Operations & Strategy Project Manager – Strategy & Planning (IHOP)

Dine Brands Global•Pasadena, CA

2d•Hybrid

About The Position

The IHOP Program Management Office (PMO) is the engine that helps our brand operate smarter, faster, and more collaboratively. We equip teams with the systems, processes, and cross-functional alignment they need to stay focused on what matters most—creating exceptional guest experiences everyday. As a strategic partner across Operations, Culinary/Beverage, Cost Optimization, Communications, Business Analytics, and Marketing, the PMO leads key initiatives that improve clarity, efficiency, and teamwork throughout the organization. Our work spans two core areas: •Driving strategic and operational priorities through structured project and process management •Empowering team performance with tools, resources, and frameworks that support growth and effectiveness By bringing consistency, transparency, and alignment to the way work gets done, the PMO enables IHOP and Dine Brands Global to deliver with greater impact and do more of what we do best, delighting guests and fueling the success of our restaurants. The Role: The Operations & Strategy Project Manager serves as a trusted advisor to our project and program leaders, aligning operational initiatives with business objectives to drive growth, operational excellence, and brand performance. Leveraging restaurant industry knowledge, a strong business acumen, and rigorous project leadership, this role translates strategic priorities into actionable plans, orchestrates execution across teams, and delivers measurable outcomes. Ideal Candidate: The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the restaurant and hospitality industry, including FOH and BOH operations. This candidate is a trusted advisor who connects big-picture priorities with day-to-day operations. They combine disciplined execution with adaptability, influencing stakeholders at every level, and transforming insights into actionable strategies that deliver business impact.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Hospitality, Marketing, or a related field.
Experience in restaurant, hospitality, retail, or franchise organizations preferred.
5-8 years of professional related experience, including 4+ years in project management.
CAPM or PMP or other project management certification preferred.
Experience running a full project lifecycle, including development, design, testing, implementation, issue resolution, and post-implementation support.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear, concise presentations and executive-level summaries.
Effective collaborator with strong interpersonal and leadership capabilities; able to build trust, influence stakeholders, and work across all levels of the organization.
Skilled meeting facilitator who drives alignment, documents decisions, and translate ambiguity into structured action plans.
Highly organized and detail-oriented, capable of managing multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and follow-through.
Solid project management, analytical, and problem-solving skills; experience supporting change management initiatives preferred.
Adaptable and calm under pressure, able to manage shifting priorities, tight timelines, and ambiguous situations with confidence.
Experience in client- or agency-facing environments, ideally within retail, CPG, or restaurant/hospitality; franchise experience is a plus.
Demonstrates integrity, accountability, and a proactive ownership mindset with a commitment to teamwork and knowledge-sharing.
Familiarity with content development workflows and marketing campaign processes; ability to translate business objectives into actionable content plans.
Proficiency with project management tools; ability to become Smartsheet-proficient within 30 days. Advanced Excel skills required; strong proficiency in Word and PowerPoint.

Responsibilities

Support planning and execution of testing and cross-functional strategic priorities.
Build and maintain project plans, timelines, trackers, and work backs; ensure milestones and deadlines are met.
Prepare clear, data-driven updates and recaps for PMO leadership and cross-functional teams.
Coordinate working sessions with stakeholders across departments to maintain clarity on priorities, next steps, and dependencies.
Facilitate communication across levels, creating alignment and visibility from project teams to leadership.
Help identify risks and roadblocks early, escalating concerns to the Director, PMO and functional leads as needed.
Facilitate the development of recommended mitigation strategies and track resolution progress.
Facilitate baseline research, data gathering, and insights synthesis to support decision-making.
Contribute to creating or refining PMO tools, templates, and processes that improve repeatability, efficiency, and cross-functional clarity.
Coordinate cross-functional initiatives to ensure readiness for restaurant implementation, including documentation, training support, resource planning, and partnership with Field and Operations teams to validate rollout readiness.
Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, and success criteria; track milestones, dependencies, risks, resource needs, and benefits realization.
Manage stage-gate activities aligned to initiative complexity, ensuring teams are prepared for pilot, rollout, and broader scale.
Create and maintain KPIs, dashboards, stakeholder maps, and communication cadences to support alignment, visibility, and effective decision-making.
Serve as a primary point of coordination between leadership, corporate partners, and field teams, ensuring consistent communication and alignment on priorities.
Document and maintain SOPs, workflows, RACIs, and approval processes to drive operational clarity and consistency.
Apply appropriate project management methodologies (agile, waterfall, hybrid) and continuous improvement practices to improve efficiency, reduce rework, and shorten cycle times.
Provide clear, timely, and accurate project updates, status reports, and documentation to support accountability and cross-functional execution.