Operations Manager Boca Raton

CHRISTOPHER KOONCE

Boca Raton, FL ***** *************@*****.*** +1-954-***-****

Authorized to work in the U.S.

PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

Dynamic and highly accomplished operations leader with over a decade of hands-on experience in upscale and high-volume dining environments. Proven ability to drive operational excellence, streamline labor and food cost controls, and elevate the guest experience. Adept at leading cross-functional teams, executing brand-standard programs, and developing high-performing teams that consistently exceed performance goals. Recognized for producing measurable results in sales growth, team morale, and guest satisfaction. Possesses a deep understanding of relationship building, conflict resolution capabilities, and can work collaboratively both internally and externally.

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE

Operations Manager Darden / Ruth’s Chris Steak House – Boca Raton, FL May 2024 – Present

* Spearheaded operations across kitchen, beverage, and service departments, rotating every six months to develop comprehensive leadership skills.

* Reduced kitchen waste through revised par levels and a real-time receiving verification protocol, directly improving food cost margins.

* Revamped beverage inventory management, leading to a decrease in overstock and bringing COGS in line with regional standards.

* Designed and executed numerous wine dinners annually, showcasing luxury wine pairings and enhancing guest loyalty and marketing exposure.

* Mentored service team during peak seasons, increasing speed-of-service metrics while maintaining consistent 5-star reviews on OpenTable. This demonstrates a focus on customer satisfaction and engagement, aligning with maintaining positive client health scores.

Operations Manager P.F. Chang’s – Boca Raton, FL March 2023 – March 2024

* Oversaw front- and back-of-house operations for a high-traffic location, improving team productivity through scheduling optimization and labor analysis.

* Trained and onboarded new hires, reducing turnover through coaching and employee engagement strategies. This reflects the ability to manage relationships and ensure adoption.

* Implemented daily pre-shift meetings and team accountability boards, raising internal QA scores and customer satisfaction ratings. This highlights a focus on meeting customer engagement KPIs.

* Collaborated with culinary leads to enforce portion control and batch prep consistency, trimming food waste costs. This showcases an ability to drive best practices and optimization.

Operations Manager J. Alexander’s Restaurants – Boca Raton, FL January 2021 – Sept 2022

* Managed restaurant operations with a focus on food quality, guest satisfaction, and financial performance.

* Enhanced team service delivery by launching incentive-based performance programs, improving upselling and check averages. This demonstrates driving growth and adoption.

* Played a critical role in streamlining hiring and training procedures, reducing onboarding time. This aligns with managing relationships throughout various customer lifecycles.

* Partnered with executive chefs to revise prep guides and improve menu consistency across all dayparts. This reflects fostering close partnerships cross-functionally.

EDUCATION

Commercial and Residential Electric (2 years) – Atlantic Technical Center – Coconut Creek, FL

High School Diploma – Olympic Heights Community High School – Boca Raton, FL

CERTIFICATIONS

* ServSafe Manager Certified, valid through 2026

* Food Handler Certification

* Valid Driver’s License

CORE COMPETENCIES

* Customer Success & Relationship Management: Understanding of Customer Success and CS metrics, building positive relationships internally and externally, strong customer relationship building skills, ability to be empathetic yet assertive, maintaining positive client health scores and NPS, managing relationships throughout various customer lifecycles and stages, proactively engaging with assigned book of business, acting as the voice of customers, identifying risks early and activating associated playbooks.

* Operations & Financial Management: P&L Ownership, Budget Planning, Labor Forecasting, Cost Control, Inventory Systems, Vendor Management.

* Team Leadership & Development: Staff Training & Development, Performance Management, Leadership by Example, Conflict Resolution.

* Project Management & Prioritization: Strong organizational skills, strong project management skills, ability to independently prioritize work and shift priorities as needed to meet deadlines, prioritizing and completing high-impact team assignments and initiatives.

* Communication & Collaboration: Clear and effective communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, ability to work well with others and collaborate effectively, fostering close partnerships cross-functionally with teams such as Professional Services, Product, and Support, ensuring that needs and requirements critical to customer success are communicated and managed.

* Technology: POS Systems (Aloha, MICROS), OpenTable, Microsoft Office Suite, Google Workspace, Scheduling Tools. Familiarity with key tools such as Salesforce and Microsoft Outlook Suite.

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