Job Description: Head of Projects
Company: Popo Ventures
Department: Projects
Reports To: Vice President, Business Operations
Location: Bangalore
Employment Type: Full-Time

About Popo Ventures
Popo Ventures is one of Bengaluru's leading F&B; groups, operating three gourmet brands:
• The Pizza Bakery – Award-winning wood-fired Italian sourdough pizzas; multiple-time Times Food Best Pizza winner.
thepizzabakery.in
• Paris Panini – Gourmet panini, wraps, crêpes, and café-style eats.
parispanini.com
• Smash Guys – Smash burgers, fries, and bold American flavours.
smashguys.in

Today, Popo Ventures operates 40+ outlets across Bangalore , including 21 dine-in restaurants and 19 cloud kitchens , supported by a team of 1,000+ people .

Role Overview
The Head – Projects & Expansion will lead the Company's end-to-end expansion programme across PAN India, owning the successful delivery of all new outlet openings from project identification through operational handover. The role will establish scalable project governance, optimise capital deployment, and ensure every project is delivered on time, within budget, and to the Company's quality and brand standards.
Working closely with Real Estate, Design, Procurement, Finance, Operations, and external partners, the role will drive the execution of the Company's long-term expansion strategy.

Key Responsibilities

Expansion Strategy & Project Governance
Lead the Company's end-to-end current store development and expansion programme across PAN India.
Develop annual expansion plans, project governance frameworks, and execution strategies aligned with business objectives.
Establish standardised NSO processes,



project playbooks, reporting dashboards, and stage-gate review mechanisms.
Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, execution quality, and speed of expansion.
Project Delivery
Oversee the planning, execution, and delivery of multiple projects simultaneously from site handover to operational readiness.
Ensure projects are completed on schedule, within approved budgets, and in accordance with brand and quality standards.
Identify project risks early and implement mitigation plans to minimise delays and cost overruns.
Ensure seamless coordination between all stakeholders through project completion.
Capital Planning & Cost Management
Own the CapEx planning and budgeting process for all expansion projects.
Monitor project financial performance, optimise capital utilisation, and identify value engineering opportunities.
Partner with Finance to improve forecasting, project ROI, and cost controls.
Provide regular project and financial updates to senior leadership.
Vendor & Partner Management
Develop and manage a nationwide network of architects, consultants, contractors, MEP partners, equipment suppliers, and project vendors.
Lead commercial negotiations, contracting, vendor evaluation, and performance management.
Establish vendor scorecards, quality benchmarks,



and delivery standards across all projects.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Act as the central point of coordination across Real Estate, Design, Procurement, Finance, IT, Marketing, Operations, and external consultants.
Ensure timely completion of design approvals, procurement, statutory licences, utility connections, equipment installation, testing, and outlet readiness.
Drive accountability across all stakeholders through structured governance and regular project reviews.
Leadership
Build and lead a high-performing Projects team across regions.
Establish project KPIs, reporting cadence, and governance mechanisms.
Mentor project managers and engineers while fostering a culture of execution excellence, accountability, and continuous improvement.

Requirements

Experience
8–12+ years of project-management experience, preferably in retail, F&B;, QSR, hospitality rollouts, or related sectors.
Proven track record of managing multiple simultaneous openings across cities and states.
Experience working with civil, interior, and MEP contractors.
Skills
Strong project-management skills, including planning, scheduling, budgeting, and risk management.
Strong vendor-negotiation skills.
Ability to travel extensively.
Proficiency in MS Project, Excel, or similar tools.

Education
Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Architecture, or a related field; MBA preferred.

What We Offer
A high-impact, high-visibility role central to expansion.
An opportunity to build a PAN India Projects function.
Competitive compensation as per industry experience

📌 Head of Projects (Vasanth Nagar)
🏢 The Pizza Bakery
📍 Vasanth Nagar