Job Description

IT Manager, WaBa Grill Job Description

About WaBa Grill

WaBa Grill is one of the largest and fastest-growing healthy fast-casual brands in Southern California, operating nearly 200 franchised locations with plans for continued expansion. As a leader in the regional QSR market, WaBa Grill is committed to operational excellence and innovation, leveraging enterprise technology solutions to improve restaurant performance, guest experience, and cross-functional efficiency.

We are a technology forward organization seeking an IT Manager to join our corporate team and contribute meaningfully to both daily operations and long-term digital strategy.

Position Summary

The IT Manager plays a critical role in supporting and optimizing WaBa Grill's restaurant systems and enterprise IT infrastructure. This position is responsible for overseeing the implementation, and administration of core technologies used across our corporate support center and franchised locations. Reporting to the Senior Director of Technology, the IT Manager leads system performance monitoring, technology deployments, and tiered support operations.

This is a hands-on role suited for a technically skilled individual with strong communications and project coordination abilities. The ideal candidate is an adaptable problem-solver with a solid foundation in QSR technologies and strong desire to grow into a senior leadership role. 

Key Responsibilities

Technical Oversight & Systems Administration

• Administer core restaurant systems including:

• Toast POS and associated third-party integrations

• Restaurant365 (inventory, cost controls, accounting)

• OLO  

• Punchh Loyalty

• KIOSKs

• Microsoft 365 (with Intune)

• Manage endpoint configurations and device deployments for both corporate and restaurant environments.

• Monitor infrastructure performance and recommend enhancements to ensure scalability, data integrity, and uptime reliability.

• Ensure security compliance (PCI DSS, California privacy regulations) across all systems and endpoints.

• Assists field operations teams to ensure compliance with IT policies, procedures, and best practices

• Create and update IT Documentation

Project Management & Strategic Initiatives

• Lead cross-functional projects including kiosk hardware/software rollouts, app development coordination, and digital experience optimization.

• Evaluate new technologies through structured RFPs and pilot testing with vendors.

• Maintain and evolve the company’s IT ticketing system to streamline issue resolution, escalate critical problems, and identify systemic trends.

• Partner with Marketing, Operations, and Finance to ensure alignment between technology capabilities and business goals.

Vendor Management & Support Coordination

• Serve as the primary liaison to third-party technology vendors, ensuring service-level agreements (SLAs) are met and communication is proactive.

• Coordinate support escalations across multiple systems and departments.

• Provide Tier 2 and Tier 3 escalation support; ensure proper documentation and resolution.

• Deliver after-hours support for urgent outages or business-critical system failures.

Data Management & Reporting

• Manage system integrations and ensure the fidelity of business data across platforms.

• Deliver timely reports and dashboards to department heads, leveraging tools such as Excel, Restaurant 365 Power BI, or GA

• Support the development of analytics capabilities tied to restaurant performance and customer behavior.

Qualifications

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, or a related discipline (or equivalent work experience).

• 5+ years of professional IT experience, including 2+ years in QSR, hospitality, or retail environments.

• Proven expertise with Toast POS , including third-party middleware and configuration.

• Proficient in systems administration, networking fundamentals, cloud environments, and device lifecycle management.

• Working knowledge of the Microsoft product suite and OS

• Understanding of distributed computing, PCI compliance, and secure systems operations.

• Experience supporting restaurant or franchise-based technology environments.

• Strong written and verbal communications skills, with the ability to translate technical solutions for business stakeholders.

Preferred:

• Familiarity with Restaurant365 , Toast , and kiosk ecosystems.

• Experience with IT documentation tools, ASANA, helpdesk systems, and knowledge base maintenance.

• Knowledge of Google Analytics, basic scripting (PowerShell or Bash), and reporting tools.

• Interest in growing into a senior IT or enterprise systems leadership role.

Additional Requirements

• Ability to occasionally travel to restaurants or vendor sites.

• On-call availability for major system outages and urgent technology issues.

• Must be able to lift and install basic IT hardware (routers, tablets, printers, etc.) as needed.

Why Join WaBa Grill?

• Competitive base salary ($85K–$95K) with performance-based bonus opportunities

• Full health, dental, and vision benefits

• 401(k) with company match

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and company holidays

• Employee dining discounts

• High-impact, visible role with growth path toward senior management

• Fast-paced, collaborative environment with strong executive support  

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