{"id":4186145,"url":"https://alion.io/job/panera-bread-director-retail-operations","title":"Director, Retail Operations","company":{"id":1758449,"name":"Panera Bread","domain":"panerabread.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/panerabread-com","size_band":"1001-5000","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"Workday","truth_index":null},"role":"Operations","role_family":"Operations","seniority":"head","employment_type":"full_time","work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Newton, United States"],"countries":["US"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":{"min":111808,"max":134169,"currency":"USD","period":"year","gross":null,"usd_annual":134169},"salary_estimate":null,"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Microsoft Office","optional":false},{"name":"Outlook","optional":false}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-15T00:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-15","last_verified_at":"2026-11-12T18:19:34Z","board_verified":true,"closed_at":null,"days_open":28,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":28},"description":"Director, Retail OperationsJob Purpose\nDirector, Retail Operations is responsible for delivering world class execution of Panera operational expectations in the bakery-cafes by translating brand objectives to cafes and associates. This means acting like an owner as well as leading and developing leaders to deliver great experiences to associates and guests in a way that builds trust that creates loyalty with our team members and guests and creating value in the market through growing sales and delivering profit growth.\nDuties & Responsibilities\n Business Understanding, Strategic Planning and Execution:\nResponsible for creating the strategy and vision for the market to achieve the execution of all Panera standards for guest service, marked-wide operating systems, profitability, new unit growth, food quality and safety, and people development.\nResponsible for achieving key business results and growing the business through coaching, development, and accountability of cafe management teams for the execution against these standards and processes.\nEffectively understands, applies, and communicates the business’ priorities, and is considered an SME of Panera’s operating systems, and the application throughout the market.\nResponsible for and the champion for achieving results through collaboration, communication, and implementation and sustained management of all new products, processes, and programs.\nA proactive partner, working cross-functionally with market and region-level support (Operations, HR, business development, etc.) creating discipline around channel execution by providing resources and supporting cafes that ultimately drive business results.\nEnsures that the right processes and behaviors are practiced by each cafe’s management team to deliver on the market’s established goals and to protect Panera’s brand identity and purpose.\n• People Development:\nResponsible for unlocking and building the capabilities and performance of cafe management teams demonstrated through Panera’s Guiding Values and our people practices. These consist of recruitment, selection, DE&I, compensation, development/training, performance management and coaching, as well as succession planning.\nCreates the market’s People strategy and maintains a pipeline of talent to support the growth and talent needs within the market, to continually elevate employee performance and capability.\n• Brand Protection & Validation:\nResponsible for ensuring the cafes comply with all established operational standards, policies, and federal and state employment laws, around employment and food and workplace safety.\nEnsures cafes foster and maintain an inclusive and engaging work environment where every associate can show up authentically, free of discrimination and harassment.\nTop Leadership competencies for this role\nActs like an owner\nDefines vision and purpose\nUnlocks Potential\nBuilds trust\nCollaborates\nDelivers results\nQualifications (Education & Experience)\nMulti-unit experience or related experience preferred, but not required. \nSome college education/certification or related experience preferred, but not required. \nFirm understanding of business outcomes (sales drivers, profit drivers, reading P&L and financial reports).\nExcellent communication skills and can leverage these skills to influence others.\nSelf-motivated and can plan, prioritize, schedule, and manage a market-wide calendar.\nHas the ability to build high performing teams through selection, coaching and development and has strong coaching skills to continuously develop a team of managers.\nIs motivational and can inspire teams to perform at a high level, create role clarity and hold leaders at different organization levels accountable.\nProficient with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Work, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.), internet-based and complete other basic computer functions.\nMust have a strong work ethic, with the ability to work long and unusual hours.\nWorking Conditions & Physical Requirements\nUp to 95% travel within the market and some overnight travel for cafe visits based on market geography and for company meetings. Other out-of-market travel for business needs may be required.\nThis position requires a mix of walking/standing during long periods while on cafe visits (including the lifting of heavy items or boxes), some desk/office administrative work, as well as commuting between cafe locations.\nAt Panera, we strive to create a healthier and happier world. We do this by running best-in-class operations guided by tried-and-true restaurant practices and that is always striving to innovate for our guests and our associates.\nCompetitive Pay - $111,808 - $134,169\nThe 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.\nNewton Support Center","description_format":"text","description_chars":4983,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":null,"security_clearance":false,"languages":[]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Bakery & Pastry","Catering & Food Services"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-11-12T18:19:34Z"}],"visa":[],"liveness":{"score":64,"band":"ok","label":"Likely open","p_open":1,"p_active":0.855,"p_room":0.75,"age_days":28,"expected_fill_days":30,"reasons":["conf:1","win:late"],"computed_at":"2026-11-12T19:39:38Z"},"pay":{"stated_usd_annual":134169,"is_top_pay":false},"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/panera-bread-director-retail-operations","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/panera-bread-director-retail-operations.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-11-12T19:39:38Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":41469,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-11-13T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1758449},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1758449"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fpanera-bread-director-retail-operations"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":2,"usd":0.2},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fpanera-bread-director-retail-operations"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.1,"usd":0.01},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fpanera-bread-director-retail-operations"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/panera-bread-director-retail-operations\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fpanera-bread-director-retail-operations"}],"agent":{"mcp":"https://alion.io/mcp/jobs","mcp_open":"https://alion.io/mcp/open","next":[{"tool":"get_job","arguments":{"id":4186145}},{"tool":"search_jobs","arguments":{"company":"panerabread.com","detail":"compact"}},{"tool":"match_people","arguments":{"job_id":4186145},"note":"people open to offers who fit this vacancy"}],"note":"The same data through MCP tools: https://alion.io/mcp/open needs no sign-in (compact searches, postings, people); https://alion.io/mcp with an Alion account has everything. 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