Principal Operations Lead

As the chief ambassador of our franchise system, primary Operator contact, and integral member of the Area Support Team*, the Operations Lead will provide immersive, front line Operator support, accessible 24 hours per day, seven days each week, including holidays to meet the unique demands of the quick service restaurant business and our Operators. The Principal Operations Lead will support 25 – 35 Operator relationships across 35 restaurants, responsible for approximately $175M in sales.

The Principal Operations Lead is entrusted with partnering with Operators and Operator Groups to achieve their vision and goals, execute the Area vision and strategy, and uphold the Operator Agreement. The Principal Operations Lead will serve as a strategic coach and business partner, building trusted advisor relationships and coaching Operators to maximize their potential. The Principal Operations Lead will act as a thought partner to individual Operators and Operator Groups to strengthen their leadership capabilities, foster their growth, and help individual Operators align their plans to Area strategies. The Principal Operations Lead will advise Operators in individual and group settings. The Principal Operations Lead will promote collaborative and performance building opportunities among Operators in the Area. The Principal Operations Lead will sit on the Area Support Team, representing and influencing on behalf of individual Operators and Operator Groups.

The Principal Operations Lead will report to the Area Director. This is a Non-People Leader role.

Our Flexible Future model offers a healthy mix of working in person and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

*The Area Support Team is an integrated, cross-functional team that collaborates to foster Area health and develop tailored strategies and solutions for each Operator, Restaurant, and Area that promote long term growth and performance.

Strategic Coach

• Establish strong, trusted advisor relationship with Operators
• Business relationship with Operators (strategic plans)
• Facilitate Operator Groups / Teams (Op to Op Learning)
• Facilitate Operator Groups with Like Interests / Challenges
• Encourage team members and restaurant leaders
• Steward and share leading practices (i.e. internal and Operator facing) as well as connect Operators to resources and know resources available (i.e. Leadwell)
• Consult on when / how to engage 3rd party vendors
• Provide high level life and leadership coaching, challenging Operators to reach their potential
• Conduct customized, focused business assessments

Area Advisor

• Understand Operators' restaurant, business, and Area (market ecosystem)
• Promote market growth and health through collaboration with the Area Support Team
• Consult to new concepts (i.e., DLFs, OSLs, etc.)
• Execute the Area plan

Restaurant Operator Specialist

• Ensure Quality and Safe experiences
• Ensure Brand Standards are upheld
• Possess fundamentals to effectively consult to specialty consulting areas

Operator-CFA Liaison

• Act as liaison between Inc and Operator (from staff to Operator and Operator to staff), serving as Inc's primary relationship manager
• Mitigate organizational and Operator risk (i.e. terminations and PR)
• Advocate for Operator at Inc
• Know Support Center happenings and how these initiatives impact their restaurants
• Serve as the Guardian of the Brand
• Coordinate and slate Support Center offered consulting services for Operators

• Minimum 8 years of professional work experience
• Minimum of 5 years of relevant business experience
• Bachelor’s degree, preferably in Business Administration, Finance, or Marketing
• Foundational business acumen
• Ability to consume the entirety of the Chick-fil-A menu without dietary restrictions to ensure quality and provide recommendations
• Ability to work within a restaurant as a team member for up to 30 days
• Ability to lift up to 50lbs when necessary, in the restaurants
• Ability to build relationships and communicate effectively to positively influence
• Strong emotional intelligence
• Ability to balance multiple, sometimes conflicting stakeholder interests
• Ability to distill complex, disparate data into actionable insights
• Experience driving continuous improvement and motivating individuals to act
• Ability to anticipate and decipher market trends to develop strategies and plans
• Experience facilitating groups to reach common goals

• Preferred seven (7) years of relevant business experience, with at least two (2) years of relevant experience in a consulting role
• Advanced degree in related specialization area Advanced degree in related specialization area