Vice President - Product Category Management & Culinary

The Vice President - Product Category Management & Culinary is the senior executive responsible for shaping and executing the strategy, performance, and profitability of product categories across the SONIC brand organization.

Reporting directly to the SONIC Chief Marketing Officer, this leader will oversee category planning, product lifecycle management, assortment optimization, pricing, vendor relationships, and go-to-market strategies. This VP will also drive the overall culinary vision, innovation, and operational excellence across all food and beverage outlets within the organization.

This executive ensures brand consistency, menu development, food quality, and cost control, while leading a team of product category and culinary professionals to deliver exceptional guest experiences and support business growth.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Define and implement the overall vision, strategy, and long-term roadmap for all product categories
• Drive innovation and identify opportunities for category expansion or repositioning
• Develop and execute the company’s culinary vision, strategy, and innovation roadmap
• Provide leadership and mentorship to executive chefs, regional culinary directors, and kitchen teams
• Ensure brand standards, menu consistency, and high-quality execution across all locations
• Oversee product assortment strategy, pricing, and lifecycle management for assigned categories
• Monitor category performance, adjusting strategies to optimize sales, margins, and inventory
• Lead the creation of new menu items that align with brand identity, consumer trends, and profitability goals
• Partner with brand experience to launch seasonal and promotional offerings
• Oversee recipe standardization, testing, and rollouts across the system
• Partner with merchandising and supply chain to optimize sourcing, vendor relationships, and cost efficiency
• Collaborate with brand experience and digital teams to develop category-specific promotional plans
• Work closely with finance to set category budgets, forecasts, and financial performance targets
• Monitor food cost, waste management, and vendor relationships to maximize profitability
• Collaborate with supply chain and procurement teams to source quality, sustainable, and cost-effective ingredients
• Build, lead, and develop a high-performing category & culinary management team.
• Foster a culture of accountability, innovation, and customer-centric thinking
• Ensure culinary excellence that supports overall brand reputation and customer satisfaction
• Representing the culinary function at industry events, trade shows, and media opportunities
• Establish KPIs and dashboards to measure category health and business performance
• Use data-driven insights to drive decision-making and continuous improvement
• Deliver regular performance updates to executive leadership and key stakeholders

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS

• 12+ years of progressive experience in product/category management, merchandising, or related fields, with at least 5 years in senior leadership roles
• 4-year Degree in Business, Marketing or related field required. Advanced degree preferred
• Proven success in driving category growth, profitability, and innovation
• Strong analytical skills with expertise in P&L management and data-driven decision-making
• Experience in multi-unit retail, consumer goods, or foodservice industries highly preferred

REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, OR ABILITIES

• Exceptional strategic thinking skills with a strong commercial mindset
• Results-oriented with strong ability to balance short-term wins and long-term growth
• Proven skills in building strong vendor partnerships and customer-centric strategies
• Collaborative leader who thrives in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Excellent leadership, communication, and negotiation skills

This position sits within our Atlanta based Global Support Center with an expectation to be onsite 80% of the time.

 

Inspire is a multi-brand restaurant company whose portfolio includes more than 33,000 Arby’s, Baskin-Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Dunkin’, Jimmy John’s, and SONIC restaurants worldwide.

We’re made up of some of the world’s most iconic restaurant brands, but we’re much more than just a restaurant company. We’re a team of hundreds of thousands who individually and collectively are changing the way people eat, drink, and gather around the table. We know that food is much more than a staple—it’s an experience. At Inspire, that’s our purpose: to ignite and nourish flavorful experiences.