Principal Program Lead, Capacity Strategy

Overview

We are seeking a strategic, analytical, and consultative leader to join our team as a Regional Capacity Strategist. This role is ideal for professionals with a background in consulting, finance, or strategic operations who thrive in complex, cross-functional environments. You will play a pivotal role in shaping the physical and operational capacity strategy for restaurants within your region, ensuring alignment with long-term growth objectives and financial stewardship.

Our Flexible Future model offers a healthy mix of working in person and virtually, strengthening key elements of the Chick-fil-A culture by fostering collaboration and community.

Responsibilities

• Develop and Influence Regional Capacity Strategy:
  Collaborate with Restaurant Development partners-including Strategic Reinvestment, New Restaurants, Real Estate Developers, Design, and Facilities Management-to create pipeline opportunities and execute capacity strategies that drive throughput and operational excellence.
• Lead Assessments and Strategic Meetings:
  Facilitate evaluations and discussions on physical restaurant needs and the value of proposed solutions, leveraging capacity models and programmatic analysis.
• Consultative and Analytical Expertise:
  Combine deep knowledge of restaurant processes and physical constraints with advanced analytical tools to guide decision-making on scope, timing, and investment strategies.
• Drive Approval Processes:
  Support strategies through capacity assessments, financial analysis, and market visits. Present recommendations to senior leadership for reinvestment and new restaurant opportunities.
• Stakeholder Engagement:
  Maintain strong relationships with up to 20 key regional partners and influence cross-functional teams in areas such as Menu Development, Production Design, Finance, and Operator Consulting.
• Technical Leadership:
  Provide subject-matter expertise on capacity planning, traffic simulations, and capital strategy modeling. Partner with analytics teams and external vendors for advanced modeling and studies.
• Market Growth Influence:
  Work closely with market strategists and innovation leaders to shape collective growth strategies and assess capacity impacts of new formats and designs.

• Build and execute capacity and capital strategy models to evaluate financial attractiveness and operational impact.
• Select optimal equipment packages, kitchen layouts, and site designs for capacity projects.
• Present evaluations and recommendations to senior leadership weekly.
• Influence broader organizational strategies by bringing a capacity lens to cross-functional initiatives.

• Bachelor's degree with concentration in Engineering, Analytics, Finance, Business, or other quantitative/technical fields
• 6+ years of experience
• Experience in capacity/capital planning, asset allocation, and/or cost/benefit analysis

• 7+ years of experience
• Experience in process modeling and/or simulation analysis