Chief Operating Officer

Company: Melt Ice Creams

Location: In-Person at HQ: 685 John B Sias Memorial Parkway #985 Fort Worth TX 76134 & In the Field

Position: Chief Operating Officer

Melt Exists to serve happy ICE CREAM, one scoop at a time. We BELIEVE treats can change your day and your day can change the world.

We’re seeking a full-time COO to join our leadership team at the Joy Factory in Fort Worth. As the operational leader of the business, you’ll help create the structure, systems, and team development needed to serve happy ice cream at scale while preserving the culture, quality, and customer experience that make Melt special.

MELT ice creams is a fast-growing local Fort Worth ice cream company that makes specialty ice creams and baked goods fresh daily. We take great care in making high-quality ice creams and providing a quality work experience for our team members.

About the Role

We are seeking a COO to join our growing company and help lead the next chapter of Melt’s growth. This role is responsible for aligning teams, developing leaders, driving operational excellence, and building the systems needed to scale a multi-channel business. While some responsibilities occur on a recurring cadence, no two days are exactly alike.

As the COO, you will serve as the key member of the Leadership Team, balancing strategic planning with hands-on problem solving. You’ll work across every area of the business to ensure teams have the clarity, resources, and support they need to succeed. You’ll identify opportunities, remove obstacles, and create alignment that allows the organization to grow sustainably while maintaining the culture, quality, and customer experience that define Melt.

One day you may be partnering with an Area Manager to improve shop performance and increase sales. The next, you may be collaborating with our Production Manager to expand capacity, evaluating new technology to improve efficiency, reviewing company-wide financial performance, or working alongside our Marketing Director to support growth initiatives. If you excel at leading people, solving complex problems, and building systems that create lasting impact, this role may be a great fit.

What You’ll Do

• The COO serves as the primary operational leader of the organization and directly manages the Leadership Team, while maintaining oversight and accountability for all company functions and team members.
• Provide operational leadership across all areas of the business including Scoop Shops, Marketing, Catering & Events, Wholesale, Production, and Fulfillment & Logistics
• Own company-wide performance metrics, budgets, and scorecards, ensuring strong sales growth, healthy labor ratios, sustainable cost structures, and profitability targets are achieved
• Establish and monitor company-wide scorecards and use data to drive decisions across sales, labor, operations, and profitability.
• Analyze operational, sales and financial data to identify trends, opportunities, and areas for improvement or optimization across the business
• Coach, develop, and hold Leadership Team members accountable to performance expectations, goals, company standards, and responsibilities
• Recruit, hire, onboard, and develop leaders who strengthen the organization and support future growth
• Create alignment across departments, ensuring teams are working toward shared goals and priorities
• Remove obstacles, solve complex operational challenges, and provide day-to-day support to department leaders
• Develop, document, and improve systems, processes, and standard operating procedures that increase efficiency and scalability
• Evaluate, implement, and optimize technology solutions that improve visibility, automation, communication, operational effectiveness, and scale daily operations
• Identify opportunities to improve the customer experience, team member experience, and overall business performance
• Monitor labor, scheduling, staffing, and workforce planning to ensure resources are aligned with business needs
• Establish operating standards and audit rhythms that ensure consistency, accountability, and operational excellence across all business channels.
• Build and maintain relationships with key vendors, partners, and service providers
• Foster a values-driven culture centered around joy, quality, and connection while ensuring teams consistently deliver on the Melt mission to bes the best 5 minutes of our customers day
• The COO partners closely with the Founder & CEO to translate vision into execution, ensuring the organization has the people, systems, and processes needed to scale sustainably.

What Success Looks Like in The Role:

• Translate strategic priorities into clear company-wide initiatives, ensuring projects are executed on time and achieve measurable outcomes.
• Leadership Team members are aligned, accountable, and consistently achieving performance goals within their departments
• Company-wide sales, labor, and profitability targets are met or exceeded through effective operational planning and execution
• Operational systems and processes are scalable, documented, and consistently followed across all departments
• Scoop Shops, Production, Catering & Events, Marketing, Wholesale, and Fulfillment teams operate with clear priorities and strong cross-functional communication
• Key performance indicators are reviewed regularly and used to drive proactive decision-making
• Major company initiatives and projects are executed on time and produce measurable business results
• Operational challenges are identified early and resolved before they impact the customer or team experience
• Leadership Team members continue to grow professionally through coaching, accountability, and development opportunities
• Leadership Team members are successfully developing future leaders.
• The company is positioned for sustainable growth through continuous improvement, capacity planning, and strategic resource allocation
• Team member engagement, retention, and culture remain strong while maintaining high operational standards
• Customers consistently experience service thats the best 5 minutes of their day, by providing exceptional product quality, service, and consistency across all channels
• The business is prepared for future growth opportunities through effective forecasting, infrastructure planning, and operational readiness. Operational infrastructure scales ahead of demand.

What It Takes to Rock the Job:

• Strong written and verbal communicator who creates clear expectations, alignment, and accountability across teams and leadership levels
• Emotionally intelligent leader who builds trust, motivates others, and develops high-performing teams through coaching and feedback
• Proven ability to lead through ambiguity, stay calm under pressure, and make sound decisions in fast-paced environments
• Strong prioritization and judgment skills with the ability to manage multiple competing priorities effectively
• Patient and adaptable to new challenges; you are resourceful and can troubleshoot as needed
• Proactive problem-solver who anticipates issues, removes friction, and drives solutions before problems escalate
• Collaborative leader who builds strong relationships across teams, vendors, and stakeholders while fostering alignment
• Listen to the needs and issues of your team and advocate on their behalf
• Values-driven operator committed to maintaining a positive culture, leading by example, and continuously improving people and performance

Experience & Requirements:

• 10+ years of progressive leadership experience in operations, hospitality, retail, food manufacturing, distribution, or related industries
• 5+ years managing leaders and developing high-performing management teams
• Proven experience recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and developing high-performing teams across multiple departments
• Proven experience managing budgets, labor planning, financial performance, and operational scorecards
• Demonstrated ability to scale systems, processes, and teams during periods of growth
• Strong business acumen with the ability to analyze financial statements, operational reports, and performance metrics
• Experience leading strategic initiatives from planning through execution
• Experience in multi-unit or multi-department retail, restaurant, hospitality, food manufacturing, or franchise operations preferred
• Experience building systems, processes, and standard operating procedures that support growth and scalability
• Ability to travel regularly between company locations
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations Management, Hospitality Management, or related field preferred but not required

What We Offer:

• Base pay $120,000, dependent on experience with bonus incentives ($25,000) based on business performance
• Paid Time Off
• Benefits (for eligible full-time employees averaging 30+ hours/week):
• Company-subsidized health, dental, and vision insurance (for eligible employees)
• Company-paid life insurance and short-term & long-term disability
• An entrepreneurial work environment with real ownership and impact
• Leadership development opportunities to develop your skill sets
• Opportunities to grow with a local brand that values people and process
• Weekly Pint Perks
• Discounts on merchandise and ice cream purchases