VP, Regional Retail Operations

VP, Regional Retail Operations Purpose The Vice President of Regional Retail Operations is a strategic leader responsible for driving sales growth, elevating the guest experience, and ensuring operational excellence across a large muti‑state territory. This includes requirements to lead high‑performing regional teams and influence cross‑functional areas such as HR, L&D, Real Estate, Design & Development, Ops Services, and Category Management. This role sets the overall strategic direction for a large, complex retail region and is accountable for scaling operational systems, developing deep leadership bench strength, and cultivating a culture that drives both immediate results and long‑term enterprise value. Candidates must be based in the upper Midwest, or be willing to relocate. Essential Responsibilities Strategic Leadership & Enterprise Impact Set the strategic vision for a large retail territory. Drive multi‑year growth plans focused on sales, transaction increases, and long‑term value creation. Act as a key advisor to senior leadership (SVP and above) on regional performance, competitive insights, and regional opportunities. Sales, Guest Experience & Operational Execution Build a guest‑centric culture that champions food quality, service standards, and safety. Ensure consistent achievement of sales, margin, and P&L expectations. Deep understanding of drivers behind variances Leadership of Expanded Organization Lead and coach 10+ direct reports including multi-unit market-level leaders Scale leadership systems, communication rhythms, and operational routines to support a larger, more diverse team. Ability to create and execute turnaround plans Strong collaboration with Finance and Ops Services Bench Development & Talent Strategy Design and execute a regional leadership development strategy in partnership with HRBP to ensure a strong, ready pipeline of future leaders Lead regional talent calibration, performance management, and diversity and inclusion efforts in partnership with HRBP. Cross‑Functional & Enterprise Collaboration Partner closely with HR, Real Estate, Construction, Learning & Development, and Category Management. Oversee major initiatives—including site selection, capital spending, and project management. Required Knowledge, Skills & Competencies Regional Leadership: Able to operate with long-term strategic thinking and inspire action by clearly connecting strategy and goals to mission while executing at scale and holding team accountable to deliver expected results. Sales & Guest Excellence Orientation: Deep understanding of retail guest experience drivers, unit‑level economics, competitive landscape, and sales levers. Bench & Talent Architect: Demonstrated ability to build a sustainable talent pipeline across large territories. Operational Mastery: Expert knowledge of food safety, labor, P&L, cost management, and multi‑unit operations. Change Leadership: Thrives in a fast-changing environment and able to inspire, role model and hold multi-unit market-level leaders accountable to lead teams through transformation. Influential Communicator: Strong communication and team‑building skills across the entire retail organization. Minimum Requirements Reflects original requirements but scaled for expanded scope: Four‑year college education 10+ years of industry and/or Panera experience (internal or external) with progressive, multi‑unit leadership responsibility Demonstrated success leading large territories and 10+ direct reports Proven track record of delivering sales growth and exceptional guest experience Work Environment Extensive travel to support a large geographic territory. Regular time spent in cafés, markets, and cross‑functional meetings. Ability to balance field presence with strategic, office‑based work. Competitive Pay $188,838 to $226,606 annually. The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate. Saint Louis Support Center With more than 2,000 Panera LLC and independent franchise bakery-cafes in the Panera Bread® family, and more locations opening all the time, it’s no wonder our company has been an excellent source of career and personal growth opportunities for more than 25 years. In neighborhoods across the U.S. and Canada, customers enjoy flavorful, handcrafted meals centered around freshly baked artisan bread. To us, that means serving food like we serve our own families – free of any of the items on our ‘No No’ List. Along the way, we also like to give back to our community. We enjoy working together, shoulder to shoulder with our customers, to confront a serious problem plaguing communities across this country – Hunger. Through our Panera Cares community cafes, we offer a dignified dining experience in an uplifting environment. In addition, we support our communities through day-end donations at our bakery-cafe locations and partner with local non-profit organizations. It’s this warmth that you’ll find when you join Panera Bread. From our competitive compensation and benefits packages to our unique cultural values, we’re confident you’ll find us a rewarding and fun place to work.