Job Description

Lou Malnati's is at an exciting inflection point. As we accelerate our growth — deepening our presence in existing markets and expanding into new ones — the way we open restaurants matters more than ever. The New Restaurant Opening (NSO) Coordinator is the operational owner of the NSO playbook, accountable for driving execution across a 52-week opening timeline from lease execution through post-open stabilization.

This role ensures every functional team delivers against defined milestones so each restaurant opens on time, on brand, fully staffed, and operationally sound. As Lou Malnati's scales, this position will play a critical role in protecting what makes us who we are — ensuring every new location opens with the same care, quality, and guest experience our guests have come to expect.

This position translates strategy into action, manages the critical path, and serves as the liaison between Operations, Construction, HR & Training, Supply Chain, IT, Marketing, Finance, PR, and Facilities.

Core Accountability

You will own the end-to-end new restaurant opening timeline, ensuring cross-functional teams are aligned, risks are identified and addressed proactively, and field operations receive a seamless handoff at launch. Success in this role requires strong project management skills, the ability to think critically under pressure, and a natural ability to build relationships and drive accountability without direct authority.

Joining at this stage of our growth means you won't just be executing a playbook — you'll be helping shape and strengthen it as we open in new markets and at a faster pace than ever before.

Key Responsibilities by Phase

• Plan (52–10 Weeks Out) — Establish NSO cadence, governance, and tracking tools. Own the master timeline and critical path, align all cross-functional partners on key dates and readiness expectations, and serve as the Ops lead during construction and infrastructure planning.

• Execute (10 Weeks–Opening Day) — Own turnover-to-operations and serve as the primary Ops point of contact. Drive hiring, training, and BOH/FOH validations to completion while ensuring systems, inventory, POS, and operational controls are fully ready for opening day.

• Stabilize (Opening–90 Days Post-Open) — Support the transition to steady-state field operations, facilitate post-open KPI reviews, and capture lessons learned to continuously strengthen the NSO playbook.

Success Metrics

• Openings delivered on time and aligned with critical path milestones

• Full staffing and training execution prior to opening

• Clean turnover to Operations with minimal post-open disruption

• Strong early performance across sales, labor, audit scores, and guest experience

Qualifications

Required

• 3+ years of restaurant operations, multi-unit leadership, or NSO experience

• Proven ability to manage complex, cross-functional timelines

• Strong operational acumen in BOH, FOH, systems, and compliance

  Exceptional organization, communication, and problem-solving skills

Preferred

• Experience supporting multiple openings annually across markets

• Familiarity with POS, inventory, scheduling, and payroll systems

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Hospitality Management, or related field

Travel & Work Environment

• Frequent travel (50–75%), including extended onsite periods during training and opening

• Ability to work nights, weekends, and long shifts during critical phases

• Physical ability to work in restaurant environments and lift up to 50 lbs

Why This Role Matters

Lou Malnati's has built one of the most beloved restaurant brands in Chicago — and we're growing. The NSO Coordinator is responsible for turning that growth into high-performing restaurants that live up to our reputation from day one. This role protects the brand during its most important phase — opening — and ensures each new location, whether around the corner or in a brand-new market, launches with operational excellence, strong teams, and a foundation for long-term success.

If you're energized by fast-paced growth, love the challenge of bringing something new to life, and want to be part of a brand with deep roots and big ambitions, this is the role for you.