Culinary Project Manager Jobs in Alton, IL (NOW HIRING)

We are looking to hire an Retail Culinary Operations Manager that will support the Food Service Operations team in the Long Beach area. We offer industry training, medical, dental and vision insurance, performance bonuses, and a 401(k) match.

The Retail Culinary Operations Manager oversees fresh food, deli, and quick service restaurant programs for their assigned region.  They will drive profitability of fresh programs in their assigned region through close partnerships with the Retail Operations and Marketing teams.  This role balances high-volume QSR culinary execution with fast-paced retail operations across multiple locations in multiple states. This role also helps drive innovation, through tracking seasonal and regional food trends, identifying potential regional vendor partners, and making recommendations to internal leadership on potential fresh programs. This role involves frequent travel to retail sites, providing leadership, guidance, and support to local retail leadership, while maintaining a strong knowledge base of local vendors and potential operational challenges across their assigned region. They are also responsible for the development and execution of successful fresh programs in all assigned stores, including tracking sales, waste and vendor service levels.  The Retail Culinary Operations Manager will ensure all food service operations, including QSR concepts, comply with company policies, health and safety regulations, and industry standards. They are also responsible for evaluating labor and production plans with the operations team, making necessary adjustments to maximize profitability through sales optimization and waste control strategies.  They will partner with the training department and key vendors to develop training assets with an operational focus. The Retail Culinary Operations Manager will also work in lockstep with the category management team, implementing promotional campaigns and pricing strategies to drive sales and customer engagement.

We are a growing company and believe in providing a great place to work and grow. Our motto is “I Got It!” and if you’re looking for a stable, rewarding, challenging career then “I Got It!”

Essential areas of the position include:

• This is a field-based position that involves regular store site visits.
• Develop and execute fresh food, grab-and-go, and beverage programs tailored to C-Store trends in assigned region.
• Identify seasonal and local food trends and make recommendations for innovation to the fresh programs through new products and vendors.
• Manage financial performance, including tracking food costs, shrinkage, and revenue margins, identifying trends and reporting key data to internal leadership.
• Ensure all food service operations, including QSR concepts, comply with company policies, health and safety regulations, and industry standards.
• Ensure retail locations maintain high standards of food quality, presentation, and customer service, with a focus on consistency in program offerings.
• Guide and mentor district leaders and store managers on food preparation, safety, and customer service best practices.
• Partner with operational leadership to develop and implement action plans to address underperforming stores.
• Analyze sales and financial data to identify opportunities for improvement and implement strategies to enhance profitability.
• Establish and maintain relationships with suppliers and vendors to ensure timely delivery of high-quality products, including QSR-specific ingredients and supplies.
• Regularly meet with QSR concept representatives to drive growth of existing programs and identify potential expansion opportunities.
• Gather and analyze customer feedback to continuously improve food service offerings and customer satisfaction.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to develop and execute promotional campaigns to drive sales and customer engagement.
• Will work with Food Service Category Manager in identifying capital expenditure requirements to support the expansion of food service programs and oversee the implementation of approved capex projects.
• Assess the profitability of proprietary programs and develop action plans to optimize performance.
• Document recipes, processes and procedures of proprietary food programs.
• In conjunction with category management, assist with the optimization of food menus based on customer demand and market trends.
• Maintain a strong relationship with operations to ensure seamless integration and execution of food service initiatives.
• Work with category management on the launch of new products, pilot programs and equipment testing at retail.
• Contribute to the development of training materials for store associates to ensure consistent and high-quality service.
• Assist in selecting the right mix of products for the category based on customer demands and market trends.

The ideal candidate will possess the following:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Hospitality, or Culinary Arts
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in food service and retail management, preferably in the convenience industry, with experience in managing QSR concepts, to include supply chain management, placing wholesale orders, conducting audits, and managing vendor relationships
• Current ServSafe Manager Certification required
• Understanding of merchandising, planograms, and managing front-of-house customer transactions, including use of Point-Of-Sale (POS) systems
• Experience training and coaching multi-site, diverse teams
• Knowledge of HACCP, health codes, and sanitation requirements for QSRs
• Experience with recipe standardization, scaling food production, and executing Grab-And-Go convenience food programs
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities
• A self-starter with proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously, and consistently strives to exceed expectations
• Ability to read, understand and translate P&L and CapEx reports is required
• Ability to collaborate and work effectively with cross-functional teams
• Proficiency in MS Office (excel, word, power point)
• Excellent oral, written, and verbal communication skills
• Exceptional leadership and organizational skills
• Ability to convey ideas and processes in easy-to-understand terms to diverse audience
• Possess a valid Driver’s License and provide required proof of insurance and demonstrate a safe driving record

The job qualifications described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. United Pacific is an EOE.

Rocket is a part of United Pacific, an independent multi-billion dollar gasoline and convenience store retailer. Today, through its retail convenience locations, Rocket's network includes over 600 company-operated stores and 56 fee-operated locations. Rocket has established itself as one of the largest independent owners, operators of gas stations and convenience stores in the Western United States. The Company offers motor fuels products under the 76, Conoco, Phillips, Shell, Chevron and United Oil brands and convenience items through the Rocket brand. The company employs over 4,000 associates and operates its retail businesses in California, Oregon, Washington, Colorado, Missouri, Kansas, Wyoming, New Mexico, Nebraska and Illinois.