Program Manager - Restaurant Launch

We're seeking an experienced Business Pre-Opening Project Manager to lead the planning and execution of our exciting new restaurant launch - a multi-concept food and beverage destination.

Working closely with the General Manager, VP of Food & Beverage, and executive leadership, you'll coordinate the numerous workstreams required to successfully open this dynamic dining environment. This role focuses entirely on pre-opening and launch execution rather than ongoing operations, making it ideal for project management professionals who specialize in bringing complex hospitality concepts to life.

• Start Date: Immediate
• Duration: 1-2 years
• Location: Anaheim, CA
• Compensation: Starting at $95 per hour (W2) plus benefits

Key Responsibilities

Program & Launch Planning

• Develop and manage the comprehensive launch plan, including all operational readiness workstreams
• Translate operating plans into detailed pre-opening and launch activities
• Manage timelines, dependencies, risks, and key decisions
• Maintain clear project documentation and executive status reporting
• Own and maintain the master project schedule as the single source of truth

Tenant Coordination

• Coordinate with the Director of Real Estate and Property Management team to track tenant readiness.
• Track readiness milestones including tenant improvements, turnover, and operational setup.
• Ensure alignment between internal stakeholders; ; this role will not work directly with Culinary Partners.

Operational Readiness

Coordinate planning and execution across critical launch workstreams:

• Hiring: Coordinate hiring plans for supervisors, bartenders, servers, cooks, and other operational staff
• Training: Organize comprehensive training programs for staff and culinary partners
• Vendor Setup: Support onboarding of vendors for procurement, including contracts, item catalogs, pricing, and delivery schedules
• Systems Readiness: Coordinate operational readiness for systems such as NetSuite and Simphony in partnership with technology teams

Construction & Build-Out Coordination

• Track tenant improvement and construction readiness milestones affecting operational launch.
• Coordinate with Property Management to ensure spaces are delivered in alignment with operational timelines.
• Document kitchen and space handoff processes.
• Identify and escalate risks related to delays or sequencing issues.

Marketing & Launch Communications

• Collaborate with marketing teams on launch campaigns, announcements, and opening milestones
• Ensure operational readiness aligns with marketing and launch timelines

Launch Readiness & Executive Communication

• Develop and manage operational readiness checklists across all functions
• Ensure staff, partners, vendors, and systems are fully prepared for opening
• Provide structured status updates to the General Manager
• Proactively identify risks, issues, and decision points
• Maintain a centralized dashboard for schedule, risks and milestones
• Drive accountability across stakeholders to maintain launch timelines

Required Experience

• 8-10+ years of project management experience, ideally focused on hospitality, restaurant, or venue launch operations
• Proven track record opening multiple restaurants or food concepts, preferably in a multi-tenant dining environment
• Strong experience managing complex pre-opening programs with multiple concurrent workstreams
• Excellent organizational, communication, and stakeholder management skills
• Ability to translate strategy into structured execution plans
• Comfortable working in fast-paced startup or pre-opening environments

Preferred Qualifications

• Management consulting background
• Experience with hospitality operational systems (e.g., POS or ERP systems)

Key Success Characteristics:

• Highly organized and execution-focused
• Comfortable managing ambiguity and complexity
• Proactive in identifying risks and dependencies
• Able to drive accountability across cross-functional teams
• Skilled at building relationships with operators, partners, and executives
• Energized by launching new businesses and operational environments

Apply today!