Vice President, Field Operations, Applebee’s

Dine Brands Global•Prior Lake, MN

About The Position

Based in Pasadena, California, Dine Brands Global, Inc. (NYSE: DIN), through its subsidiaries, franchises restaurants under Applebee's Neighborhood Grill + Bar®, IHOP® and Fuzzy's Taco Shop® brands. With over 3,500 restaurants combined in 18 countries and 354 franchisees as of December 31, 2023, Dine Brands is one of the largest full-service restaurant companies in the world. For more information on Dine Brands, visit the Company's website located at www.dinebrands.com. Job Location Type Field - Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Vice President of Field Operations plays a critical strategic role in the success of Applebee’s. This results-oriented, data-driven executive leader is responsible for strengthening franchisee relationships, implementing evidence-based operational strategies, and ensuring consistent execution across Applebee’s 1,400+ franchised restaurants. Leading a team of Regional Business Directors, Franchise Business Consultants, and Franchise Operations Consultants, this role partners closely with franchise groups to achieve measurable objectives focused on sales growth, traffic, profitability, and guest experience.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Hospitality Management, or related field (advanced degree preferred).
10–15+ years of progressive leadership experience in franchise operations, with at least 5 years in multi-unit management; casual dining experience strongly preferred.
Proven ability to partner with sophisticated, multi-unit franchisees and navigate complex organizational structures.
Extensive experience in a results-oriented, data-driven organization turning around low-performing franchisees and elevating operational performance across diverse markets.
Demonstrated skill in influencing without direct authority, leveraging relationships, credibility, and data to drive adoption of initiatives.
Strong business foundation across marketing, development, finance, HR, and operations.
Exceptional leadership skills: setting clear objectives, delegating effectively, recognizing performance, and addressing underperformance.
Ability to travel extensively (75% or more of the time).
Personal qualities: integrity, superior communication and public speaking skills, resilience, service orientation, and collaborative leadership style.
Guest-Centric Mindset – Passion for delivering exceptional dining experiences.
Strategic Vision – Ability to balance short-term execution with long-term growth.
Operational Rigor – Skilled at standardizing processes and driving accountability through measurable performance standards.
Influence & Partnership – Excels at driving change through persuasion, collaboration, and credibility.
Leadership Presence – Inspires confidence and accountability across all levels of the organization.

Responsibilities

Franchise Partnership o Build and sustain strong, trusted business relationships with franchise principals through open communication and proactive collaboration.
Partner effectively with sophisticated, multi-unit franchisees to align operational strategies with their business goals, leveraging data insights and benchmarking to drive mutual success.
Provide sound business advice and advocate for franchisee perspectives in senior leadership forums using measurable outcomes.
Performance Elevation & Turnaround o Demonstrate proven success in elevating underperforming franchisees by diagnosing root causes, implementing corrective action plans, and driving measurable improvement in sales, traffic, and guest satisfaction.
Serve as a trusted advisor to franchisees, balancing accountability with support to achieve sustainable performance gains using data and metrics to drive results.
Team and Cross-Functional Leadership o Develop and motivate the franchise support team of Franchise Business Consultants and Franchise Operations Consultants to deliver consistent support services across the system
Facilitate and participate in Franchise Operations Committee and Franchise People Committee meetings.
Lead regular cadence of Field Operations Team Meetings.
Ensure corporate departments (Training, Operations Services, Finance, Marketing, Supply Chain) deliver timely and effective support to franchisees.
Partner with Development and Franchise Administration teams on real estate, construction, design, and market analysis to optimize site selection and performance.
Operational Standards & Compliance o Uphold and enforce Applebee’s standard operating procedures across all franchise groups.
Periodically review and refine franchise manuals and communication tools for clarity, usability, and completeness.
Influence Without Authority o Effectively drive operational excellence and strategic initiatives across a franchise system where direct authority is limited.
Use credibility, relationship-building, and data-driven insights to influence franchise partners and regional leaders toward adoption of best practices.
Growth & Development o Lead regional strategies to achieve or exceed new restaurant development goals.
Encourage successful franchisees to expand within their territories, supporting pre- and post-opening activities to ensure consistent execution of new restaurant openings (NROs).
Performance Management o Establish annual operational targets and regularly analyze performance against Scorecard Metrics and guest satisfaction measures.
Collaborate with HR and Compensation to design incentive programs for Regional Directors and Field Consultants, linking bonuses to sales, traffic, guest relations, and training outcomes.