Regional Operations Specialist
About the job
- A high-energy, positive attitude with the ability to quickly develop trust and meaningful relationships.
- 1-2 years of experience in operations, preferably in a franchise retail environment.
- 2+ years of experience in customer service.
- 1-2 years of experience in the food service, hospitality, or franchise industry.
- Baking experience is required.
- A valid driver’s licence and willingness to travel frequently and spend time in the field rather than behind a desk.
- Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
- Ability to influence others to affect change and drive constant improvement.
- Ability to work autonomously and collaboratively within a team environment.
- Excellent problem-solving and conflict resolution skills.
- Strong interpersonal skills to build trust and rapport.
- Strong organizational skills to manage multiple tasks and deadlines.
- Strong attention to detail.
- Conduct regular bakery visits and assessments to evaluate franchisee compliance with merchandising, customer experience, and product quality, and support implementation of changes as necessary.
- Provide in-bakery training and operational support, where appropriate, to address improvement opportunities and increase bakery sales.
- Coordinate and implement local marketing initiatives.
- Implement plans to improve franchise operating profit across the portfolio as directed by the Regional Director.
- Attend in-person production process reviews, such as recipe compliance reviews.
- Conduct in-bakery reviews of actual production against production schedules.
- Attend Quarterly and Annual Business Reviews as required and contribute to discussions to ensure outputs align with in-bakery actions.
- Monitor and ensure bakeries meet standard expectations, and implement actions with franchisees.
- Comply with all relevant occupational health and safety policies.
- Complete other projects and tasks as required.
- Experience in operations in a franchise retail environment is preferred.
About the company
COBS Bread franchises neighborhood bakeries in Canada and the northeastern United States that sell loaves, buns, croissants, scones and other sweet and savory treats. Each bakery mixes, shapes and bakes its range from scratch on site throughout the day rather than receiving frozen or trucked-in goods, and unsold items go to local charities at closing time. Local franchisees run the shops, paying COBS ongoing royalties on weekly sales in return for its brand, recipes, marketing and operating support. COBS Bread belongs to Australian bakery franchisor Bakers Delight, began operating in Canada in 2003 and is headquartered in Vancouver, British Columbia.
Company Size
N/A
Company Stage
N/A
Total Funding
N/A
Headquarters
Vancouver, Canada
Founded
2003
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Simplify's Take
What believers are saying
- Front-line jobs have a ladder: COBS maps sales assistant roles up through team leader, sales manager and bakery manager.
- Field roles carry bonuses: COBS's area manager and regional operations postings list individual and company-wide bonus plans.
- Successful owners expand: in October 2025, COBS announced an Ontario franchisee's fourth and fifth bakeries.
What critics are saying
- Bakery staff answer to franchise owners: COBS trains each owner to manage their own staff and wages.
- Baking starts before dawn: a Whitby, Ontario baker opening begins at 3:30 a.m. with frequent loads up to 22 kg.
- Ownership is capital-heavy: a new COBS bakery costs its franchisee about C$750,000 to C$800,000 plus tax.
What makes COBS Bread unique
- Its sourdough starter is archived: a Belgian sourdough library preserves it as Sourdough 158.
- Owners stay hands-on: COBS bases its franchise model on sole owners and family partnerships active in the bakery.
- Bakeries run on shared data: franchisees get network-wide financial results and benchmarks to compare performance.
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