Executive Director of Food Programs and Offers
RaceTrac Petroleum, Atlanta, GA, United States
Executive Director Of Food Programs & Offerings
The Executive Director of Food Programs & Offerings leads the strategy, innovation, and performance of RaceTrac's Food and Dispensed Beverage businesses. This role shapes the future of our foodservice experience by developing new product platforms, driving culinary excellence, and ensuring we deliver fast, consistent, guest-focused execution across all stores. As a hands-on, "player-coach" leader, this individual partners closely with the executive team and cross-functional partners to build a differentiated foodservice roadmap that grows guest counts, strengthens unit performance, and delivers strong financial results. This leader owns the full P&L for all Food and Dispensed Beverage categories and oversees the Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management teams. The role requires deep collaboration with Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, FSQA, and other key partners to bring new concepts to life and continuously improve how we deliver food at RaceTrac. Up to 20% travel required. Role is based in RaceTrac's Atlanta Store Support Center. Relocation is an option. What You'll Do: Strategic Planning: Builds long-term and annual growth strategies for all Food and Dispensed Beverage categories, grounded in consumer trends, guest behavior, and competitive insights. Defines clear objectives and strategic priorities in partnership with cross-functional leaders and the VP of Merchandise. Financial Delivery: Owns the full P&L for Food and Dispensed Beverage, ensuring revenue, margin, and profitability targets are met across Hot Food, Fresh Food, Bakery, and Dispensed Beverage. Leads annual forecasting and manages COGS, sales growth, margin delivery, and project expenditures. Menu Design & Development: Designs the full food portfolio using market research, guest insights, and strong collaboration with Marketing. Drives a culture of lean innovation to accelerate testing, learning, and speed to market. Oversees prototype development to meet cost, flavor, nutrition, and operational standards. Partners with Operations, Marketing, A&D, FSQA, and Merchandise to ensure smooth rollout and execution of new products. Supply Chain Management: Oversees the food supply chain to ensure a compelling, reliable, and cost-effective menu. Collaborates with sourcing, purchasing, manufacturing, and distribution teams to maintain seamless operations. Uses strong negotiation and vendor management to drive profitability and support strategic goals. Research, Insights & Trends: Monitors industry trends, competitor activity, and consumer behavior to inform strategy and assortment decisions. Analyzes internal sales, pricing, and sourcing data to identify opportunities and refine product strategy. Leverages internal and external insights to guide innovation and long-term planning. Sales, Marketing & Merchandising: Develops annual category sales plans and partners with Marketing to build promotional strategies that drive guest engagement and financial performance. Aligns food marketing and merchandising plans with broader business strategies. Collaborates with center-store Category Management to support cross-category planning and promotions. Manage & Influence Others: Leads the Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management teams, fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture. Provides coaching, development, and clear direction to direct and indirect reports. Influences decisions across the organization related to staffing, systems, processes, and organizational design. Builds strong vendor relationships to strengthen RaceTrac's market position. Food Safety & Quality Assurance: Supports RaceTrac's food safety program across stores and the supply chain. Ensures USDA/FDA/HAACP standards are incorporated into product development and operational procedures. Success Measures (First 612 Months): Delivers a clear, actionable foodservice strategy aligned with guest needs and business goals. Strengthens cross-functional collaboration, especially with Supply Chain, Operations, and Marketing. Launches new or improved food offerings that meet cost, quality, and operational benchmarks. Improves category profitability and margin performance. Builds trust, alignment, and momentum within the Food and Dispensed Beverage teams. Required Skills & Experience: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. 10+ years of experience in retail foodservice management, retail operations, or consumer packaged goods. Experience leading large teams with both direct and indirect reports. Strong understanding of food safety principles and operational requirements. Proven experience in food concept development, testing, and operational launch; hot/fried food experience preferred. Ability to interpret data and translate insights into decisions. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to lead through change with calm, clarity, and consistency. Strong understanding of guest behavior and consumer-led decision making. Preferred Skills: Experience in multi-unit retail or convenience foodservice. Background in culinary development or menu innovation. Experience working with DSD, fresh food operations, or complex supply chains. Who You'll Work With: Reports to: VP of Merchandise. Works closely with: Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, FSQA, A&D, and external vendor partners. Leads teams across Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management. Fueled by Growth, Driven by You: At RaceTrac, our people make the difference. Whether you're working in a store, at our corporate office, or on the road, you'll be part of a team that brings energy, innovation, and a passion for serving others every day. We support each other, celebrate wins big and small, and create opportunities for growth at every level. With four operating divisions RaceTrac, RaceWay, Energy Dispatch, and Gulf - there's always a new challenge to take on and a new path to pursue. Join us and discover how far your career can go.
The Executive Director of Food Programs & Offerings leads the strategy, innovation, and performance of RaceTrac's Food and Dispensed Beverage businesses. This role shapes the future of our foodservice experience by developing new product platforms, driving culinary excellence, and ensuring we deliver fast, consistent, guest-focused execution across all stores. As a hands-on, "player-coach" leader, this individual partners closely with the executive team and cross-functional partners to build a differentiated foodservice roadmap that grows guest counts, strengthens unit performance, and delivers strong financial results. This leader owns the full P&L for all Food and Dispensed Beverage categories and oversees the Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management teams. The role requires deep collaboration with Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, FSQA, and other key partners to bring new concepts to life and continuously improve how we deliver food at RaceTrac. Up to 20% travel required. Role is based in RaceTrac's Atlanta Store Support Center. Relocation is an option. What You'll Do: Strategic Planning: Builds long-term and annual growth strategies for all Food and Dispensed Beverage categories, grounded in consumer trends, guest behavior, and competitive insights. Defines clear objectives and strategic priorities in partnership with cross-functional leaders and the VP of Merchandise. Financial Delivery: Owns the full P&L for Food and Dispensed Beverage, ensuring revenue, margin, and profitability targets are met across Hot Food, Fresh Food, Bakery, and Dispensed Beverage. Leads annual forecasting and manages COGS, sales growth, margin delivery, and project expenditures. Menu Design & Development: Designs the full food portfolio using market research, guest insights, and strong collaboration with Marketing. Drives a culture of lean innovation to accelerate testing, learning, and speed to market. Oversees prototype development to meet cost, flavor, nutrition, and operational standards. Partners with Operations, Marketing, A&D, FSQA, and Merchandise to ensure smooth rollout and execution of new products. Supply Chain Management: Oversees the food supply chain to ensure a compelling, reliable, and cost-effective menu. Collaborates with sourcing, purchasing, manufacturing, and distribution teams to maintain seamless operations. Uses strong negotiation and vendor management to drive profitability and support strategic goals. Research, Insights & Trends: Monitors industry trends, competitor activity, and consumer behavior to inform strategy and assortment decisions. Analyzes internal sales, pricing, and sourcing data to identify opportunities and refine product strategy. Leverages internal and external insights to guide innovation and long-term planning. Sales, Marketing & Merchandising: Develops annual category sales plans and partners with Marketing to build promotional strategies that drive guest engagement and financial performance. Aligns food marketing and merchandising plans with broader business strategies. Collaborates with center-store Category Management to support cross-category planning and promotions. Manage & Influence Others: Leads the Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management teams, fostering a high-performance, collaborative culture. Provides coaching, development, and clear direction to direct and indirect reports. Influences decisions across the organization related to staffing, systems, processes, and organizational design. Builds strong vendor relationships to strengthen RaceTrac's market position. Food Safety & Quality Assurance: Supports RaceTrac's food safety program across stores and the supply chain. Ensures USDA/FDA/HAACP standards are incorporated into product development and operational procedures. Success Measures (First 612 Months): Delivers a clear, actionable foodservice strategy aligned with guest needs and business goals. Strengthens cross-functional collaboration, especially with Supply Chain, Operations, and Marketing. Launches new or improved food offerings that meet cost, quality, and operational benchmarks. Improves category profitability and margin performance. Builds trust, alignment, and momentum within the Food and Dispensed Beverage teams. Required Skills & Experience: Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university. 10+ years of experience in retail foodservice management, retail operations, or consumer packaged goods. Experience leading large teams with both direct and indirect reports. Strong understanding of food safety principles and operational requirements. Proven experience in food concept development, testing, and operational launch; hot/fried food experience preferred. Ability to interpret data and translate insights into decisions. Strong written and verbal communication skills. Ability to lead through change with calm, clarity, and consistency. Strong understanding of guest behavior and consumer-led decision making. Preferred Skills: Experience in multi-unit retail or convenience foodservice. Background in culinary development or menu innovation. Experience working with DSD, fresh food operations, or complex supply chains. Who You'll Work With: Reports to: VP of Merchandise. Works closely with: Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, FSQA, A&D, and external vendor partners. Leads teams across Category Management, Culinary Innovation, and Innovation Project Management. Fueled by Growth, Driven by You: At RaceTrac, our people make the difference. Whether you're working in a store, at our corporate office, or on the road, you'll be part of a team that brings energy, innovation, and a passion for serving others every day. We support each other, celebrate wins big and small, and create opportunities for growth at every level. With four operating divisions RaceTrac, RaceWay, Energy Dispatch, and Gulf - there's always a new challenge to take on and a new path to pursue. Join us and discover how far your career can go.