Director of Operations

About Läderach

Läderach began in 1962 in Glarus, Switzerland, as a small confectionery with a vision of creating a shop for sweet gifts. Over more than six decades and three generations, it has become a globally recognized premium chocolate brand. The company follows a bean-to-bar-to-you approach, keeping full control over chocolate production in Switzerland from sourcing cacao directly at origin to crafting the finished product in-house. Nothing is outsourced.

The brand earned further recognition in 2018 when Elias Läderach became the first Swiss chocolatier to win the World Chocolate Masters in Paris. In the same year, Johannes Läderach became CEO, marking the third generation of family leadership. The company entered North America in 2019 and now operates more than 220 chocolateries in 25+ countries, with a growing retail presence across the United States and Canada. North America is a strategic growth market.

Role Summary

This senior leadership position is responsible for driving the performance of Läderach’s retail network across the United States and Canada. The role oversees execution across stores, customer experience, training, labor productivity, and field leadership performance. The Director will lead the Regional Sales Managers directly and, through them, influence the wider frontline retail organization.

The position reports to the President, North America and is intended to build toward a broader executive operations scope over time.

What You Will Do

• Guide and develop the Regional Sales Manager team, defining priorities, building capability, and ensuring accountability across markets.
• Set and uphold operational standards, store routines, and execution consistency across the boutique network.
• Strengthen training and guest experience by embedding product knowledge, service expectations, and brand behaviors through coaching and training discipline.
• Improve labor productivity by creating staffing models, managing scheduling practices, and increasing efficiency while protecting the customer experience.
• Support sales growth by influencing same-store sales, conversion, and average transaction value through strong operational execution.
• Own the operational approach for new store openings and market entries, ensuring each launch meets brand expectations from the first day.
• Act as the link between field operations and headquarters by sharing insights that shape staffing, product decisions, and broader strategy.

What You Bring

• At least 8 years of leadership experience in multi-unit retail, with direct responsibility for operations, standards, and geographically distributed teams.
• Experience leading through a Regional Sales Manager or District Manager structure is required.
• A background in premium or specialty retail, especially environments where the guest experience is central to the product.
• Strong operational judgment and visible field leadership, with a history of improving standards and coaching teams effectively.
• Commercial awareness paired with an operational mindset, including the ability to understand performance drivers and build teams that deliver results.
• Executive presence and the ambition to grow into more senior leadership responsibilities.

Compensation and Location

The base salary range is $150,000 to $185,000 per year. There is also an annual bonus of 15% to 20% of base pay, tied to same-store sales growth, conversion, average transaction value, and labor productivity. The position is field-based in the United States and requires 60% to 70% travel across the North America network.

Application Details

Applicants should submit a resume along with a short note describing their background in premium multi-unit operations.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Läderach is an equal opportunity employer and considers all qualified applicants without discrimination. Hiring decisions are made regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, marital status, veteran status, disability, age, religion, or other protected characteristics. The company notes that its growth is supported by a diverse workforce of 2,500 employees from more than 80 countries and a wide range of backgrounds, beliefs, and lifestyles.