Company Profile:
At CAVA we make it deliciously simple to eat well and feel good every day. We are guided by a Mediterranean heritage that’s been perfecting how to eat and live for four thousand years. We prioritize authenticity, curiosity and the pursuit of excellence in everything we do. We are working towards something big, together.
We foster a culture built on five core values:
- Generosity First, Always: We lead with kindness. Our best work happens when we act in service of others.
- Constant Curiosity: We are eager to learn, grow, and explore beyond the obvious.
- Act with Agility: We welcome change; it’s the only constant. We embrace, adjust, adapt.
- Passion for Positivity: We greet each day with warmth and possibility.
- Collective Ambition: We have high aspirations that are achieved when we work together with a shared purpose.
Sr. Project Manager, Category Management & Culinary Innovation
The Sr Project Manager, Category Management & Culinary Innovation, is a strategic leadership role responsible for overseeing large-scale, cross-functional initiatives that drive Cava’s growth, innovation pipeline, and operational excellence. This leader owns the commercialization lifecycle—from early-stage concept development (formulation) through national rollout—and ensures alignment with Cava’s culinary vision, brand standards, operational capabilities, and guest experience expectations.
The Senior Project manager partners closely with Culinary Innovation, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing, IT, Food Safety / Quality Assurance, and Training to deliver new menu items, store processes, equipment deployments, and enterprise-wide operational improvements at scale across the Cava system.
This role sets the framework, standards, and governance for Cava’s commercialization process and mentors project managers and cross-functional contributors to ensure consistent execution.
This job description is not intended to be a comprehensive list of all the duties and responsibilities of the position and such duties and responsibilities may change without notice.
What You’ll Do:
Strategic Leadership & Commercialization Governance
- Own and evolve Cava’s commercialization strategy, process and roadmap, ensuring alignment with brand, culinary, operational, and financial goals.
- Lead high-visibility, enterprise-level programs that impact multiple functions, regions, and hundreds of restaurant units.
- Drive strategic prioritization, portfolio planning, resource allocation, and risk governance for all commercialization initiatives.
- Serve as the senior commercialization subject matter expert and advisor to executive leadership.
End-to-End Project Leadership
- Oversee the full lifecycle of major menu launches, core operational initiatives, equipment rollouts, and guest-experience enhancements.
- Set standards for project planning, milestone tracking, KPIs, risk management, financial impact modeling, and launch readiness.
- Manage and mentor project managers, cross-functional contributors, and external partners to ensure flawless execution.
Cross-Functional Influence & Executive Communication
- Partner closely with Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, Training, IT, and FSQA to ensure enterprise-wide alignment.
- Facilitate steering committees, executive reviews, resource negotiations, and decision-making forums.
- Provide executive-ready reporting, dashboards, and communications, translating complexity into clear, actionable insights.
Operational Readiness & Post-Launch Optimization
- Lead systemwide launch planning, including pilot management, risk mitigation, training, change management, supply chain validation, and FSQA readiness.
- Work with Category leads to establish and oversee a post-launch performance evaluation framework—identifying wins, gaps, cost impacts, operational outcomes, and process improvements.
Process Development & Organizational Leadership
- Develop, implement, and continuously improve Cava’s commercialization playbook, processes, tools, and best practices.
- Champion adoption of project management tools (Asana, Smartsheet, Jira, etc.) and elevate project management maturity across the organization.
- Serve as a culture leader who models collaboration, accountability, and Cava’s hospitality-driven values.
The Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Operations, Hospitality, Food Science, Engineering, or related field.
- 7–12+ years of project management or commercialization experience, including leadership of large, complex, multi-unit programs.
- Strong background in restaurant, foodservice, fast casual/QSR, or related CPG/retail industries.
- Proven experience developing commercialization roadmaps and managing full national rollouts.
- High proficiency with PM software (Smartsheet, Asana, Monday.com, MS Project, Jira).
- Excellent leadership, cross-functional influence, and executive communication skills.
- Strong financial/business acumen and ability to model cost, scalability, labor, and throughput impacts.
- Experience with national multi-unit brands (300+ units) preferred
- Certification: PMP, Lean, Agile, Six Sigma, or similar preferred
- Experience leading team members or managing a PM function preferred.
Physical Requirements:
- Ability to maintain stationary position to be able to operate a computer and other office equipment
- Must be able to identify, analyze and assess details
- For certain positions, must be able to occasionally move or transport items up to 50 pounds
- Ability to communicate with others and exchange information accurately and effectively
- Constantly positions self and move about to support ordinary restaurant or food production support or office operations, as applicable
- Ability to work in a constant state of alertness and in a safe manner
What we offer:
- Competitive salary, plus bonus and long-term incentives*
- Early Wage Access!
- Unlimited PTO, paid parental leave, plus paid opportunities to give back to the community
- Health, Dental, Vision, Telemedicine, Pet Insurance plus more!
- 401k enrollment with CAVA contribution
- Company-paid STD, LTD, Life and AD&D coverage for salaried positions*
- Free CAVA food
- Casual work environment
- The opportunity to be on the ground floor of a rapidly growing brand
- All exempt and non exempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective the 1st of the month following 30 days of service and you have until the day before the effective date to enroll. A new hire can enroll in our benefit program by selecting a link that is emailed directly to the new hire at their personal email address once hired.
- Please note that visa sponsorship is not available.
- The posting range is an all cash range.
*Indicates qualifying eligible positions only
CAVA – Joining “A culture, not a concept”
As an equal opportunity employer, CAVA considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, age, height, weight, marital status, sexual orientation, familial status, genetic information or any other characteristic or protected classes as defined by federal, state, or local law.
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