AVP - CAFE OPERATIONS

Hard Rock International (HRI) is one of the most globally recognized companies with venues in over 70 countries spanning 265 locations that include owned/licensed or managed Rock Shops®, Live Performance Venues and Cafes. HRI also launched a joint venture named Hard Rock Digital in 2020, an online sportsbook, retail sportsbook and internet gaming platform. Beginning with an Eric Clapton guitar, Hard Rock owns the world’s largest and most valuable collection of authentic music memorabilia at more than 86,000 pieces, which are displayed at its locations around the globe. In 2022, Hard Rock Hotels was honored as the number one brand in Outstanding Guest Satisfaction for the second year in a row among Upper Upscale Hotels in J.D. Power’s North America Hotel Guest Satisfaction Study. This designation is the fourth consecutive year the iconic brand has been among top brands in this category.

HRI is the first privately-owned gaming company designated U.S. Best Managed Company by Deloitte Private and The Wall Street Journal for the second year. Hard Rock was also honored as one of Forbes’ Best Employers for Women, Diversity and New Grads and a Top Large Employer in the Travel & Leisure, Gaming, and Entertainment Industry. In 2021, Hard Rock Hotels & Casinos received first place ranking in the Casino Gaming Executive Satisfaction Survey conducted by Bristol Associates Inc. and Spectrum Gaming Group for six of the last seven years. For more information on Hard Rock International, visit www.hardrock.com or shop.hardrock.com.

Area Vice President - Cafe Division (Restaurant & Retail):

The Area Vice President (AVP) is a senior field executive responsible for driving operational excellence, revenue growth, and brand consistency across a multi-market portfolio of Hard Rock Cafes and Rock Shops. This role holds full P&L accountability for both the restaurant and retail components of each unit, ensuring alignment with Hard Rock’s global standards in food, beverage, retail, and guest experience.

The AVP serves as the strategic connector between the field and global leadership, ensuring that each cafe delivers best-in-class performance, local market relevance, and embodies the company’s culture of “Love All, Serve All” and “All Is One.”

Key Responsibilities:

Operational & Financial Leadership

• Lead all operational, retail, and financial performance for cafes within the assigned area (typically 8–10 units, $50M–$100M in combined revenue).
• Deliver on sales, EBITDA, and retail contribution goals, ensuring disciplined execution of budgets and forecasts.
• Analyze performance metrics, implement corrective actions, and ensure each location achieves profitability and growth objectives.
• Partner with the Retail, Culinary, and Marketing teams to drive revenue synergy between restaurant and retail channels.

Retail Oversight & Growth

• Oversee Rock Shop retail operations to maximize conversion, average transaction value, and merchandise sell-through.
• Collaborate with the global Retail & Licensing team on product assortment, visual merchandising, and localized capsule programs.
• Ensure consistent execution of brand storytelling through retail displays, memorabilia, and music-driven experiences.
• Develop local promotions and retail activations that integrate with food & beverage traffic drivers (e.g., events, LTOs, partnerships).

Team Leadership & Culture

• Recruit, develop, and inspire a high-performing team of General Managers, Retail Managers, and field leaders.
• Create a culture of accountability, recognition, and operational excellence in alignment with Hard Rock’s values.
• Coach and mentor leaders to improve financial acumen, leadership effectiveness, and talent development.
• Champion diversity, inclusion, and the “Best of Us” leadership framework across the area.

Brand Experience & Guest Satisfaction

• Ensure every cafe and Rock Shop delivers the Hard Rock experience, immersive music, great food, outstanding service, and emotional connection.
• Monitor guest satisfaction and social sentiment metrics; drive continuous improvement plans.
• Partner with Global Marketing on regional events, sponsorships, and community engagement to elevate local relevance.

Strategic & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Work closely with Culinary, Beverage, Marketing, Finance, HR, and Retail Product Development teams to align regional initiatives.
• Support café remodels, refreshes, and new openings with operational readiness, training, and launch execution.
• Provide input on menu innovation, retail capsule drops, and technology implementations (POS, CRM, Shopify, OpenTable, etc.

Performance Metrics

• Area Sales Growth (Cafe & Retail)
• EBITDA & Flow-Through Performance
• Retail Conversion Rate & Average Check
• Guest Satisfaction / NPS
• Team Engagement & Leadership Development Index
• Compliance & Brand Standards Audit Scores

Minimal Qualifications

• 10+ years of progressive leadership in multi-unit restaurant or hospitality operations, including experience overseeing retail or hybrid F&B concepts.
• Proven ability to manage large teams and multi-market portfolios with strong financial performance.
• Deep understanding of restaurant operations, retail merchandising, and brand-driven guest experiences.
• Strong analytical and strategic skills; demonstrated P&L accountability.
• Exceptional leadership presence, communication, and cross-functional collaboration ability.
• Willingness to travel 60–70% of the time.
• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Operational Leadership
• Retail Revenue Optimization
• Financial & Analytical Acumen
• Talent Development & Coaching
• Guest Experience Excellence
• Collaboration & Cross-Functional Influence
• Innovation & Continuous Improvement

Hard Rock International is an equal opportunity employer. We live our motto LOVE ALL – SERVE ALL, and strive to foster an inclusive workplace culture for every team member.  Hard Rock welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), it is the policy of Hard Rock to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact a member of our Human Resources team.

Disclaimer

While this is intended to be an accurate reflection of the current job, management reserves the right to revise the current job or to require that other or different tasks be performed when circumstances change, (e.g. emergencies, changes in personnel, workload, rush jobs or technical developments).