Area Director

Position & Perks

Build strong teams. Develop future leaders. Make an impact across multiple cafes.

Doherty Enterprises is looking for an experienced multi-unit restaurant leader to join our Panera Bread team as an Area Director in the Mid/Lower Hudson Valley region.

In this role, you’ll lead and develop General Managers, strengthen cafe operations, and drive sales and profitability. You’ll spend time in your cafes, coaching leaders, supporting their teams, and helping create a welcoming environment where guests want to return and team members want to grow.

If you’re a people-focused leader who takes ownership, follows through, and knows how to turn business goals into results, we’d love to connect.

Responsibilities

What You’ll Do

• Lead and develop your General Managers. Provide hands-on coaching, clear expectations, and consistent follow-up to build their operational and leadership skills.

• Build a strong talent pipeline. Partner on management recruiting, select quality candidates, support Manager-in-Training onboarding, and identify future leaders for advancement.

• Drive business performance. Review financial results and key performance indicators, identify opportunities, and implement action plans to improve sales, profitability, and operational results.

• Deliver a great guest experience. Maintain high standards for hospitality, food quality, service, and cleanliness across your cafes.

• Support staffing and retention. Work with General Managers to achieve recruiting, staffing, training, and turnover goals.

• Execute with consistency. Ensure company programs, operating standards, policies, and procedures are understood and followed.

• Strengthen team culture. Address team member concerns promptly, promote collaboration, and hold leaders accountable while providing the support they need to succeed.

• Maintain compliance. Ensure adherence to applicable employment, wage and hour, equal opportunity, and workplace safety requirements.

Qualifications

What You Bring

• Four or more years of multi-unit leadership experience.

• A bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business, Marketing, or Hotel/Restaurant Management.

• A track record of developing managers, building strong teams, and achieving business goals.

• Strong financial and operational skills, with the ability to turn performance data into practical action plans.

• Excellent communication, active listening, relationship-building, and conflict-resolution skills.

• Strong organization, attention to detail, and follow-through.

• A sense of urgency and the ability to manage competing priorities in a fast-paced environment.

• Resourcefulness, sound judgment, and a hands-on approach to solving problems.

• Bilingual skills are a plus.

Travel & Schedule

This is a field-based leadership position requiring frequent travel between cafes throughout the Mid/Lower Hudson Valley region, as well as travel for meetings and special projects. Occasional overnight travel and flexibility to work nontraditional hours are required.

Why Doherty Enterprises?

Join the Doherty Enterprises family of brands and put your leadership experience to work with Panera Bread. You’ll have the opportunity to influence performance across multiple cafes while helping managers and team members build their careers.  We offer a comprehensive benefits package to support your health, well-being, and financial future.

Ready to lead, develop, and make an impact? Apply today!

Compensation: 90000 to 105000 (USD)