Sr. Project Experience Lead

Overview

Chick-fil-A’s cornerstone experiences NEXT and Regional Planning Meetings (RPM) are leading priorities for the business setting strategic direction for the future while ensuring organizational alignment amid expansive growth and an ever-changing business environment. This team partners with senior leaders across the business to align initiatives around organizational strategy that delivers meaningful outcomes for Customers, Restaurants, and the business.

Alignment within Chick-fil-A’s Support Center and Franchisees (Operators) is essential to our continued success and requires focused leadership in critical workstreams to design and execute Chick-fil-A’s annual meeting (NEXT) as well as the annual Operator planning-focused event, Regional Planning Meetings.

 

A role on the team would provide a fast-paced environment with high Operator-facing impact. The role would require a strong ability to develop relationships across the organization to ensure strategic alignment and ensure our Operators are prepared and inspired for the year ahead. The role would support the development of the Regional Planning Meetings and our annual leadership conference, NEXT. The role necessitates working with key leaders and content owners to ensure our audiences have the clarity and confidence needed to succeed in the year ahead.

 

This role requires a strong, proactive project leader who actively pursues solutions to challenges and collaborates with others to meet deadlines. The ideal candidate thrives with autonomy and strong ability to lead cross-functional teams and work.

 

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

• Responsible for recommending, influencing, implementing, and leading event programming and production.
• Build out a strategic Roadmap for alignment events including owning complex timelines and budget.
• Manage staff and key partnerships to execute alignment events.
• Lead the experience team and vendors including setting agenda topics, preparing pre-read documents, and oversee follow up for all elements discussed.
• Responsible for managing development of space layouts across formats to ensure collaborative workshop environment.
• Project manage day-to-day development of key formats platforms RPM and NEXT formats.
• Lead elements of onsite execution for experience platforms for alignment experiences.
• Align organizational leaders on project scope, sequencing, and planning for alignment events.
• Build and manage project plans/timelines using Smartsheet for self-managed projects and team projects.
• Ensure coordination of staff across departments for experience environments.
• Partner with Program Lead to benchmark industry events to drive innovation and relevancy for Operators.
• Develop PowerPoint presentations and various written communications to provide an overview of the experience for RPM and NEXT.
• Coordinate planning & budget as well as ongoing budget tracking for all experience related environments at NEXT and RPM.

Minimum Qualifications

• 3 or more years in an event management role or managing complex work
• 3 or more years proven experience in building and/or managing production programming and deadlines
• Strong interpersonal relationship skills
• Ability to work collaboratively at all levels to influence and align stakeholders and leaders throughout the organization
• Ability to lead a cross functional team towards a common goal
• Extensive Event and Production Management knowledge
• Skilled at problem solving and conflict management
• Strong Communication skills including verbal, written and presentation
• Experience with larger scale production and programming management. Must be highly organized and possess strong analytical & problem-solving skills.
• Strong ability to align programming with key messaging.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, cross-functional environment.
• Proactive and responsive in a flexible environment
• Growth mindset and self-motivated
• Ability to take initiative, recognize needs, and act without prompting from supervisor.

Preferred Qualifications

• Event management experience
• Experience managing vendor partners in large scale events
• Production Experience managing complex cross-functional work

Minimum Years of Experience

3

Travel Requirements

10%

Required Level of Education

Bachelor's Degree