Director of Operations, New Museum Openings

About the role

The Museum of Ice Cream is seeking a hands‑on Director of Operations to own the end‑to‑end opening lifecycle of every new museum location. You will translate strategic plans into operational reality, ensuring each site launches on time, on brand, and fully functional.

Key responsibilities

• Partner with Development, Design, Construction, Facilities, Supply Chain, People, Training, Marketing, Ticketing, and Finance from lease signing through opening.
• Define and execute the opening playbook, covering readiness, training, SOPs, soft launch, go‑live, and stabilization.
• Translate operational requirements into design specifications (guest flow, back‑of‑house layout, F&B and retail footprints, staffing zones, storage, cleaning paths, accessibility, life safety).
• Lead cross‑functional teams during the build phase to ensure operational considerations are embedded.
• Hand off each new museum to the Regional Director of Operations with all systems, staff, inventory, and safety protocols in place.

Required profile

• Proven experience managing multi‑site openings in a retail, entertainment, or museum environment.
• Strong systems orientation with the ability to create, document, and iterate operational playbooks.
• Comfort operating in ambiguous, high‑pressure environments and delivering results on tight timelines.
• Passion for hospitality, human connection, and creating joyful, inclusive spaces.

Required skills

• Working knowledge of design, construction, and development processes.
• Experience with operational planning, SOP development, and staff training.
• Ability to collaborate across diverse functional teams.

What we offer

• Opportunity to shape the launch of iconic, immersive museum experiences.
• Creative, inclusive culture that values play and imagination.
• Competitive compensation and benefits package.