Operations Manager — DCM

The Yay Company•DC, DC

2d•$65,000 - $70,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Yay Company is looking for an experienced, hands-on Operations Manager to own the performance of our DC Metro area markets across DC proper, Maryland, Virginia and Baltimore. This is a field-first role — you are not desk-bound. You are in your markets, at your schools, and with your teams on a rotating basis, ensuring every location runs to Yay's standards and every school feels great about the program. This region operates primarily through Yay-produced hub kitchens, meaning you are managing real food production, kitchen teams, and distribution logistics — not just coordinating third-party vendors. You will be responsible for standing up new kitchen locations, managing Kitchen Managers and Lunch Coordinators across multiple markets, and owning the financial performance of your region. This role is based in DCM. Your strongest and most frequent physical presence will be in DCM, with regular rotation in Baltimore. The ability to lead remote teams with high trust and clear expectations is as important as your ability to show up in person. This is a high-accountability, high-visibility role at a company that is scaling fast. If you love being in the field, own outcomes rather than activities, and thrive in an environment where every day is different, this role is for you.

Requirements

5-7 years of experience in multi-unit operations management, ideally in food service, hospitality, or a similarly fast-paced field environment
Experience managing kitchen or food production operations, understanding food cost, labor scheduling, and kitchen operations at margin
Proven ability to manage remote teams effectively
Strong people management skills, including leading field teams, holding individuals accountable, and developing talent
Financially fluent, able to read a P&L, understand direct margin, and connect operational decisions to financial outcomes
Self-directed and highly organized, capable of managing multiple markets across a large geography
Comfortable with ambiguity and growth in a scaling environment
ServSafe Manager certification or willingness to obtain within 30 days of hire
Must be based in Philadelphia or within commuting distance
Valid driver's license and reliable transportation, requiring regular travel across markets

Responsibilities

Accountable for the direct margin of every school in your region, actively managing food cost, labor, waste, and sales.
Own the labor budget for your region, building and managing schedules for Kitchen Managers to ensure correct staffing based on production volume.
Approve overtime, monitor clock-in compliance daily, and hold teams accountable for punctuality and task completion.
Own the sales number for your markets, understanding participation rates and proactively addressing underperforming locations.
Oversee weekly and monthly inventory counts across all schools in your region, investigating any variance.
Manage remote markets by setting standards, staying close through communication, conducting regular site visits, and ensuring operational consistency.
Own the end-to-end launch process for new kitchen schools, including health department coordination, equipment procurement, staffing, and operational setup.
Directly manage Kitchen Managers and ground-level staff, setting clear expectations, developing the team, addressing performance issues, and building a culture of ownership.
Maintain field presence, concentrating time where it matters most, with DCM as the home base and regular rotation in Baltimore.

Benefits

Competitive salary commensurate with experience
A high-growth, mission-driven company where your work directly impacts what kids eat every day
A leadership team that values accountability, transparency, and operators who own their outcomes
Real career growth as we expand into new markets and continue building our leadership team

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