About Us
Umamido Group is a fast-scaling hospitality company on a mission to bring Japanese comfort food to cities across Europe - defined by real hospitality, driven by quality and built to scale.
We operate two brands: Umamido, our flagship ramen concept with 10 restaurants in Belgium and 6 franchised locations in Switzerland; and Roru, focused on ultra-fresh sushi rolls and rice bowls, currently with 4 locations and ready to grow further. All locations are supported by a central production unit, which keeps quality and consistency high at scale.
With new markets in sight - starting with France - we’re entering a new phase of structured, international expansion. To lead that evolution, we’re hiring a Chief Operating Officer.
The Role
As Chief Operating Officer, you’ll report to the Managing Director and be part of the executive team. Your mission: drive performance and consistency across all company-owned and franchised locations, while building the operational systems that allow us to scale across Europe.
We’re looking for someone who combines strategic thinking with real-world presence — someone who’s comfortable leading in the boardroom, but just as at ease on the restaurant floor. You stay very close to the operations, understand what’s happening day to day and lead by example.
Key Responsibilities
● Drive performance across all stores – Own the daily operations of all Umamido and Roru locations in Belgium and our franchise network. Maintain the highest standards in food quality, customer experience and operational excellence.
● Build scalable systems for growth – Design the operational tools, processes and playbooks that allow us to grow fast without losing consistency or control.
● Own full P&L responsibility – Manage budgets, control costs and ensure profitability across all business units. Translate financial targets into operational execution.
● Develop and lead the ops team – Manage district/training managers. Create a performance-driven culture through clear expectations, real accountability and hands-on coaching.
● Collaborate across functions – Work closely with Finance, HR, F&B, Marketing and our central production team to ensure seamless coordination and execution.
● Support and challenge franchise partners – Provide structure, guidance and tools to help them succeed — while safeguarding brand standards and experience across borders.
What We Offer
● A defining leadership role in one of Europe’s most promising Japanese hospitality groups.
● A clear mandate to build, shape and scale.
● Two high-performing brands with a strong foundation and the ambition to grow further
● Competitive compensation package.
What You Bring
● A minimum of 15 years of experience in hospitality or the broader food sector, with proven multi-unit leadership and a track record of scaling operations while maintaining quality and team engagement.
● Strong financial acumen — full P&L ownership is part of the role.
● You bring a solution-oriented mindset, and you move others to do the same
● Strategic thinking with a bias for action — you build fast, fix fast and don’t wait to be told.
● A coaching-first leadership style — you grow strong local leaders and hold them accountable.
● Comfortable with international complexity and naturally close to the field — you stay connected to daily operations and lead by example
● Bilingual in English and French — Dutch is a plus.
If you’re looking to make your mark in a fast-growing, founder-led group — and help build the leading Japanese hospitality chain in Europe — we’d love to talk.