Director of Strategic Initiatives & Performance

Director of Strategic Initiatives & Performance 

Position Overview

The Director of Strategic Initiatives & Performance serves as a strategic advisor and project leader who partners directly with the Operator and Senior Leadership Team to convert strategy into sustainable results. This Director focuses on organizational alignment, project execution, and performance momentum across all departments.

This role analyzes data, leads cross-functional initiatives, ensures 30-60-90 day action plans remain on track, and evaluates whether organizational change creates the long-term impact required to achieve our Vision. The Director of Strategic Initiatives & Performance guides Directors and Coordinators through system, process, and people changes to ensure the organization moves forward with clarity, consistency, and excellence.

Key Responsibilities

1. Vision

• Partner with the Operator and Senior Leadership to develop and support the annual Business Plan.
• Ensure alignment between organizational vision, CARE values, departmental goals, and strategic priorities.
• Facilitate planning sessions to clarify roles, responsibilities, and expectations for system and people changes.
• Translate organizational strategies into clear action steps and measurable milestones.
• Ensure organizational clarity around new initiatives and how success will be measured.

2. Talent

• Support Directors & Managers in coaching and developing leaders through change.
• Help build leadership capability around problem-solving, project execution, and accountability.
• Identify development needs based on performance trends and operational gaps.
• Partner with Talent Director & Manager on leadership pipeline planning, role clarity, and succession needs.
• Influence leaders toward high performance, ownership, and follow-through.

3. Customer Experience

• Analyze OSAT, WHED, Secret Shopper, and feedback trends to identify guest experience gaps.
• Support FOH/BOH/Hospitality Directors in designing solutions that improve guest experience outcomes.
• Evaluate whether implemented changes lead to sustained improvements in speed, accuracy, quality, and care.
• Ensure project timelines include customer impact checkpoints and 30-60-90 day evaluations.

4. Sales & Brand Growth

• Partner with Sales & Brand Growth Director on in-store initiatives, promotions, daypart growth, and channel expansion.
• Analyze transaction trends, check average opportunities, and daypart performance.
• Identify which strategic initiatives have the highest impact on sustained sales growth.
• Track execution of initiatives tied to sales goals and ensure follow-through across departments.

5. Financial Return

• Partner with the Financial Return Coordinator to analyze labor performance, productivity, and cost savings.
• Conduct ROI assessments for new systems, changes, or operational improvements.
• Ensure financial impact is considered early in all cross-functional initiatives.
• Track whether changes produce sustainable improvements in productivity, waste reduction, and operational efficiency.

6. Project Management & Execution Leadership

• Lead major cross-departmental projects from planning through execution and evaluation.
• Build project timelines, action plans, and deliverables for all strategic initiatives.
• Facilitate weekly project check-ins with Directors to ensure clarity and momentum.
• Maintain project trackers, dashboards, and status reports that support decision-making.
• Step in to complete key tasks when projects stall or bandwidth is limited.
• Ensure that no initiative loses traction—drive follow-through until completion and measurable impact.

7. Change Leadership & Performance Monitoring

• Bring visibility to initiative progress, risks, and wins.
• Hold teams accountable to agreed-upon timelines, deliverables, and performance targets.
• Evaluate leading and lagging indicators to determine whether change is working.
• Recommend adjustments to strategies or execution based on data and performance results.
• Conduct 30-60-90 day follow-ups to confirm sustained performance.

8. Cross-Department Collaboration

• Serve as a bridge across FOH, BOH, Hospitality, Talent, Finance, and Sales teams.
• Support Directors in understanding how their work connects to broader organizational goals.
• Create alignment around expectations, priorities, and the “why” behind major decisions.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: Owner/Operator & Executive Directors

Partners with: All Directors, Talent Manager, Financial Return Coordinator, Senior Leadership Candidates

Leads: Project Teams and Strategic Workstreams Across All Departments

Competencies & Skills

• Strong analytical and data interpretation ability
• Advanced project management and change management skills
• Strong presentation and communication abilities
• Ability to lead through influence, not authority
• High organizational and follow-through discipline
• Systems thinker with attention to detail
• Comfortable holding peers accountable
• High emotional intelligence and professional maturity

CARE Values Alignment

• Cultivate Growth: Drives organizational capability and builds leader capacity.
• Acknowledge Attitude Impacts: Leads through influence, composure, and clarity.
• Recognize Responsibility: Holds self and others accountable to results.
• Ensure Excellence: Designs, measures, and reinforces systems with excellence and intention.

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.