Project Lead, Menu Process Development

How We Work At Chick-fil-A Chick-fil-A,  Inc. ('Chick-fil-A' or 'the Company') Staff members play a vital role in achieving our strategic goals by developing their skills,  fostering inclusive teamwork,  and embracing innovation. All Staff are expected to contribute to a compelling future by inspiring and motivating those around them. Growth and development are essential at Chick-fil-A. We want Staff to seek new perspectives and adopt new methods to drive continuous improvement and adaptation to evolving business needs. Lastly,  we ask Staff to seek wisdom,  expect the best,  accept responsibility,  respond with courage,  and think others first. Our Flexible Futures Model offers a healthy mix of working in person (currently a minimum of 8-10 days per month) and virtually,  strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

The Menu Commercialization Team is responsible for cultivating remarkable food that drives Customer trust, brand value, and can be consistently executed with excellence in our restaurants. This includes the process development of new menu items, identifying process improvements of existing menu items, and consulting on organizational partner initiatives to protect food quality and menu systems.

Responsible for deep understanding of the food production process, the impact to food quality and team member experience, and representing the restaurant reality  during the innovation process Lead and manage various aspects of projects, including the development and validation of menu process solutions, ingredients, tools, and systems needed to execute new menu items consistently and efficiently.  Lead complex projects, as a subject matter expert, effectively and professionally to ensure stakeholders are informed and aligned while also ensuring Restaurant Operator and customer expectations are met. Create the production methods for all menu development, including identifying the process and tools needed, product and packaging needs, and addressing all operational, quality, and safety requirements. Serve as a Menu & Packaging liaison to other departments to ensure product quality and product execution standards are upheld.  Set operational feasibility guidelines for menu development and track throughout the development and testing process, identifying opportunities to optimize operations and quality. Support culinary evaluations and identify opportunities and solutions to maintain quality expectations Create data-driven operational recommendations during the menu development process and clearly communicate to organizational leaders the customer benefits and operational challenges of adding new menu items to the Chick-fil-A menu. Foster cross-organizational relationships and support operational efforts to support larger scale process and system simplification initiatives with data-driven decision making.  Work with autonomy to drive outcomes while managing relationships with suppliers, internal and external partners. Work hands-on in a kitchen/R&D facility, as well as in Restaurants, at suppliers or in manufacturing facilities. Responsible for spending time engaging in Chick-fil-A Restaurants, learning from Operators and Team Members on operational opportunities.   Maintain professional and technical knowledge by attending educational workshops, reviewing professional publications, establishing personal networks, benchmarking state-of-the-art practices, and participating in professional societies. Demonstrate Enterprise-Wide thinking and decision-making skills. Exhibit the ability to present content and recipes to multiple levels of leadership – Executive Committee, Strategy Teams, Operators, Team Members, etc.

(Knowledge, Skills, & Abilities) In-depth knowledge and experience with fundamental culinary techniques Strong technical understanding of food production, particularly in a franchised restaurant