VP, Ops Services

About Us

sweetgreen is on a mission to build healthier communities by connecting people to real food. We passionately believe that real food should be convenient and accessible to everyone. Every day in each sweetgreen, our team members make food from scratch, using fresh ingredients and produce delivered that morning. And in our local communities, we're committed to leaving people better than we found them. We're in the business of feeding people, and we're out to change what that means.

Our teams are our most valuable ingredient - the heart of our company, the face of our brand, and what truly makes the sweetgreen experience special and unique.

About the Role

The Vice President, Operations Services is the voice and representative of our restaurants at the Support Center, responsible for driving flawless operations execution across the fleet. This leader will oversee critical functions including New Restaurant Openings (NRO), Risk & Loss Prevention, Customer Experience, Food Safety, Operations Systems (including COGs and Workforce Management), and Operations Communications.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, this role serves as the operational backbone that enables sweetgreen to scale with excellence. The VP of Operations Services will lead cross-functional efforts to optimize our restaurant systems and processes, operationalize new brand initiatives, and ensure the field has the tools, training, and support needed to deliver an exceptional guest experience.

Location & Travel

• Based at sweetgreen Support Center (Los Angeles, CA)
• Domestic travel required up to 30% of the time

What You'll Do

Strategic Leadership

• Lead and develop a high-performing team of leaders spanning NRO, Risk & Loss Prevention, Customer Experience, Food Safety, Operations Systems, and Operations Communications
• Own the operational strategy that ensures our restaurants are set up for success, from pre-opening through ongoing optimization
• Serve as the primary liaison between field operations and the Support Center, ensuring the voice of operators is represented in all strategic decisions
• Partner with the COO and Field Operations Leadership Team to shape and execute company-wide operations strategy

Operations Excellence

• Optimize operational systems and the unit economic model for existing restaurants, new restaurant formats, and off-premise revenue channels
• Own the implementation calendar for the brand, serving as the gatekeeper that paces and sequences initiatives hitting the field
• Drive continuous improvement in labor productivity, scheduling efficiency, and workforce optimization through the WFM function
• Lead COGs management and operational systems strategy to maximize restaurant profitability

Growth Enablement

• Enable growth by coordinating and driving cross-functional efforts to open new restaurants seamlessly
• Partner with Store Development, Construction, and R&D teams to advance store layouts, designs, and equipment packages that optimize operational efficiency
• Operationalize new brand initiatives including menu expansion, daypart expansion, new channels, and format innovation

Risk & Safety

• Oversee enterprise-wide food safety strategy, audit programs, and regulatory compliance
• Lead loss prevention and risk mitigation efforts, including asset protection, crisis management, and team member safety
• Serve as executive sponsor for customer experience initiatives, ensuring guest satisfaction metrics are met and exceeded

Communication & Analytics

• Lead operations insights, analytics, and communication to drive data-informed decision making
• Oversee operations communications function to ensure clear, timely, and actionable information reaches the field
• Build dashboards and reporting frameworks that provide visibility into key operational metrics

What We're Looking For

Required Qualifications

• 12+ years of progressive operations leadership experience in multi-unit restaurant, retail, or hospitality environments
• 7+ years in senior leadership roles overseeing multiple functional areas
• Proven track record of scaling operations in high-growth environments (300+ locations preferred)
• Experience leading new restaurant openings and operational systems implementation at scale
• Strong background in workforce management, labor optimization, and scheduling systems
• Deep un