Development Program Manager

New Store Development Program Manager Sarku Japan | Phoenix, AZ | Reports to Chief of Staff (dotted line to Chief Development Officer)About Sarku JapanSarku Japan is the largest Japanese quick-service restaurant chain in the United States, with 150+ locations across the country. Backed by Garnett Station Partners, we're entering an accelerated phase of growth - and building the operating infrastructure to match.

The Opportunity

This is a rare early-career role that puts you at the center of a high-growth restaurant expansion. As New Store Opening Project Manager, you'll own the end-to-end program management of bringing new Sarku Japan locations to life - building the systems, cadences, and accountability structures that allow us to scale with precision.

You'll start by getting your hands dirty on a near-term pipeline of openings, learning every detail of how we build and launch. By 2027, you'll be running a significantly larger rollout, managing multiple simultaneous openings against aggressive timelines. This is the kind of role where a strong performer earns real ownership fast.

What You'll Do

• Build and own end-to-end process for all new store openings - critical path planning, milestone definition and tracking, risk management, and driving cross-functional accountability
• Drive operating cadence across workstreams spanning real estate, construction, operations, marketing, supply chain, IT, and HR - ensuring stakeholders are aligned, commitments are met, and blockers surface early
• Partner with the Chief of Staff and Chief Development Officer on pipeline planning, development strategy, and executive-level reporting
• Manage multiple simultaneous openings, balancing competing priorities without losing precision on any individual project
• Establish governance frameworks and standardized playbooks that improve execution quality and scale as opening velocity accelerates; adapt and propose process improvements as we grow
• Build and maintain dashboards and reporting systems that give leadership real-time visibility into every opening's status, risks, and decisions required
• Partner with Development and Marketing teams on grand opening coordination and local market activation, ensuring each new store launches with strong community presence
• Serve as the connective tissue between the field and leadership - translating project status into clear, actionable executive communication
• Support Chief of Staff / Chief Development Officer on strategic projects across functions

What We're Looking For

• 4-7 years of experience in restaurant or retail development, project/program management, management consulting, real estate, or a similarly fast-paced, cross-functional environment
• Demonstrated ability to build structure in ambiguity - you've created systems from scratch, not just managed existing ones
• Proficiency with project management tools; comfort partnering across teams to build dashboards and tracking systems
• Strong cross-functional communicator who can drive accountability across teams without creating friction
• High ownership mentality: you operate like it's your business, not your task list
• Genuine passion for the restaurant industry and growth-stage company environments
• Restaurant industry / construction experience a plus
• Why This Role
• Direct exposure to senior leadership and PE-backed company operations
• Ownership of a mission-critical growth initiative from day one
• A clear path to expanded responsibility as the company scales