HR Field Operations Manager

Key Responsibilities Employee Relations and Field HR Support

Serve as the primary HR field contact for assigned districts, restaurants, and operations leaders regarding employee relations, staffing, policy interpretation, and workplace concerns. Investigate employee complaints, workplace concerns, policy violations, and performance‑related issues in a timely, fair, and well‑documented manner. Provide guidance to district managers and restaurant managers on corrective action, documentation, conflict resolution, attendance issues, performance concerns, and terminations. Partner with HR leadership and legal counsel, when appropriate, to ensure consistent and compliant handling of sensitive employee relations matters.

Promote a respectful, inclusive, and values‑based workplace culture across field operations.

Lead and support recruiting strategies for restaurant management, field leadership, and high‑priority hourly staffing needs within assigned markets. Partner with operations leaders to forecast staffing needs, identify talent gaps, and develop market‑specific recruiting plans. Monitor recruiting activity, candidate flow, time‑to‑fill 21 days or less, retention trends, and hiring effectiveness to recommend improvements. Support interview processes, candidate selection, onboarding readiness, and hiring compliance.

Build relationships with community organizations, schools, workforce agencies, job boards, and other recruiting partners to strengthen talent pipelines.

Partner with and support the Director of Area Operations in building and maintaining District Manager succession plans using a 1‑year, 3‑year, and 5‑year talent planning model. Help identify “ready now” and “ready future” candidates for District Manager roles by evaluating leadership readiness, operational performance, development needs, retention risk, and career interest. Maintain succession planning documentation that identifies District Managers approaching retirement, District Managers with performance concerns or development needs, and District Managers considered top talent or high‑potential leaders.

Collaborate with COO, DAO and SVP of HR to create development plans, coaching actions, stretch assignments, and retention strategies for future District Manager candidates. Review succession planning data with field leadership on a regular cadence to ensure leadership pipeline visibility, workforce continuity, and proactive planning for future vacancies. Support talent calibration discussions by providing employee relations, recruiting, retention, and workforce trend insights that may impact District Manager readiness or succession risk.

Coordinate and support the performance review process for all operations roles, including restaurant management, District Managers, Directors of Area Operations, and other field operations leadership positions. Partner with operations leadership and HR leadership to ensure performance reviews are completed consistently, accurately, and on schedule. Provide guidance to managers on performance documentation, goal setting, rating consistency, development planning, and follow‑up expectations. Track completion status, identify overdue reviews, and elevate gaps or concerns to appropriate operations and HR leaders.

Use performance review outcomes to support employee development, succession planning, retention strategies, corrective action planning, and talent calibration discussions. Help ensure performance review practices align with company expectations, leadership standards, and applicable employment policies.

Ensure HR practices are aligned with company policies and applicable federal, state, and local employment laws. Coach managers on effective communication, documentation, employee engagement, policy compliance, and consistent application of HR practices. Assist with rollout and training of HR programs, compliance initiatives, employee relations processes, and field operations procedures. Identify recurring employee relations or…