Job Description

The Menu Services Manager applies science, operational, and technological proficiencies to develop and improve processes that support the execution of the Zaxby’s menu. As a leader on the Menu Services team, this role contributes to the success of the brand by motivating and coaching team members and collaborative personnel to perform functions responsible for supporting the optimization of products and processes that support the execution of the Zaxby’s menu. This role will lead efforts to continuously improve and support new products and promotional items for testing and implementation. Decisions will be modeled in accordance with the Strategic Plan and Zaxby’s Operational Core Values: Guest Focused, Develop Talent, Operational Excellence and Continuous Improvement.

COMPARABLE POSITION(S): Manager of Operations Services, Technical Services, Applied R&D, Commercialization or Systemization or other similar function between Product Development and Operations.

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS

Essential duties may include but are not limited to the following:

STUDY EXECUTION:

• Leads the design of experimental methodology to evaluate food products, production runs, technology, equipment, packaging, and process innovations, testing at all levels, in a variety of areas to achieve project objectives and adherence to brand quality standards.
• Analyzes, summarizes and documents results in order to make scientifically based recommendations.
• Uses guest and consumer feedback to make decisions on products and optimizations.

CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT:

• Leads continuous improvement projects for products, processes and procedures that support the menu, improve guest experience, and benefit unit level economics.
• Manage internal auditing system and data-triangulation methods to facilitate the identification of improvement opportunities.

PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT SYSTEMIZATION:

• Proactively manage the connection between Product Development functions and integration of new products and procedures into the operating system.
• Collaborate with internal teams during implementation process of promotional calendar into the operating system.
• Collaborate with internal/external subject matter experts to systemize novel and improved deliverables during the phased-gate development process.
• These responsibilities include:
• Accountability for the products and recipes
• Collaboration with internal departments on procedure development
• Evaluation of operational impact in order to take a product from the validation stage to testing to system introduction.

BRAND STANDARDS:

• Responsible for all content of menu standards and quality platform documentation as well as provide core information and proofreading all other materials and tools that are used to develop training, testing, operations support, marketing materials, website content, etc.
• Maintain documentation of menu product standards for internal and external customers.
• Manage documentation and records in order to ensure that they are complete, current, secure and easily retrievable; this may include designing, organizing or maintaining technical or regulatory and reports.
• Identify, classify, maintain, and protect files, documentation and sensitive information consistent with record handling and retention requirements; document and archive technical information and requirements.
• Proactive communication of standards with internal teams and external teams.

SERVICE AND SUPPORT:

• Conduct and evaluate technology, packaging, equipment, and process innovations, testing at all levels, and production runs in a variety of areas to achieve project objectives; summarize and document observations including recommendations.
• Responsible for managing an internal auditing system to facilitate the identification of improvement opportunities within menu processes and procedures that support the successful execution of the menu and unit level economics.
• Facilitate working sessions and training presentations.
• The position may also include management of a variable number of contractors to perform auxiliary functions; manage two or more contractors; appropriately allocate work and provide guidance as necessary.
• Advise departmental leadership team of recommendations to leverage technology and process optimization to create business opportunities in alignment with strategic plan.
• Recognize and support Zaxby’s culture to ensure success while maintaining purpose, principles and values.
• Document all expenses of activities related to assigned areas of the business; forecast and manage project budgeting.
• Develop and support business cases of proposed optimizations to the guest experience to include: executive summary, business need, fit with strategy, competitive analysis, consumer or engineering research, potential business impact, financials, risks, timeline, resources, key hurdles and actions needed to successfully achieve projects.
• Support business cases of proposed optimizations to the operational platform to mitigate impacts to the guest.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENT

Up to 25% required

QUALIFICATIONS

• Interpersonal Skills: This role interacts with multiple departments and within various layers throughout the organization. A significant level of influence, tact and diplomacy are essential to this role, as the menu services team initiates action from multiple players, requests collaboration between departments and troubleshoots barriers to progress. Key audiences are internal team members, project stakeholders, department heads and senior leadership. This position also establishes credibility and relationships with service and equipment vendors, product manufacturers, in-store and above-store management and licensees.

• Independent Judgment: Work requires analytical ability, judgment, and ingenuity. Specialized processes and specific documentation requirements provide guidance in the latitude permitted for independent judgment. There is a moderate amount of discretion available in the job. This role requires frequent decision-making, the desire and ability to perform autonomously over extended periods of time from a self‐starter personality who can research, create and present recommendations swiftly and operate with minimal supervision. This position must be detail oriented in approach to work, timeline and process driven with innate and effective problem-solving skills with intellectual curiosity.

• Business Acumen (Mental Process): Ability to apply knowledge and experience of multidisciplinary business principles and scientific methodology to achieve successful outcomes in a wide range of projects and activities. Problems encountered are moderately complex, requiring experimentation, analysis of data and research to determine the best recommendation. This role requires cross functional expertise in a variety of fields; finance, supply chain, quality assurance, R&D, operations and training.

• Organizational Impact: This role and the decisions made in this discipline are overseen by senior department leadership. The activities of this team are rooted in the processes of systemization and improvement, as well as ensuring the consistent and quality execution of the brand’s primary business offering; menu products. The performance of menu products impacts the economic health at the restaurant level and at the level of the franchisor. Decisions made by this role impact the systemization and execution of new menu products, in addition to the efficiencies of restaurant ingredients and processes.

• Organizational Restraint: This role is under the management of a senior leadership role. The identification and prioritization work in this discipline often require resolution in multiple areas of the business, requiring complex and sophisticated methods of influence and problem solving.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Education: Bachelor’s degree in Science, Engineering, Business, or other relevant discipline required or equivalent in-depth industry and job specific technical skills acquired through a combination of formal instruction and on-the-job training.

Experience: 3 years of proven experience directly managing a team of 1-3 employees, including accountability for hiring, coaching and developing, performance reviews, human resource functions, and other management functions required; 3-5 years of cumulative experience in both unit-level restaurant management and corporate-level operations, operations services, technical services, applied R&D, or other equivalent corporate experience required; Experience in supply chain management or national account food industry sales, product production, foodservice commercialization, food/beverage product development, or equivalent working experience strongly preferred.

Zaxby’s Franchising LLC is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment decisions based on any factor protected by federal, state or local law.

Company Description

Work for one of the fastest-growing chains in the country. We are looking for people who know a thing or two about the QSR game, with the creativity to change the way it's played. We're also seeking a broad range of talent in other fields. In short, we want movers, shakers and risk takers all across the board.