Director of IT - Restaurant Systems

SLIM CHICKENS•Fayetteville, AR

40d•Onsite

About The Position

The Director, IT Restaurant Systems establishes Slim Chickens’ IT strategy and roadmap for restaurant technology, leads core technology projects, and oversees day-to-day support, implementation, and management of technology infrastructure at restaurant and corporate levels. Systems include Point of Sale, Back Office, digital menu boards, mobile applications, and related platforms. The role leads end-to-end technology initiatives, from concept and planning through development, testing, pilot, deployment, and post-deployment support. It manages a two-person IT Support Analyst team, restaurant systems and vendors, IT support processes, PCI compliance review, internal IT tools, and the IT budget. The Director supports restaurant teams and leadership, new restaurant openings and remodels, and collaboration with internal departments and franchisees. The position develops short- and long-term technology roadmaps and evaluates technologies that may improve business operations, guest experience, and franchisee profitability. The role is primarily office-based and may involve occasional travel to restaurants or other work sites, including overnight stays. A bachelor’s degree in business, technology, or equivalent experience is the stated minimum; a master’s degree in information systems technology or equivalent is preferred. The position requires at least five years of food and beverage industry experience.

Requirements

Degree in MIS or another technology major, or an equivalent amount of training and experience.
Bachelor’s degree in business, technology, or equivalent experience.
At least five years of experience in the food and beverage industry.
Relevant experience managing technology infrastructure for a company in the industry.
Proven ability to define business needs and select and install appropriate technology solutions.
Broad technology knowledge and strong problem-solving ability.
Proven internal customer service skills.
Proven ability to design, implement, and maintain a reliable network with strong data security.
Ability to work with a team to solve business problems using technology.
Experience in a technology role supporting business and guest-facing applications.
Technical knowledge of network equipment, laptops, operating systems, AI platforms such as Claude, mobile devices, POS, and back-office applications.
Awareness of third-party platform integrations in restaurant and support center environments.
Functional technical knowledge of Brink POS hardware and software.
Functional technical knowledge of cloud-based software; POS and online ordering experience is preferred.
Functional technical knowledge of audio/visual equipment supporting restaurant menu and limited-time-offer boards.
Technical knowledge of back-office restaurant solution systems.

Nice To Haves

Management experience in the food and beverage industry.
Master’s degree in information systems technology or equivalent.
Experience with cloud-based POS and online ordering software.

Responsibilities

Establish short- and long-term IT strategies and roadmaps for restaurant technology.
Lead end-to-end implementation and project management of core IT initiatives, including concept, sourcing, development, testing, pilot, deployment, and post-deployment support.
Lead implementation of POS and Back Office technology with minimal disruption to operations.
Manage a two-person IT Support Analyst team and oversee POS and Back Office database management, including menus, inventory, and labor management.
Collaborate with internal teams and franchisees to meet project goals and timelines.
Oversee the annual PCI compliance review.
Lead deployment and management of internal IT tools, including Monday.com and Claude.
Provide training, guidance, and mentorship to employees and direct reports.
Manage the IT budget, monitor issues, and ensure project timelines and costs meet expectations.
Provide ongoing IT platform support to restaurant and leadership teams.
Oversee day-to-day management of core IT platforms and restaurant technology vendors.
Establish end-to-end technical support processes, including troubleshooting, metrics, and performance reporting.
Maintain detailed records of issues and provide clear communication and documentation to teams.
Ensure IT team members are knowledgeable and meet end-user support responsibilities.
Support IT systems for new restaurant openings and remodels, including configuring new locations in systems such as CrunchTime and Brink.
Participate in selecting, testing, and implementing hardware and software platforms.
Evaluate new technologies and how they complement existing solutions and business practices.
Coordinate with department leadership to prioritize and scope projects, and collaborate cross-functionally and with the franchise system.
Administer and monitor Monday.com, related vendors, and corporate AI licenses, access, and usage limits.
Perform other duties as necessary in support of business objectives.