- Location
- Atlanta, GA, US
- Type
- Full-time
- Department
- Operations
- Seniority
- Lead
- Education
- Bachelor
- Source
- Workstream
Description
About the Role
The Operations Lead owns the execution of all systems and processes within their focus area. This role leads, coaches, and trains Team Leaders, Team Trainers, and Team Members to adhere to Chick-fil-A's Pathway procedures and our Operational Requirements Guide — with particular attention to food safety, quality, genuine hospitality, speed, order accuracy, and other service standards.
Key Metrics: Labor productivity, guest satisfaction, speed of service, and food safety/quality scores
What You'll Do
People
● Recruit, select, and develop Team Leaders and Team Trainers, ensuring growth-track classes, training, and promotion
documentation are completed.
● Reinforce our culture daily through care, a sense of urgency, and fun — inspiring the team to live our core values: “We are here to
serve, we are better together, we are purpose-driven, and we pursue what’s next.”
● Partner with Team Leaders to run daily shift huddles, keeping everyone aligned on current goals.
● Review shift set-ups and coach team member positioning as needed.
● Conduct regular 1:1s with Team Leaders and Trainers, and support team member performance reviews and check-ins.
Place
● Maintain a rigorous cleaning schedule so the restaurant stays clean and safe for guests and team members.
● Maintain the equipment preventative-maintenance schedule and resolve equipment or facility issues promptly.
● Maintain inventory of equipment and smallwares needed to meet Operational Requirements.
Product
● Meet and exceed monthly, quarterly, and annual food safety assessment goals.
● Coach and correct food safety violations immediately, documenting as necessary.
● Manage implementation and execution of food safety checklists and systems.
● Coach and train team members on correct production processes to ensure consistently high-quality food.
● Lead self and others to pursue excellence in conduct, action, and service to teammates and guests.
Processes
● Create new loyal fans every day through great service and unreasonable hospitality; oversee guest recovery in-store and through
the CARES program.
● Maintain appropriate inventory levels and daily prep pars; train team members on proper inventory procedures (FIFO, organization).
● Use internal and external resources to regularly reevaluate and elevate systems so they scale with sales volume and labor hours.
● Review dashboards on Analytics Hub to measure the effectiveness of current systems.
● Count inventory and analyze data at end of month to maximize financial return.
● Identify and resolve operational bottlenecks and contribute to 30/60/90-day business planning.
Leadership
● Create an environment that executes the Winning Hearts Every Day strategy with excellence.
● Coach consistency of fundamentals so store standards are known, applied, and reinforced beyond initial training.
● Communicate clearly and follow up consistently through team chat and in-person feedback; seek input from Shift Leaders to
sharpen coaching.
● Review training plans through scheduling and set-up tools
What We're Looking For
● 2–3 years of restaurant leadership experience preferred.
● Experience working with and leading teams.
● Ability to work independently with minimal oversight.
● Keen business judgment and sound decision-making skills.
● Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.
● Ability to give clear, consistent feedback and manage conflict respectfully and promptly.
● Takes responsibility and action quickly; listens effectively and seeks to understand.
● Curious about the needs of others; quickly builds rapport and inspires those around them.
Working at a Chick-fil-A® restaurant is more than a job – it’s an opportunity for teamwork and leadership development in a positive, people-focused environment. Most Chick-fil-A restaurants are locally owned and operated by independent, franchised Operators who invest in the future of their Team Members and give back to their communities.
