Head of Prepared Foods

Circle K; Charlotte (NC); On-site; USD 180,000 - 260,000; Full time

Job summary

Circle K in the United States seeks a Head of Prepared Foods to lead end-to-end strategy and execution for the North American market. You will own the category, drive sales and margin, ensure food quality, and collaborate with Operations, Marketing, QA, Supply Chain, and BUs to deliver best-in-class programs.

You will lead product development, supplier partnerships, training, and in-store execution while maintaining strong financial performance and compliance. Travel up to 60% is expected.

Qualifications

• 8+ years experience in foodservice, retail food, QSR, or CPG.
• Proven category or P&L ownership experience.
• Strong background in product development and execution.
• Excellent communication and analytical skills.
• Ability to travel up to 60%.

Responsibilities

• Strategy & Category Leadership: Own and execute the Prepared Foods category strategy aligned to Circle K’s growth objectives.
• Financial & P&L Ownership: Full accountability for sales, margin, COGS, and profitability; develop pricing and assortment strategies.
• Product Development & Supplier Management: Lead product development from concept through execution and manage supplier relationships.
• Execution, Training & Field Readiness: Ensure simple, scalable in-store programs; partner on tools and playbooks; conduct field visits.
• Safety, Quality & Compliance: Ensure FSQA, HACCP, and regulatory compliance; collaborate with QA on food safety leadership.
• Cross-Functional & People Leadership: Collaborate across Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, QA, and business units; develop direct reports.

Skills

Category ownership

P&L ownership

Product development

Communication skills

Travel readiness

Job description

Position Summary

The Head of Prepared Foods is responsible for end-to-end leadership of Circle K’s Prepared Foods business across North America. This role sets and executes the category strategy to drive sales, margin, food quality, and customer relevance while ensuring best-in-class safety, consistency, and execution in stores.

This leader owns the Prepared Foods portfolio, including assortment strategy, innovation pipeline, supplier partnerships, training, and in-store execution, while collaborating closely with Operations, Marketing, Quality Assurance, Supply Chain, and Business Units. The role carries full accountability for financial performance, program rollout, and continuous improvement of the Prepared Foods offer. Also, any additional duties as assigned.

Key Responsibilities

Strategy & Category Leadership

• Own and execute the Prepared Foods category strategy aligned to Circle K’s Foodservice growth objectives
• Lead annual business planning, innovation roadmaps, and long-term category vision
• Evaluate emerging trends, consumer insights, and competitive dynamics
• Serve as the internal center of excellence for Prepared Foods

Financial & P&L Ownership

• Full accountability for sales, margin, COGS, and profitability
• Build pricing, promotional, and assortment strategies to drive traffic
• Partner with Procurement and Finance to optimize cost structures

Product Development & Supplier Management

• Lead product development from concept through execution
• Manage strategic supplier relationships
• Secure exclusive products and innovation support

Execution, Training & Field Readiness

• Ensure simple, scalable, executable in-store programs
• Partner with Training & Execution teams on tools and playbooks
• Conduct field visits to validate execution

Safety, Quality & Compliance

• Ensure FSQA, HACCP, and regulatory compliance
• Partner with Quality Assurance on food safety leadership

Cross-Functional & People Leadership

• Collaborate across Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, QA, and BUs
• Lead and develop direct reports and cross-functional contributors

Qualifications

Required

• 8+ years experience in foodservice, retail food, QSR, or CPG
• Proven category or P&L ownership experience
• Strong background in product development and execution
• Excellent communication and analytical skills
• Ability to travel up to 60%

Preferred

• Experience leading Prepared or Ready-to-Eat food categories
• Multi-market or national foodservice leadership exposure
• Familiarity with FSQA or HACCP frameworks

Circle K is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

The Company complies with the Americans with Disabilities Act (the ADA) and all state and local disability laws. Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the ADA and certain state or local laws as long as it does not impose an undue hardship on the Company. Please inform the Company’s Human Resources Representative if you need assistance completing any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.