Margin Improvement & Productivity Manager

Join Our Familia

Our restaurants are only the tip of the flame! If you're looking for a fast-paced, innovative and welcoming workplace then a career with our Familia is right for you.

What's in it for you!

Hybrid work schedule

Competitive pay and bonus

Medical + Dental + Vision Insurance

401(K) Plan with match and immediate vesting

Flexible Spending Accounts

Vacation + Sick Pay + 12 Paid Holidays

Amazing office culture

Free El Pollo Loco food (Dine Out Card) + Restaurant Discount

Discounts on theme parks, movie tickets, sports events, hotels and more

Position Purpose

Margin Improvement & Productivity Manager (Labor, Food, Cash, and Restaurant Efficiencies) manages all projects directed at managing and reducing costs and/or improving restaurant efficiencies including operational components such as cash handling, guest service, order taking, production, and time and motion studies.

Essential Duties And Responsibilities

• Manage restaurant level labor control system including, break management, effective scheduling, and overtime management; work cross functionally with IT, Human Resources, Training, and Legal to ensure compliance and alignment.
• Manage time and motion studies on new menu items and current procedures, including general work content for all tasks, generating labor standard tables, deployment practices, processing, and accounting for labor needs.
• Lead initiatives on restaurant food and paper cost controls, including general work content for all tasks, generating optimal food standard tables, setting par levels, managing the inventory management system, and processing and accounting of food and paper costs.
• Draft policies and procedures around process and/or labor management improvement controls.
• Create restaurant annual budgets and assess the impact of labor guidelines.
• Reviews, selects and rolls out new labor scheduling systems, changing/updating/implementing new labor management methodologies.
• Represent field operations in cross functional meetings and collaborations, providing subject matter expertise and leadership on projects impacting restaurant operations within assigned areas.
• Create and manage process to audit restaurant level inventory counts, report on results, and make recommendations on course corrections.
• Partner with Finance to identify cash handling discrepancies and root causes. Provide recommendations to field operations on process improvement.
• Leverages knowledge and experience in industrial engineering, labor and food costs management, P&Ls, reporting, and analytics to ensure operational excellence, streamlined processes, and strategic decision-making that maximizes productivity and profitability in a dynamic and fast-paced environment.
• Provide strategic recommendations on field team member roles and responsibilities, including providing detailed recommendations pertaining to specific tasks, responsibilities to optimize restaurant operations efficiencies.
• Develop and manage meaningful reporting and analysis to Operations and cross-functional stakeholders, fostering an environment of transparent communication to drive successful outcomes.
• Other activities, duties or responsibilities that are assigned by your supervisor or may arise from time to time.

Qualifications Education, Experience, License/Certifications

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to satisfactorily perform the essential functions of the job, with or without a reasonable accommodation. Reasonable accommodations will be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions of the job. The requirements listed below are representative of the education and/or experience required.

Education/Work Experience: High school diploma or equivalent (GED) required, BA/BS degree in Business Administration or Industrial Engineering preferred; 5+ years restaurant operations management experience. 5+ years in QSR operations management, desired. Two plus years restaurant operations experience, preferred.

License/Certifications: Possess and maintain a valid driver's license.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

• Proven ability to manage and optimize restaurant-level labor control systems, encompassing break management, effective scheduling, and overtime management.
• Proven ability to conduct time and motion studies on new menu items and current procedures to analyze general work content for all tasks.
• Demonstrate strong analytical, project management, and communication skills, with proficiency in inventory management systems, cost analysis tools, and the ability to lead teams, manage vendor relationships, and make data-driven decisions to optimize food and paper cost control.
• Ability to apply sound, strategic thinking, and analysis to address a variety of business situations.
• Confidence in execution of strategic initiatives.
• Ability to read, write, and interpret complex reports, documents and correspondence.
• Ability to effectively communicate with internal and external business partners.
• Ability to prioritize and plan work assignments and work under pressure of frequent and tight deadlines.
• High level of proficiency with technology including Microsoft Office Suite applications, including Excel, Adobe Acrobat, customized database applications, and internet research tools.
• Adept at managing and prioritizing competing time sensitive requests while working well in a team atmosphere that may be under pressure.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment on matters of significance to the company.
• Ability to work weekends and extended work schedules as needed.
• Must be willing and able to travel locally within Southern California and to out-of-state restaurant locations, as needed by car or airplane.

Our Company

In 1980 the first American El Pollo Loco opened on Alvarado Street in Los Angeles, quickly becoming a destination for the best citrus-marinated, fire-grilled pollo in town. Over the past four decades, El Pollo Loco has grown into more than 490 restaurants across 7 states, becoming an L.A. mainstay and cultural benchmark along the way. And today, we continue to work just as hard to always provide customers with fresh and innovative L.A. Mex from our famous family dinners to Mexican entrees.

The pay range identified is the hourly or salary rate El Pollo Loco expects to pay for the posted position. This range does not include any benefits or bonus opportunities that might be available for the position based on position and eligibility criteria.

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