Field Operations Lead Specialist - Northern California

Philz Coffee•San Francisco, CA

20h•Hybrid

About The Position

At Philz, growth is never just about opening more stores, it’s about opening them the right way. We’re looking for a Field Operations Lead Specialist based in the San Francisco Bay Area to help lead that work by owning the readiness, coordination, and continuous improvement of our New Store Opening model. This role plays a critical part in making sure each opening is set up to launch on time, operate smoothly, and support long-term success. You’ll work across teams to bring structure, discipline, and consistency to how we open new stores, while also helping strengthen field execution through tools, support, and project leadership. If you’re someone who knows how to keep moving parts aligned and build systems that can scale with growth, this role will give you the chance to make a visible impact. This role involves monthly travel in our operating markets.

Requirements

3+ years in multi-unit training
Direct experience supporting new store openings in a lead training role with project management responsibilities
Must be able to achieve Manager-level ServSafe within 30 days of hire (company-provided)
Background in high-volume retail or food & beverage environments
Must reside in the San Francisco Bay Area
Ability to sustain high energy across multi-week openings
Requires flexibility, resilience, and strong time management
High travel role (local and regional; NorCal - SoCal and beyond)
Assignments may range from daily travel to multi-week deployments
Excellent presentation and facilitation skills with the ability to engage and inspire diverse audiences
Strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Exceptional communication and interpersonal skills to build relationships and collaborate effectively with stakeholders at all levels
Strategic Operator: Understands how all departments impact opening success
Systems Thinker: Builds repeatable tools, calendars, scorecards, and processes
Influencer without authority: Moves teams through alignment and clarity
Resource planner: Balances people, travel, labor, and timelines across multiple openings

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end NSO lifecycle from hiring to post-open support exit across multiple concurrent openings
Facilitate high-impact group training and in-store coaching across all roles. Other NSO training support as needed
Ensure stores open: On time aligned to rent commencement and turnover readiness, Operationally ready (systems, product, training, staffing), Customer experience ready, Financially disciplined, Performance metrics met
Own assigned NSO location opening calendar and readiness milestones (Staffing - Post-Open support exit)
Build training pod teams for maximum training excellence
Conduct Biweekly staffing readiness calls
Identify risks and collaborate on mitigation plans
Standardize and continuously improve NSO playbooks, timelines, and readiness checklists as needed
Lead post-mortems for each assigned opening and reviewing opening results, guest scores, hiring readiness, and first 60-day outcomes
Coordinate findings with the Manager, and present to Senior Leadership
Lead pilots, tests, and new process rollouts tied to openings.
Act as a bridge between NSO and existing store operations
Step into high-risk openings or underperforming launches; make decisions on support deployment, timeline adjustments, and recovery actions in partnership with Field and Central Operations Leadership
Support Area Leaders in stabilizing new stores post-open, driving consistency across mature locations, and reinforcing operational standards and SOP adherence
Identify field-wide execution gaps in training and hospitality and translate into training improvements and tools
When not in NSO cycles: Deploy into the field to strengthen existing stores
Support underperforming locations with structured recovery plans
Reinforce the Bettering Days mission through operational excellence
Consult and participate in high-impact operational projects such as: NSO Process design and updates, Training system enhancements, Operational dashboards, Pilots and tests not related to New Store Openings
Build and maintain: NSO Workbooks/Project plans, Communication cadence across stakeholders, Training & readiness alignment through design, validation, execution and evaluation