Operations Lead – Chicago

About the role

We are looking for an Operations Lead to own and scale the day‑to‑day running of Wally’s first three Chicago studios. You will combine hospitality, logistics and market‑building responsibilities to ensure a seamless member experience while keeping the studios at full capacity.

Key responsibilities

• Lead daily studio operations across three locations, overseeing teams, facilities, equipment, inventory and brand standards.
• Manage vendor relationships, supply budgets and maintenance schedules to minimise downtime.
• Optimize schedule utilization, ensuring studios are fully booked and members receive timely appointments.
• Serve as the primary escalation point for complex member issues, turning friction into delight.
• Analyse member feedback and identify pain points in the Chicago member journey.
• Support new studio launches by coordinating equipment, inventory and operational systems.
• Document Chicago‑specific processes and playbooks that can scale as the market grows.
• Partner with growth team to execute local activations, events and partnerships.
• Provide real‑time member and community feedback to cross‑functional teams.

Required profile

• 2–4 years of experience in operations, hospitality, retail or consulting.
• Comfortable being the sole operations lead in a new market – resourceful and self‑directed.
• Strong communication skills with members and cross‑functional teams.
• Data‑driven mindset with solid analytical abilities.
• Calm under pressure, solutions‑oriented and genuinely hospitality‑minded.
• Excited to build processes from scratch.

Required skills

• Advanced Excel

What we offer

• Competitive salary ($80k‑$100k) plus equity.
• Health insurance.
• Direct mentorship from senior leadership.
• Ownership opportunity in a market you help define.