Beverage Category Manager

The Beverage Category Manager collaborates with the Menu Development Team to evaluate, source, integrate, and execute a compelling beverage program at Chipotle Mexican Grill. The position leads beverage program innovation in alignment with the company’s strategic initiatives, including a rigorous focus on the category, product, operational considerations, regionalism, seasonality, merchandising, and an excellent understanding of and vision for the guest experience. The newly-created position will work with the Menu Development Team to develop a long-term business strategy that maximizes the financial and brand contribution of Chipotle’s beverage program, using product testing, sales projections, and consumer insights while prioritizing approachability and relevance of products to the Chipotle brand to focus on growing revenue and maximizing financial performance of the beverage category.

In addition to following Chipotle’s policies and procedures, principal accountabilities include, but are not limited to:

•Work with the Menu Development Team to identify, evaluate, and recommend strategic growth initiatives to ensure an innovative, widely appealing, and financially successful beverage program

•Own and drive the development of the beverage program at Chipotle Mexican Grill, which will involve cross-functional collaboration among Finance, Supply Chain, Design, Facilities, Marketing, Training, and Operations

•Collaborate with our Finance team and Consumer Insights team to identify unmet needs

•Collaborate with the Supply Chain, Marketing, Design, and Facilities teams to develop rollout schedules and plans; oversee beverage rollouts and ensure goals and timelines from market-testing to in-market rollout are met

•Work closely with Supply Chain/QA to manage ingredient, nutritional, and allergen information for the entire beverage program

•Work closely with Design to ensure proper product merchandising

•Work closely with Training and Operations to set expectations and hold ops leadership teams accountable for desired merchandising and service behaviors

•B.S./B.A. in Business, Management, Hospitality, Food Science, Procurement, or related field

•Advanced degree preferred

•Significant experience in hospitality, preferably in F&B

•Ability to develop positive working relationships with all company personnel and outside vendors/contractors

•Ability to think innovatively, remain on top of beverage trends, and properly analyze consumer insights

•Ability to manage all aspects of projects from conception to fruition

•Ability to evaluate and analyze consumer trends that drive sound product and brand innovation and ongoing program development

•Ability to analyze, interpret, and act decisively upon statistical information, including sales, food cost, margin, inventory controls, and sourcing protocol

•A good understanding of market dynamics, business objectives, and important aspects of the company’s business in order to accurately diagnose strengths and weaknesses, anticipate opportunities and risks, and develop strategies and actionable plans

•Proven ability to think strategically, innovatively, and translate ideation into a complete “go-to-market” business plan

•Proven success in setting and meeting/exceeding sales and margin targets

•Excellent written and verbal communication

•Self-starter with the ability to adapt and succeed in a fast-paced environment

•MS Office Suite required, project management systems skills preferred

Travel

•Moderate