Restaurant Innovation Group Director

Whataburger is a renowned fast-food restaurant chain established in 1950, known for its iconic burgers and commitment to quality and customer satisfaction. With its headquarters located in San Antonio, Texas, Whataburger has built a strong reputation across the southern United States for serving delicious food with a personalized and heartfelt approach. The company stands out as an employer because it encourages leadership development, fosters a collaborative work environment, and focuses on supporting its employees' growth and success. Whataburger is more than just a place to work—it is a community striving to Make a Difference every day, encouraging employees to lead with integrity, serve with heart, and collaboratively win as one cohesive team.

The role of Restaurant Innovation Group Director at Whataburger is a critical leadership position aimed at shaping the future of the restaurant's guest experience through strategic innovation and operational excellence. This full-time position, based at the San Antonio home office, offers a hybrid work model with on-site presence Monday through Thursday and remote work on Fridays. The Restaurant Innovation Group Director is responsible for leading cross-functional projects and initiatives that focus on improving operational efficiency, enhancing guest experiences, and driving measurable business outcomes. This includes innovating new processes, tools, and technologies from concept development through piloting and full-scale rollout.

In this role, you will collaborate closely with teams in operations, IT, supply chain, and finance to ensure that innovation efforts are aligned with business goals and practical restaurant realities. Using data and performance metrics, you will analyze the effectiveness of new initiatives and adjust strategies accordingly. This role requires strategic thinking, problem-solving, and excellent communication skills to influence senior stakeholders and keep teams motivated. The leadership you provide will foster a culture of innovation by building high-performing teams, managing project timelines and budgets, and navigating risks efficiently.

Whataburger values a forward-thinking mindset and encourages this role to challenge the status quo continually to evolve how the company operates and serves its guests. The company offers a competitive compensation package, including weekly pay, a bonus program with up to 2.5X payout scaling, and comprehensive benefits such as medical, dental, vision, and disability coverages. Paid time off includes five weeks of PTO, paid corporate holidays, and parental leave. Additional perks feature 401(k) matching, career development opportunities, scholarship programs, and discounts on various services and products.

At Whataburger, you will join a team that not only values your contributions but also supports your professional development, providing opportunities to grow and succeed within a robust organizational culture committed to diversity and inclusion. The company ensures equal employment opportunities for all, respects a diverse workforce, and complies with federal employment regulations.