Regional Director of Operations - Midwest

About the Company

Shake Shack is built around hospitality, strong team culture, and doing the right thing for guests, teammates, and local communities. The brand is growing quickly and offers a workplace that encourages learning, mentorship, and professional development in a collaborative, inclusive setting.

The company began as a hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park and grew into a well-known hospitality brand rooted in high-quality food, community giving, and a service-focused mindset.

Role Overview

Shake Shack is hiring a Regional Director of Operations to support the Midwest region. Reporting to the Regional Vice President, this leader will oversee 3 to 6 markets and focus on profitability, operational performance, SOP compliance, and team development across area restaurants. The role is central to building strong operations, developing leadership talent, and helping the business grow sustainably.

Responsibilities

• Create and execute market-level operational and strategic plans, track results, apply learnings, and partner with Home Office support to solve issues when needed.
• Guide and grow Area Directors so they can meet business performance and expansion needs, while advising General Managers on improvement plans.
• Build leadership depth by maintaining a strong management bench for future growth and ensuring expectations are clearly communicated and followed.
• Oversee compliance with safety, administrative, and legal standards across the region.
• Manage the startup budget for new locations and control the repair and maintenance budget by directing resources where they are most needed.
• Coordinate roundtables and conference calls to keep market teams aligned on goals, messaging, and regional initiatives, while strengthening communication between home office teams and operations.
• Identify operational gaps, take decisive action, and drive solutions with persistence and accountability.

Requirements

• At least 6 years of multi-unit restaurant management experience.
• Experience supporting a global brand is preferred.
• Prior hands-on experience designing training programs and evaluating employee skills.
• Bachelor’s degree is preferred.
• Willingness and ability to travel as required.
• Strong people-development capability, business judgment, communication skills, problem-solving ability, planning, and organization.
• Experience leading multiple locations and creating management development plans.

Perks and Benefits

• Weekly pay plus performance-based bonuses.
• Meal discounts at Shake Shack.
• Corporate discounts on travel, electronics, wellness, leisure activities, and more.
• Medical, dental, and vision coverage.
• Employer-paid life and disability insurance.
• 401(k) plan with company match.
• Paid time off.
• Paid parental leave.
• Employee Assistance Program access starting on day 1.
• Pre-tax commuter and parking benefits.
• Flexible spending and dependent care accounts.
• Development and growth opportunities.

Additional Information

Eligibility criteria apply to certain benefits. The expected salary for a successful candidate depends on experience, qualifications, business needs, available resources, and the candidate’s location.

Equal Opportunity Statement

Shake Shack provides equal employment opportunity to all qualified applicants and does not discriminate on the basis of any protected characteristic, including race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, or military and veteran status.