Head of Retail Operations

This role is for one of the Weekday's clients

Salary range: Rs 700000 - Rs 5000000 (ie INR 7 - 50 LPA)

Min Experience: 6+ years

Location: Gurugram, Haryana, India
JobType: full-time

We are seeking an experienced and results-driven Head of Retail Operations to lead and scale our retail café business. This leadership role is ideal for someone who has successfully managed multi-store café operations, driven operational excellence, and played a key role in launching new outlets. The ideal candidate combines strong business acumen with hands-on operational expertise and is passionate about delivering exceptional customer experiences while ensuring sustainable business growth.

As the Head of Retail Operations, you will be responsible for overseeing day-to-day operations across multiple café locations, optimizing store performance, implementing operational best practices, and leading new store expansion initiatives. You will collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including finance, marketing, supply chain, HR, and leadership to ensure seamless execution of business objectives.

Requirements

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end retail café operations across multiple locations, ensuring operational efficiency, profitability, and consistent brand standards.
• Drive sales growth by implementing operational strategies that enhance customer experience and maximize store performance.
• Plan and execute new store openings, including site readiness, vendor coordination, equipment installation, staffing, training, compliance, and successful launch.
• Develop and standardize operating procedures to ensure consistency across all outlets.
• Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) such as sales, footfall, inventory, labor costs, food costs, customer satisfaction, and profitability.
• Work closely with procurement and supply chain teams to ensure uninterrupted product availability and efficient inventory management.
• Build, mentor, and lead high-performing operations teams, store managers, and regional leaders through regular coaching and performance reviews.
• Ensure adherence to food safety, hygiene, health, and regulatory compliance standards across all locations.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to execute promotional campaigns and local store initiatives that drive customer engagement.
• Identify opportunities for process improvement, cost optimization, and operational scalability.
• Manage operational budgets and resource allocation while maintaining high service quality.
• Resolve customer escalations and implement initiatives to continuously improve guest satisfaction.

Required Skills & Qualifications

Must-Have Skills

• Proven expertise in Cafe Operations with experience managing multiple outlets or regional operations.
• Hands-on experience leading New Store Opening projects from planning through successful launch.
• Strong understanding of retail operations, SOP implementation, inventory control, workforce planning, and cost management.
• Experience in driving operational excellence and achieving sales and profitability targets.
• Excellent leadership, people management, and team development skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a data-driven decision-making approach.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, customer-focused environment.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.

Good-to-Have Skills

• Experience in QSR, coffee chains, casual dining, or organized retail.
• Knowledge of POS systems, retail analytics, and business reporting tools.
• Experience in vendor management, procurement coordination, and supply chain optimization.
• Familiarity with budgeting, forecasting, and financial planning.
• MBA or equivalent qualification in Business, Hospitality, Retail Management, or a related field is preferred.