Restaurant Director of Operations jobs

Operations Director – UK-based with regular travel across UK, Europe and Ireland

About Us

Lane7 is the UK's fastest growing and biggest independent boutique bowling destination. We have multiple venues across our Lane7, Level X, Gutterball and ML7 brands. Bowling has always been our thing - since launch in 2013, but really, we're all your best nights in one: Pool, golf, darts, karaoke, arcades and a ton of next-level gaming experiences, combined with great drinks and fabulous food. A night with friends, date night, special celebrations and private functions… we've got every occasion covered.

Could you be what we’re looking for?

This is a rare and genuinely exciting opportunity to join Lane7 Group at a pivotal point in its international expansion. As Operations Director, you will provide senior strategic and operational leadership across the entire Lane7 Group estate, working directly with the CEO and Founder to set the direction of the business and ensure the group has the operational capability to support its ambitious growth plans.

The Role

You will lead a talented senior operations team including a Head of Operations who owns all site deliverables and standards, a Head of Gaming & Facilities, and a Health & Safety and Compliance Officer empowering them to deliver excellence across the estate while you focus on strategy, international expansion, and building the frameworks that will take Lane7 Group to the next level.

This is a role for a proven, commercially astute senior leader who is as comfortable shaping long-term strategy as they are rolling their sleeves up when the business needs it.

Key Responsibilities include:

Strategic Leadership

• Define and execute the operational strategy across all Lane7 Group venues and territories, aligned to the group’s growth ambitions.
• Partner with the COO and Board to shape expansion plans, new venue pipelines, and market entry strategies across the UK, Europe, and Ireland.
• Build scalable operational frameworks, governance structures, and toolkits that support a rapidly growing multi-brand, multi-territory estate.
• Lead the senior operations leadership team, setting clear direction, priorities, and accountability across all functions.

International Expansion

• Lead the operational workstream for new venue openings across the UK, Germany, Ireland, and new European markets.
• Develop and own the group’s new venue opening playbook, ensuring every launch delivers to full brand and operational standards.
• Support site assessment, due diligence, and early-stage planning for new Lane7 Group venues.
• Build and maintain the operational infrastructure required to manage a growing international estate effectively.

Commercial Performance & Governance

• Hold overall P&L accountability across the Lane7 Group venue portfolio.
• Work with the Head of Operations to monitor and drive commercial performance across the estate, stepping in at a strategic level where intervention is needed.
• Provide regular operational performance reporting to the Board, with clear insight into trading, risks, and opportunities.
• Ensure the group meets all regulatory, compliance, and governance obligations across every territory.

Senior Team Leadership

• Line manage and develop the Head of Operations, Head of Gaming & Facilities, and H&S & Compliance Officer.
• Create a high-performing, collaborative senior operations team with clear ownership, strong communication, and shared standards.
• Partner with HR on senior talent acquisition, succession planning, and leadership development across the operations function.
• Represent the operations function at Board and investor level, communicating performance, risks, and strategic priorities clearly & credibly.

Brand & Guest Experience

• Be the ultimate custodian of the Lane7 Group guest experience across all brands and territories.
• Work with the Head of Operations and brand teams to ensure operational delivery fully supports the group’s positioning and commercial objectives.
• Use guest feedback, NPS, and market insight to inform strategic decisions and drive continuous improvement.

To be a success with Lane7, you’ll have:

Essential

• A proven senior operations leader with multi-site, multi-territory experience in hospitality, leisure, entertainment, or F&B.
• Experience operating at Director or equivalent level with P&L accountability across a significant venue portfolio.
• A track record of leading senior operations teams and building high-performing functions.
• Strong international operations experience, ideally across the UK and at least one European market.
• Exceptional strategic thinking combined with the pragmatism to drive execution through others.
• Outstanding communication and stakeholder management skills, including Board-level engagement.
• A genuine passion for guest experience and social entertainment.

Desirable

• Direct experience in competitive socialising, experiential entertainment, or premium bar and dining.
• Multi-brand operational leadership experience.
• Experience operating in Germany, Ireland, or other European markets.
• A second European language is an advantage, though not essential.

What We’ll Offer

• Salary - Up to £140k Per Annum (Depending on Experience)
• Performance bonus
• 28 days holiday per year (Plus 1 day holiday for every year worked - Up to 5 years)
• Private Health insurance & benefits through Vitality
• Company pension contribution
• Free bowling and activities for you and up to 3 others when you aren’t working (off-peak time)
• 25% off food and drink
• Get involved with different social activities throughout the year through our team social calendar
• Annual team awards party
• Cycle2Work scheme partnered with Halfords
• Refer a friend scheme

Fancy being part of it all? Apply Now