Food Service Specialist Lead

About the Role

There’s never been a better time to join TravelCenters of America. For 50 years, millions of professional truck drivers and motorists have depended on our travel centers daily for fuel, food, truck maintenance, and essential services. Today, TA is amid a major company transformation focused on growing its network of travel centers, upgrading locations nationwide, implementing cutting-edge technology, and embarking on innovative alternative energy and sustainability initiatives. This dynamic environment offers endless career opportunities for individuals interested in shaping TA’s future.

The Food Service Specialist Lead provides strategic leadership, coaching, and direction to a team of Food Service Specialists responsible for restaurant operations across deli, QSR, and FSR concepts within assigned regions. This role serves as the primary people leader, ensuring Food Specialists are effectively developed, supported, and aligned to company priorities while protecting brand integrity and driving strong financial and operational performance.

Responsibilities

• Leadership & People Development (Primary Focus)
  • Lead, coach, and develop a team of Food Specialists to ensure high performance, strong engagement, and consistent execution across all assigned restaurant concepts.
  • Establish clear expectations, priorities, and performance standards, holding team members accountable for results while providing ongoing guidance and support.
  • Conduct regular one-on-one coaching sessions, field ride-alongs, and performance reviews focused on skill development, business acumen, and leadership growth.
  • Build leadership capability within the team by modeling effective communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and change leadership.
  • Partner with P&C and Operations leadership on talent planning, onboarding, succession planning, and performance management.
  • Serve as the gatekeeper for MIT training, overseeing weekly progress, ensuring full curriculum completion, and maintaining certified training units across brands.
• Brand & Program Leadership
  • Ensure Food Specialists consistently serve as brand champions and subject-matter experts for all assigned Deli, QSR, and FSR concepts.
  • Responsible for ensuring that all 3rd party brand audits keep TA in good standing with the brands.
  • Provide oversight and direction for the planning, rollout, and execution of brand programs, promotions, and operational initiatives.
  • Partner with Marketing and Food Service teams to align field execution with brand strategies, innovation efforts, and consumer insights.
  • Represent the company at meetings, trade shows, and conventions as needed.
• Field Support, Coaching, & Communication
  • Set expectations for effective field engagement, ensuring Food Specialists maintain strong, consistent communication with site and restaurant leadership.
  • Coach team members on delivering impactful training, operational guidance, and performance feedback to restaurant managers.
  • Provide leadership oversight for new restaurant installations, remodels, and operational program launches.
  • Serve as a customer concern point for complex operational, people, or brand issues in the field.
• Performance & Financial Management
  • Lead the team in driving targeted EBITDA, sales, margin, labor efficiency, and shrink performance across regions.
  • Review and analyze financial results, inventory data, and operational KPIs, coaching Food Specialists on using insights to improve performance.
  • Ensure strong financial acumen across the region, including understanding P&L drivers, budgets, coverage ratios, and expense management.
  • Partner with Food Specialists and site leadership to address turnover trends and implement effective retention strategies.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration & Representation
  • Act as a key liaison between Food Specialists and cross-functional partners including Marketing, TA food team, category managers, Loss Prevention, and Operations.
  • Support Loss Prevention initiatives and assignments as needed.
  • Champion continuous improvement by finding opportunities to strengthen programs, processes, and execution across the food offer.
• Safety, Compliance & Culture
  • Promote and model a strong safety-first culture, ensuring Food Specialists actively identify risks and reinforce safe behaviors in the field.
  • Oversee and reinforce all Food Safety and general safety standards as part of ongoing operational performance.
  • Ensure consistent communication and adherence to all operational, safety, and regulatory requirements.
  • Reinforce what we value and inclusive leadership practices across all interactions.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience.
• 5+ years of experience in restaurant operations, food service leadership, marketing, or multi-unit operations.
• ServSafe certification or ability to obtain it.
• Proven experience leading, coaching, and developing high-performing teams.
• Strong financial competence with the ability to coach others on P&L drivers and performance metrics.
• Excellent communication, influencing, and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, and Word.
• Willingness for extensive multi-state travel (approximately 80%); valid driver’s license required.

Competencies

• Leadership Accountability – Takes ownership for team performance and results through clear expectations and follow-through.
• Coaching & Developing Others – Actively invests in the growth and capability of Food Specialists through feedback, mentoring, and support.
• Adaptability & Change Leadership – Leads teams effectively through transformation and evolving business priorities.
• Communication – Communicates clearly, consistently, and with purpose across multiple levels of the organization.
• Problem Solving & Decision Making – Applies a structured, data-driven approach to solving operational and people challenges.
• Collaboration & Teamwork – Builds strong partnerships and fosters alignment across functions and regions.

Working Conditions / Physical Requirements

• Lift and carry merchandise items weighing up to approximately 50 pounds and climb a ladder to reach supplies stored in overhead areas.
• Ability to stand/walk for up to ten (10) hours/day and sit for periods up to four (4) hours/day.
• Regularly operate computer equipment efficiently; good hand coordination, fine motor skills, and manual dexterity required.
• Specific vision abilities required include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Work within and outside of standard business hours in exterior and interior conditions.
• Frequent car travel, overnight stays, and air travel; extensive travel required (around 80% of work schedule).
• All duties must be performed with or without a reasonable accommodation.