID · On-site
About the Opportunity This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the ...
Boise, ID · On-site
About the Opportunity This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the ...
What is it like to work at Cafe Rio?
What makes Cafe Rio an attractive place to work?
Do workers at Cafe Rio get paid breaks?
Does Cafe Rio pay people when they’re sick?
At Cafe Rio, are sick days and vacation days separate paid time off?
Do part-time workers get paid time off at Cafe Rio?
Is the health insurance from Cafe Rio affordable enough for their workers?
Do people get paid time off at Cafe Rio?
How far ahead of time do people find out their work schedule?
Do workers at Cafe Rio worry about hours?
Do Cafe Rio workers get to choose the shifts they work?
How easy is it for Cafe Rio workers to change shifts?
How easy is it to get time off at Cafe Rio?
Do Cafe Rio managers change schedules at the last minute?
Do jobs at Cafe Rio spill into time workers aren’t paid for?
How easy is it to take sick days at Cafe Rio?
Is a Cafe Rio job good for students?
Is working at Cafe Rio good if you’re a parent or caregiver?
Do people at Cafe Rio feel treated with respect by their managers?
Do people at Cafe Rio get to take their breaks without interruption?
Is it stressful to work at Cafe Rio?
Do people at Cafe Rio enjoy their jobs?
Do people at Cafe Rio recommend working with their team?
Do people get enough training when they start at Cafe Rio?
Do people get support to advance at Cafe Rio?
Do people think Cafe Rio’s headquarters understands what’s happening where they work?
Do workers feel well informed about how Cafe Rio is doing?

Boise, ID • On-site
Full-time
Posted 8 days ago
5.2
Based on 64 frontline employees who took The Breakroom Quiz
54th of 108 rated fast food restaurants
About Us
We hire the Marines of the restaurant industry; leaders with the soul of a warrior. We retain our best and develop their skills, investing in our people with world-class training to maintain our position at the top of the industry. We are builders. We believe in creating brand advocates, focused on delivering the Perfect Experience. Every Time. To Every Customer. We treat each restaurant like it’s our only one, delivering Operational Excellence while we grow like crazy. We take a balanced approach to new unit development that delivers our restaurant-level sales and margin objectives. We let data drive our decisions and let discipline drive our process. We open each restaurant the right way every time to ensure their continued success. And we surround our new teams with support and start day one on building our next batch of loyal brand advocates.
About the Opportunity
This is an exciting time at Cafe Rio. We are majority-owned by KarpReilly, a leading private equity firm with a significant track record of successful investments in the restaurant and retail industries. We own and operate every single one of our 100+ locations. Our goal is to maintain our position as a leading high-growth brand in the fast casual restaurant space. We’ve gotten here without relying on our bankers to get us there. That’s right, we’ve funded our growth with cash generated by stellar operations and outstanding service. Our operators work hard and take pride in growing a sustainable, profitable business the good old fashioned way – by running great restaurants.
We lead in a very dynamic, fast-paced environment, and this is a real opportunity to be an impact player, make your mark and change people’s lives forever. We’re looking for someone who is passionate about food and the people who make it; someone who understands the care and precision it takes to make food from scratch daily and is unwilling to compromise a single step in the creation of culinary perfection. We are looking for someone who stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their team, serves as a teacher, coach and mentor, and facilitates our teams’ continued growth so they too can make their mark tomorrow.
Of course, you’ll have all the “normal” Area level responsibilities including building and executing a strategy for your Area, daily and weekly business analysis, converting insights to business enhancing actions, performing restaurant visits, and ensuring food safety, cleanliness and service standards are being lived and breathed daily, etc. Most importantly, you’ll be a key player at the best restaurant company in the country. Not only by our own measure, but according to our legions of raving fans and brand advocates. This is a huge opportunity to make an impact. Chances are you’ll find it to be the best career move you’ve ever made.
At Cafe Rio, you’ll have the opportunity to flex your entrepreneurial muscles too. Everyone here is a player/coach. You’ll be expected to think, do, reflect, adjust and repeat. With us, you’ll get a unique chance to flex your restaurant professional, all while falling in love with the history and future of this great brand.
About Our Area Level Leaders
Our Area Coaches are responsible for building and leading a high-performing team and restaurant business across diverse markets. They provide strategic planning and thought leadership for 4+ restaurants within the same state or across multiple states based on our restaurant footprint. The Area Coach reports to the Region Coach.
Here’s a more “traditional” run-down of the essential functions and requirements of the role, and the other stuff we have to include:
· Achieves and maintains “Operational Excellence” via a successful and well-developed team, sparkling restaurants that serve excellent food, and strong results
· Maintains and drives high standards and expectations for food quality, food safety, service and cleanliness by empowering teams to take ownership for their restaurant
· Identifies business enhancement opportunities, implements strategies to drive improvement/profitability, and holds team and self accountable for results
· Sets targets and expectations for performance, operations excellence and people, and follows up to ensure proper execution
· Leads weekly meetings to discuss results, operational procedures, upcoming restaurant promotions, safety & security, and workforce planning (staffing, training, development and succession)
· Meets monthly with COO to discuss the state of the business and share updates; part of the Ops Leadership Team
· Regularly visits restaurants alongside direct reports to monitor and improve operational efficiency, ensure adherence to Company standards and guidelines and drive overall service excellence
· Performs every role in the restaurant and can communicate and demonstrate an intimate knowledge of each role’s impact on operations, service, people and overall results
· Works shoulder-to shoulder with employees; provides training, coaching and frequent feedback; and on occasion may work non-management roles when staffing constraints require
· Accountable for all aspects of performance and serves as ultimate decision-maker for their Area
· Assumes responsibility for cash assets and P&L performance for their Area
· Performs all people centered activities and facilitating those activities with his/her team: recruiting, training and coaching, development, succession, and performance management
· Leads workforce planning efforts for the Area
· Readily identifies high potential employees and successfully develops them into increasingly challenging roles
· Partners with others to investigate and resolve customer and employee concerns/feedback
· Ensures compliance with all Company policies and procedures (people, operations, safety, assets, etc.)
· Partners with supervisor to grow sales, people and profitability
What it Takes to Succeed and Thrive
· 10 years of restaurant operations experience that includes at least 5 years of multi-unit operations experience
· High School Diploma or GED preferred; or commensurate combination of education and work experience
· Passionate about food, service and people
· Proven ability to drive YOY sales, growth and strong people development
· Possesses the ability to develop those around them to be even more effective – creates a culture that appeals to high performers, where everyone is empowered to hold themselves and each other to higher standards
· Strong business and restaurant P&L acumen
· Proficient with Microsoft Office tools, specifically Outlook, Word, and some Excel
· Demonstrates high attention to detail and focused on getting the job done
· Possesses strong organizational skills and can effectively prioritize needs (solid multitasker)
· Thrives in a fast paced, high pressure environment
· Demonstrates strong verbal and written interpersonal communication skills; easily interacts with diverse employees
· Bilingual (English/Spanish) a plus
· Able to work flexible hours including early mornings, late evenings, weekends and/or holidays, as well as work weeks that may at times exceed 40 hours
· Able to lift and carry at least 50 lbs
· Able to stand for 8 plus hours
· Proof of valid driver’s license
· Must be at least 21 years of age
· Travel: 20-80% of the time based on market
Final Comments
Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Seriously…it’s a job posting. How could we possibly cover everything here without creating a ridiculously long document that you wouldn’t read anyway? Duties, responsibilities and activities may change at any time with or without notice. To make sure you really want to do this, go back and read the first page…that’s where all the really good stuff is located.
Sourced by ZipRecruiter
The year was 1997. The place, a little town in southern Utah called St. George. A lovely couple named Steve and Patricia Stanley started a restaurant called Cafe Rio Mexican Grill. Cafe Rio served authentic dishes derived from inspired recipes and traditional cooking of Northern Mexico’s Rio Grande region, Southern Texas, and New Mexico. Central to every bite was the belief that every ingredient must be fresh and made fresh to order. And you know what? People loved it. They couldn’t get enough of it. So much so, that one restaurant became six. In 2004, these six little restaurants caught the attention of a fine gentleman named Bob Nilsen. He purchased Cafe Rio from the Stanleys with the idea of spreading the love of making this fresh Mexican food to everyone in and around Utah and beyond. We’re realizing the dream of spreading the love of Cafe Rio Mexican Grill around Utah and beyond. Check out our locations page to find a Cafe Rio near you.
Traveler accommodation
1,001 - 5,000 Employees
Salt Lake City, UT, US
1997