Director, Operations Excellence

WHO WE ARE

We’re not in the wing business. We’re in the flavor business. It’s been our mission to Serve the World Flavor since we first opened in 1994, and we’re just getting started. 1997 saw the opening of our first brand partner operated Wingstop location, and by 2002 we had served the world one billion wings. It’s flavor that defines us and has made Wingstop one of the fastest growing brands in the restaurant industry.

Above all else – our success is largely due to our people and our core values, or what we call The Wingstop Way of being entrepreneurial, service-minded, fun, and authentic. We believe having a strong people foundation centered on these collective values creates a crave-worthy culture and talented team, as well as ensures our brand is poised for accelerated growth. We all win together.

WHAT WE’LL NEED

The Director, Operations Excellence, is responsible for defining, measuring, and elevating operational performance across Corporate and Brand Partner restaurants.

This role serves as the system architect of operational performance, establishing the standards, metrics, and insights that enable consistent execution at scale.

The Director does not own field execution. Instead, this role ensures:

• Clear definition of performance standards (what “great” looks like) 
• Accurate and scalable measurement systems (how performance is tracked) 
• Identification of performance gaps and trends (where improvement is needed) 
• Data-driven strategies to raise the performance floor across the system 

Scope & Impact

• Enterprise-wide influence across Corporate and Brand Partner operations 
• Ownership of operational performance frameworks, reporting, and scorecards 
• Direct impact on: 
  • Brand consistency and standards 
  • Same Store Sales performance (via insights and drivers) 
  • Operational efficiency and waste reduction 
  • Compliance and risk mitigation  

This role enables better decisions, faster alignment, and improved execution across the organization.

Key Accountabilities

1. Performance Systems & Reporting

• Design and manage enterprise-wide operational performance frameworks 
• Establish KPIs for QSC, food safety, and operational efficiency 
• Build dashboards and scorecards that provide clear, actionable visibility 
• Translate data into insights that drive operational and financial performance 
• Identify key drivers of Same Store Sales and connect them to execution 

2. Brand Standards & Scorecard Governance

• Define and evolve the Brand Scorecard and performance benchmarks 
• Measure and report performance variability across the system 
• Identify trends and gaps to inform enterprise priorities 
• Ensure all standards are measurable, transparent, and consistently applied 

3. Performance Improvement & Variability Reduction

• Quantify gaps between top and bottom performers 
• Develop strategies to systematically raise the performance floor 
• Identify inefficiencies impacting throughput, cost, and guest experience 
• Drive enterprise focus on consistency, not just peak performance 

4. Initiative Measurement & ROI

• Evaluate effectiveness of cross-functional initiatives 
• Track adoption, performance, and ROI against defined success metrics 
• Ensure initiatives are measurable and operationally executable 
• Provide visibility into impact to inform future decisions 

5. Compliance & Operational Integrity

• Monitor adherence to operational and food safety standards through reporting 
• Identify systemic compliance gaps and escalate insights  
• Ensure accountability is driven through transparency and data visibility 

6. Enterprise Partnership & Influence

• Partner with Operations, Finance, Technology, Learning, and QA 
• Ensure alignment between enterprise strategy and field execution 
• Influence decisions through data, insights, and clear performance narratives 

How does this role solve a current gap in the organization?

Currently, operational performance is measured and managed inconsistently across Corporate and Brand Partner restaurants. There is no single owner responsible for defining enterprise standards, aligning metrics, and providing clear visibility into performance gaps.

This role addresses that gap by:

• Establishing a single source of truth for operational performance metrics 
• Creating standardized scorecards, reporting, and KPIs across the system 
• Identifying performance variability and root causes across markets 
• Identifying performance variability and root causes across markets 

• Enabling leaders to make data-driven decisions rather than reactive ones

  
  

Ultimately, this role shifts the organization from fragmented, reactive performance management → consistent, proactive, and scalable performance systems.

This role is foundational to delivering a consistent, high-quality brand experience at scale, which is central to the Wingstop House strategy.

Specifically, it supports:

• Operations Excellence Pillar – by defining and measuring what “great” execution looks like 
• Growth & Scalability – by ensuring operational standards and performance systems can scale with new restaurants and markets 
• People & Capability – by providing clarity and data that enable leaders to perform at a higher level 
• Financial Performance – by identifying operational drivers of Same Store Sales and profitability  
•  

This role ensures that as the brand grows, execution does not dilute, and performance remains consistent across the network.

How does this role play in the Wingstop House strategy?

This role is foundational to delivering a consistent, high-quality brand experience at scale, which is central to the Wingstop House strategy.

Specifically, it supports:

• Operations Excellence Pillar – by defining and measuring what “great” execution looks like 
• Growth & Scalability – by ensuring operational standards and performance systems can scale with new restaurants and markets 
• People & Capability – by providing clarity and data that enable leaders to perform at a higher level 
• Financial Performance – by identifying operational drivers of Same Store Sales and profitability 

This role ensures that as the brand grows, execution does not dilute, and performance remains consistent across the network.

What other teams will the person in this role collaborate with?

This role is highly cross-functional and will partner closely with:

• Operations (Field Leadership) – to align on performance expectations and interpret insights 
• Finance – to connect operational performance to financial outcomes (SSS, margins, cost drivers) 
• Technology / Data & Analytics – to build dashboards, reporting tools, and ensure data integrity 
• Training / Learning – to align performance gaps with capability-building programs 
• QA / Food Safety – to integrate compliance and safety metrics into performance frameworks 
• Supply Chain – to assess operational impact of product, cost, and process changes 
• Marketing – to evaluate operational readiness and performance impact of campaigns and promotions 
• HR – to connect people performance, turnover, and leadership capability to operational outcomes

YOUR IMPACT

·  Establish a clear, enterprise-wide view of operational performance 

·  Reduce variability between top and bottom performing locations 

·  Improve Brand Scorecard performance and consistency 

·  Enable data-driven decisions across Operations and leadership teams 

·  Identify and influence key drivers of Same Store Sales 

·  Improve operational efficiency and reduce waste 

·  Ensure strong compliance with food safety and brand standards 

· Drive scalable systems that support long-term growth

WHAT YOU’LL DO

·  Design and implement enterprise operational performance frameworks and scorecards 

·  Define KPIs across QSC, food safety, and operational efficiency 

·  Build and evolve dashboards and reporting tools for visibility at all levels 

·  Analyze data to identify trends, gaps, and performance drivers 

·  Quantify and reduce performance variability across the network 

·  Evaluate effectiveness and ROI of cross-functional initiatives 

·  Monitor compliance through audits and reporting systems 

·  Translate insights into clear, actionable recommendations for leadership 

·  Partner cross-functionally to ensure initiatives are measurable and executable 

· Support the organization in raising the performance floor at scale

WHAT SUCCESS LOOKS LIKE

• Clear, trusted performance metrics used across the organization 
• Reduced variability between top and bottom performing locations 
• Improved Brand Scorecard results and consistency 
• Measurable impact on Same Store Sales through operational drivers 
• High adoption of performance tools, reporting, and standards 
• Strong compliance with food safety and operational processes 

Leadership Profile

• Standard Setter – Defines and enforces what “great” looks like 
• System Builder – Creates scalable processes that drive consistency 
• Problem Solver – Identifies root causes and drives lasting solutions 
• Operator-First Thinker – Designs with real-world execution in mind 
• Accountable Leader – Owns outcomes and drives results with urgency 

This role does not manage restaurants or execute operations directly.

It drives impact by:

• Building the systems that define performance 
• Creating the visibility that drives accountability
• Providing the insights that enable better execution

The Director, Operational Excellence ensures the organization knows:

• What great performance looks like 
• How it is measured 
• Where it is breaking down 
• How to systematically improve it at scale

WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

As Wingstop continues to scale, the complexity of maintaining consistent operational performance across Corporate and Brand Partner restaurants increases. Today, performance measurement, reporting, and standards are not fully aligned, creating variability, inefficiencies, and limited visibility into what is driving results.

This role matters because it establishes the foundation for consistent, scalable operational excellence by:

• Defining what “great” looks like across the system 
• Creating a single, standardized view of performance
• Identifying gaps, trends, and root causes that impact results 
• Enabling leaders to make faster, data-driven decisions 

By building the systems that measure and inform performance, this role directly supports:

• Improved Same Store Sales and profitability 
• Reduced operational variability and waste 
• Stronger compliance and brand consistency 
• Scalable growth without sacrificing execution 

Bottom line:
This role ensures that as the business grows, performance becomes more consistent—not more variable—and that decisions are driven by data, not assumptions.

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Core Capabilities

• Data & Analytical Acumen – Ability to translate complex data into actionable insights 
• Systems Thinking – Designs scalable frameworks that drive consistency 
• Operational Expertise – Deep understanding of restaurant-level execution 
• Influence Without Authority – Drives alignment across cross-functional teams 

• Strategic Problem Solving – Identifies root causes and implements sustainable solutions 

  
  

Experience

• 10+ years in multi-unit restaurant or operations leadership 
• Proven track record of improving performance at scale 
• Experience building or managing performance dashboards and KPIs 
• Strong cross-functional leadership and project management experience 

WHO YOU ARE 

No job is too small. You recognize that the real work happens in the restaurants, and everything we do should support their success. You stay humble, roll up your sleeves, and always look for ways to help. You learn from others and contribute wherever you can.

You care deeply about doing great work and driving results. You’re curious, ask questions, and seek out opportunities to improve. You don’t just point out problems—you bring solutions, ideas, and perspectives that move the team forward.

You take full responsibility for your work and see things through to completion. You aren’t afraid to fail because you know that failure is a part of learning and growth. You take action, move fast, and keep pushing forward.

You lead with empathy, respect, and emotional intelligence. You collaborate effectively, fostering a culture of trust and constructive feedback. You understand the importance of teamwork and ensure that your actions build others up rather than break them down.

You push yourself and others to be better. You embrace healthy conflict, knowing that great ideas and strong teams emerge from honest, constructive conversations. You believe that leaders create leaders and are committed to fostering a culture of growth, challenge, and continuous improvement.

BENEFITS

FLAVOR PERKS:

• Unlimited paid time off for exempt employees

• One paid volunteer day of your choice

• Competitive bonus structure for eligible roles

• Team member stock purchase plan

• Health savings or flexible spending account options

• 401k – (dollar for dollar on the first 3% and then 50 cents on the dollar for the next 2% for team member contributions up to 5% of eligible compensation)

• Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits

• Basic life and AD&D insurance provided

• Pet insurance

• Education Assistance

• Wellness reimbursement program

• Paid maternity and paternity leave

FUN IS THE BEST FLAVOR:

• Lunch provided every Tuesday and Thursday in office

• Discount on Wingstop gift cards

• Onsite game room

Wingstop provides equal opportunities for everyone that works for us and everyone that applies to join our team, without regard to sex or gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, pregnancy, physical or mental disability, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sexual orientation, any service, past, present, or future, in the uniformed services of the United States (military or veteran status), or any other consideration protected by federal, state, or local law.