Director of Operations

Description

Job Title: Director of Operations
Location: Mercado Little Spain – New York, NY
Reports To: Senior / Vice President of Operations
Department: Operations
Employment Type: Full-Time, Exempt
Salary Range: $165,000–$180,000 per year + Bonus + Benefits

José Andrés Group (JAG), led by Chef José Andrés, is a hospitality company known for creating exceptional dining experiences through culinary innovation, outstanding hospitality, and a values-driven culture.

Located in Hudson Yards,
Mercado Little Spain is a vibrant culinary destination celebrating the food, drinks, culture, and hospitality of Spain. Bringing together restaurants, bars, kiosks, retail, events, and unique culinary experiences under one roof, Mercado Little Spain offers guests an immersive experience inspired by the mercados and culinary traditions of Spain.

The Director of Operations is the senior operational leader responsible for the overall performance, culture, and guest experience of Mercado Little Spain.

This role provides strategic and day-to-day leadership across Mercado operations, partnering closely with General Managers, Culinary Leadership, Events, Beverage, Marketing, Finance, People & Culture, and JAG senior leadership to drive exceptional business results.

The Director of Operations is accountable for achieving financial and operational goals while maintaining the highest standards of hospitality, food and beverage execution, team engagement, safety, and brand integrity.

The ideal candidate is a highly experienced, people-focused hospitality leader with a proven track record managing complex, high-volume, multi-concept operations. They are equally comfortable analyzing a P&L, developing a General Manager, navigating a high-volume service, creating an annual business plan, strengthening key property partnerships, and engaging directly with guests and team members on the floor.

• Provide overall operational leadership and strategic direction for Mercado Little Spain.
• Oversee the performance and execution of restaurants, bars, kiosks, guest-facing operations, and other Mercado experiences.
• Establish clear operating priorities, standards, and expectations across the property.
• Maintain a highly visible presence throughout Mercado operations, particularly during peak business periods.
• Ensure consistent execution of JAG service, hospitality, cleanliness, and operational standards.
• Identify opportunities to improve efficiency, productivity, profitability, and the guest experience.
• Lead operational planning for seasonal peaks, holidays, special events, activations, and high-volume periods.
• Ensure appropriate systems, processes, tools, and resources are in place to support successful operations.
• Drive accountability and follow-through across the leadership team.

• Own and drive overall financial performance for Mercado Little Spain in partnership with senior leadership.
• Develop and execute strategies to achieve revenue, profitability, labor, and operating expense goals.
• Maintain a comprehensive understanding of the P&L and key financial drivers.
• Review weekly, monthly, quarterly, and annual financial performance and identify trends and opportunities.
• Partner with Finance and Operations Leadership on budgets, forecasts, and annual business planning.
• Monitor labor productivity and staffing levels across concepts.
• Partner with Culinary and Beverage Leadership to manage COGS, inventory, purchasing, waste, and product utilization.
• Analyze sales by concept, daypart, category, and other relevant business drivers.
• Develop action plans when performance falls outside established expectations.
• Identify revenue…