Sr. Specialist Ops Innovation

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.

Senior Specialist, Ops Innovation

The Sr. Specialist, Ops Innovation helps drive menu strategy and operational innovation across CAVA’s restaurant system. Sitting at the intersection of Operations, Culinary, and Analytics, this role supports the testing, refinement, and scaling of new menu items, equipment, and operational processes.

Working closely with the Manager, Ops Innovation, this role blends strategic thinking with hands-on execution, focusing on process optimization, throughput efficiency, clear training and execution standards, and team member experience.

This role is responsible for ensuring that CAVA’s innovation pipeline delivers scalable, high-performing solutions. You will directly influence how new menu items and processes are designed, tested, and executed across hundreds of restaurants, impacting both team member experience and business performance.

What You’ll Do

·       Own end-to-end test-and-learn cycles, including pilot design, execution, and iteration

·       Define innovation test success metrics, gathering field feedback, and ensuring initiatives are launch-ready for system-wide rollout

·       Evaluate and optimize new menu items through an operational lens, focusing on build complexity, station flow, prep processes, and throughput impact

·       Lead process and performance improvement efforts by identifying operational inefficiencies and implementing solutions that improve business KPIs

·       Leverage store performance analytics and field insights to assess impact, inform decision-making, and drive scalable improvements across a multi-unit system

·       Apply change management principles to ensure successful adoption of new processes, tools, and menu initiatives in the field

·       Partner cross-functionally with Culinary, Operations, Supply Chain, Training, and Analytics to translate innovation into clear, repeatable processes, including the development of SOPs, training materials, and rollout plans

·       Act as a key connector between innovation, strategy, and restaurant execution, ensuring initiatives are practical, efficient, and deliver measurable business impact

Who You Are

·       You bring a strong operational mindset and understanding of restaurant teams, processes, and workflows

·       You are comfortable working cross-functionally with large teams

·       You are organized and balance creativity with discipline and structure

·       You are data-informed, and execution-driven

·       You have strong project management experience at scale

·       You thrive in fast-paced environments and are energized by building things that scale

What We’re Looking For

Minimum Qualifications

·       3 years of experience in restaurant operations, menu innovation, culinary operations, or a related field

·       Strong understanding of restaurant workflows, station design, and speed-of-service drivers

·       Experience supporting cross-functional initiatives from concept to execution

·       Strong communication and organizational skills

Preferred Qualifications

·       Experience supporting menu launches or LTO programs in fast-casual or QSR

·       Exposure to operational testing, pilots, or test-and-learn environments

·       Experience working with field operations teams

·       Familiarity with operational metrics such as labor, throughput, waste, or prep efficiency

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

·       Travel expectations ~1 week per month

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 nonexempt employees are eligible for benefits. Benefits are effective from 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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