Job Description

Vice President of Operations

Location: Asheville, NC

Reports to: COO and CEO

Department: Operations

Direct Reports: Bathhouse GMs, SVDC Manager, Mobile Activations Manager, Facilities Manager

Compensation: $95,000 to $115,000, based on experience

Bonus program based on smart goals as a percentage of salary (10-18% of base), system-wide sales

Benefits: $150 health stipend and bathhouse visits

Paid Time Off: 3 weeks

Paid Sick Leave: 1 week

Optional Movement Plan: If participating, earn up to $5,000 post-tax for achieving movement goals weekly. Details to follow.

About Sauna House:

Sauna House is reimagining how the world experiences sauna bathing. With a mission to improve the physical and mental well-being of the world, we design, build, and operate industry-leading contrast therapy facilities—both corporately and through a growing franchise network. Our ecosystem also includes the design and manufacture of high-quality sauna rooms and an ever-increasing line of bathing goods and wellness consumables.

As we scale across retail, manufacturing, distribution, and franchising, we’re hiring our first VP of Operations to help us build the financial architecture of a bold, vertically integrated wellness company.

Position Summary:

The Vice President of Operations is a key strategic leader responsible for overseeing the full operational landscape of Sauna Party. This includes daily execution, systems implementation, team leadership, and cross-brand cohesion across all subsidiaries: corporate and franchised bathhouses, SVDC (our bathing product line), and SP MGMT (mobile sauna fleet). This role is integral to our continued national expansion and excellence in brand delivery.

Responsibilities Overview:

Strategic Leadership:

• Develop and execute multi-year operational strategies aligned with the company’s mission and business goals.
• Collaborate with the CEO, COO, CFO and development team on expansion, acquisitions, and property openings.
• Evaluate and implement technological innovations to improve efficiency, service, and profitability.

Financial Management:

• Create and manage operating budgets for each subsidiary, with a focus on cost control and revenue maximization.
• Analyze P&L statements and identify opportunities for efficiency and margin improvement.
• Lead initiatives to drive EBITDA growth across the portfolio.

Team Leadership & Development:

• Build, mentor, and manage regional and on-site GMs, operational directors, and department heads.
• Develop training programs and succession planning strategies to ensure a strong talent pipeline.
• Foster a high-performance culture that reflects the company’s values and service ethos.

Guest Experience & Brand Integrity:

• Champion excellence in customer service and brand consistency across all guest touchpoints.
• Implement systems to gather and respond to guest feedback, including online reviews and internal surveys.
• Lead service recovery initiatives and ensure continuous service improvement.

Compliance & Risk Management:

• Ensure adherence to local and national regulatory requirements (health, safety, labor laws).
• Implement and maintain security and emergency protocols across all properties.
• Oversee vendor and contractor relationships for operational services.

Core Responsibilities by Company:

Corporate Bathhouse Operations

• Oversee daily operations of all corporate-owned Sauna House locations, ensuring consistent execution of the brand’s guest experience and operational standards.
• Develop and implement strategies to drive bathhouse sales, monitor performance metrics, and adjust plans to meet revenue targets.
• Directly manage General Managers (GMs), including hiring, onboarding, training, and performance management of new leaders as locations scale.
• Lead and refine implementation of standard operating procedures (SOPs) across sites, with a focus on continuous improvement, operational efficiency, and budget adherence.
• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to assess performance and guest satisfaction.
• Ensure regulatory compliance, with particular responsibility for health department regulations related to water quality, sanitation, and public safety.
• Serve as an operational advisor on major facility repairs, renovations, and infrastructure upgrades, collaborating with internal teams and external contractors.
• Oversee and support the launch and ramp-up of new bathhouse locations, from operational readiness and systems setup to staffing and compliance.
• Lead cross-location benchmarking, innovation, and guest experience improvements.

SVDC (Product Line + Wholesale Operations)

• Manage and grow the SVDC team and supply chain.
• Build and manage the budget alongside the finance team and drive sales and growth.
• Directly manage SVDC Operations Manager

Sweat Ventures (Franchise Support & Training)

• Act as the primary operational support for franchised Sauna House locations.
• Maintain and improve onboarding, training, and resources to maintain brand standards.
• Collaborate with the Franchise Development team on readiness assessments and site launches.

SP MGMT (Mobile Sauna Fleet)

• Manage the mobile operations team used for marketing, partnerships, and activations.
• Oversee the Mobile Operator to ensure scheduling, staffing, and logistics align with brand goals and budget.
• Coordinate with the Marketing team on experiential strategy and ROI measurement.

Qualifications:

Required

• 8+ years of senior operations experience with multi-unit or multi-brand responsibility.
• Proven experience in hospitality, wellness, consumer goods, or lifestyle retail industries.
• Adept at managing direct reports and distributed teams across diverse business units.
• Strong systems thinking and project management skills; calm under pressure.

Preferred

• Experience supporting franchise operations and/or launching brick and mortar concepts in new markets.
• Deep understanding of consumer wellness trends and experiential retail.
• Familiarity with operations software like Notion, Asana, Shopify, POS, and HRIS systems.

You Might Thrive If You...

• Balance day-to-day pragmatism with visionary leadership.
• Enjoy creating clarity across complexity.
• Are equally excited about a well-run product fulfillment flow as a serene bathhouse vibe.
• See people development as central to operational excellence.

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