Shake Shack

Director, Menu Strategy and Culinary Brand Innovation

Atlanta Support Center, 800 Battery Avenue SE Suite 200, Atlanta, GA 30339 Full time

Our secret to leading the way in hospitality? We put our people first!

At Shake Shack, our mission is to Stand For Something Good in all that we do. From our teams to our neighborhoods, we're committed to always doing the right thing. As one of the fastest-growing hospitality brands, we're all about crafting unforgettable experiences for our guests. We offer endless learning opportunities and the chance to make a lasting impact on our business, restaurants, and communities. As a member of the #ShackFam, you’ll have access to hands-on mentorship, training, and growth potential, all in a fun and inclusive environment.

Join us and Be a Part of Something Good.

Eligible locations:
New York Support Center (225 Varick St. New York, NY)
Atlanta, GA Support Center (2 Ballpark Center, 800 Battery Ave SE Atlanta, GA)

Shake Shack is entering a new era of growth: accelerating Shack openings, expanding our footprint, and reimagining what culinary innovation can be. As we scale with ambitious growth targets, we need a visionary leader to help shape our calendar and innovation pipeline.  

 

The Director, Menu Strategy & Calendar Innovation oversees Shake Shack’s systemwide menu strategy and culinary innovation pipeline, leading a team of Brand Managers and serving as a strategic thought partner to executive leadership. This leader owns the integrated marketing and menu calendar across all core menu and LTO categories, with a focus on driving incremental sales and guest frequency, while reinforcing our culinary excellence. This candidate will define and drive the long-term menu roadmap for Shake Shack, bringing together consumer insights, culinary development, operations, and marketing to launch craveable, scalable menu platforms that differentiate Shake Shack in a highly competitive landscape.   

 

This role offers a rare opportunity to shape and scale a national brand during one of its strongest growth phases, while protecting the quality, identity, and soul that define the Shake Shack brand.  
 

Essential Job Duties and Responsibilities: 

Menu & Calendar Strategy:  

  • Own the integrated menu and marketing calendar, including LTOs, seasonal items, core menu priorities, market tests, business targets, and promotions that deliver comp sales growth and guest excitement throughout the year. 

  • Balance traffic, check, and profit objectives across windows while managing innovation risk and complexity.  ​ 
     

Culinary Innovation & Concept Development: 

  • Lead the strategic direction, concept ideation, and development of new menu items and platforms that ladder up to brand and business goals. 

  • Champion elevated ingredients, flavor-forward builds, and premium experiences that reinforce Shake Shack’s fine casual positioning and quality standards.   
     

Cross-Functional Calendar Integration:  

  • Ensure the calendar is executable by partnering closely with Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Digital, and Marketing to align on timelines, capacity, and guardrails. 

  • Proactively identify operational and supply chain risks and adjust scope, staging, or phasing accordingly.   
     

Performance Management & Analytics: 

  • Define, track, and socialize success metrics (e.g., sales lift, incrementality, guest satisfaction, profitability, and operational execution) for all tests and systemwide launches. 

  • Partner with FP&A to support forecasting, scenario planning, pricing, and post-launch performance read-outs.  
      

Insights & Testing:  

  • Guide consumer insights and testing protocols (centralized tastings, ops feasibility tests, market tests) to ensure concepts and commercialized products are validated with both guests and operations teams. 

  • Translate insights into clear go/no-go decisions, optimization recommendations, and future platform roadmaps.   

What’s In It For You:

  • The opportunity to lead a team during a high-growth, high-impact phase. 

  • The creative freedom to shape the future of Shake Shack’s menu strategy. 

  • The ability to build and mentor a team, define strategy, and contribute at senior leadership level. 

  • The chance to carry forward a legacy of quality, hospitality, and brand love while pushing boundaries, innovating, and scaling. 

 

Minimum Qualifications:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Product Development, or related field.   

  • 6-8 years of experience in product development, innovation, or brand management, preferably in restaurant/hospitality or CPG businesses.   

  • 4-6 years of people leadership, including managing cross-functional projects and direct reports in a fast-paged, growth oriented environment. 

  • Demonstrated experience owning a marketing or promotional calendar, including LTOs, from concept through launch. 

  • Strong analytical skills and comfort with sales, margin, and forecast data; able to translate numbers into strategic decisions. 

 

Preferred Qualifications:

  • MBA or advanced degree in Marketing, Strategy, or related field.   

  • 8-10 years of experience in restaurant/hospitality or consumer-packaged food/beverage; multi-brand or multi-market experience a plus.   

  • 7-9 years of leadership experience with a track record of building, coaching, and elevating high-performing teams. 

Benefits at Shake Shack:

A work environment where you can come as you are, share your ideas, have fun, and work collaboratively:

  • Weekly Pay and Performance bonuses

  • Shake Shack Meal Discounts

  • Exclusive corporate discounts for travel, electronics, wellness, leisure activities and more

  • Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance*

  • Employer Paid Life and Disability Insurance*

  • 401k Plan with Company Match*

  • Paid Time Off*

  • Paid Parental Leave*

  • Access to Employee Assistance Program on Day 1

  • Pre-Tax Commuter and Parking Benefits

  • Flexible Spending and Dependent Care Accounts*

  • Development and Growth Opportunities

*Eligibility criteria applies

Click the "Apply" button above to apply for this opening.

About Us

Beginning as a hot dog cart in New York City’s Madison Square Park, Shake Shack was created by Danny Meyer, Founder and CEO of Union Square Hospitality Group and best-selling author of Setting the Table. Shack Fans lined up daily, making the cart a resounding success, and donating all proceeds back to the park beautification efforts.  A permanent stand was eventually built…and the rest is Shack history! With our roots in fine dining and giving back to the community, we are committed to high quality food served with a high level of hospitality. Our team members enjoy a positive work environment that is deeply committed to the philosophy that we "Stand for Something Good."

Shake Shack is an Equal Opportunity Employer 

All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic, including race, color, ancestry, national origin, religion, creed, age, disability (mental and physical), sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, gender expression, medical condition, genetic information, marital, military and veteran status.