Director of Category Management & 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 thats 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 somethingbig 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; its 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.

Director of Category Management & Menu Innovation:

As theDirector of Category Management & Menu Innovation you will serve as a key strategic leader responsible for the growth profitability and performance of our core and seasonal food and beverage categories. You will integrate consumer insightsadvanced analyticsand cross-functional collaboration to fuel innovation optimize the product lifecycle and deliver strong business results. This role requires a balance of strategic thinking analytical rigor and operational excellence.

What Youll Do:

• Lead enterprise-wide category growth strategiesacross core and seasonal offerings including product portfolio planning innovation road mapping pricing and promotional architecture.
• Own category P&L performance using data-driven insights and financial modeling to optimize margins drive sales growth and inform decision-making.
• Build and lead a high-performing teamof category managers and analysts; foster a culture of curiosity innovation and data fluency.
• Champion analytics-driven decision-making working closely with data science finance and business intelligence to develop performance dashboards forecast models and ROI analyses.
• Partner with Culinary Innovation to guide product development based on guest insights trend analysis and competitive benchmarking.
• Translate consumer research and behavior analytics into actionable strategies to capture whitespace opportunities and enhance the guest experience.
• Serve as a strategic thought partner to Marketing Operations and Supply Chain ensuring category plans are seamlessly executed and operationally viable.
• Develop and present strategic business cases and performance reviews to executive leadership for alignment and investment decisions.
• Monitor and interpret macro trends competitor activity and channel shifts to keep CAVA ahead of the curve.

The Qualifications:

• Bachelors degree in business Marketing Finance Economics or a related field; MBA or equivalent advanced degree strongly preferred.
• 1015 years of progressive experience in category management product strategy or brand management ideally within restaurant retail or CPG sectors.
• Demonstrated success in leading high-impact strategies that drive sustainable growth and profitability.
• Advanced analytical skills including experience with data visualization forecasting pricing models and market segmentation.
• Strong financial acumen with proven P&L ownership.
• Skilled at influencing senior stakeholders and aligning cross-functional teams around a unified vision.
• Experience managing and scaling high-performing teams in a fast-paced high-growth environment.
• Deep understanding of the fast casual dining landscape emerging food trends and consumer behaviors.

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

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.

CAVA Joining A culture not a concept

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. 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.