Sara Maritato

Area Director

Raising Cane's Chicken Fingers

01.2023 - Current

Boosted regional profitability by 15%, elevating market ranking from bottom 20% to top 10% company-wide.
Led strategic planning for all area business reviews, leadership retreats, and recognition events; managed budgets, vendor coordination, and post-event communications.
Oversaw all facets of travel and logistics for leadership team: flights, hotels, transportation, and event planning.
Mentored and promoted top-tier leadership talent, creating succession plans and supporting 6 restaurant certifications.
Spearheaded improvements in labor flow and forecasting, achieving a 20% reduction in waste and 45% increase in execution consistency.
Analyzed financial performance of area by monitoring budgets and expenses, reviewing financial statements and recommending appropriate actions.
Created and managed execution of store business plans to drive KPI results and maximize business opportunities.
Performed audits to reduce and control loss and meet internal audit and compliance objectives.
Initiated company-wide training program to improve operations and reduce turnover by 100%.
Evaluated employee skills and knowledge regularly, training, and mentoring individuals with lagging skills.
Determined performance benchmarks and completed ongoing evaluation of employee work.
Planned sequence of operations and established schedule.
Implemented innovative programs to increase employee loyalty and reduce turnover.
Implemented business strategies, increasing revenue, and effectively targeting new markets.
Observed each employee's individual strengths and initiated mentoring program to improve areas of weakness.
Tracked trends and suggested enhancements to both challenge and refine company's product offerings.
Reduced operational risks while organizing data to forecast performance trends.
Developed executive-ready reports and insights to influence strategic decisions across finance, operations, and training.
Supported and enforced compliance in health, food safety, alcohol sales, and brand operations standards.
Aligned people, operations, and finance functions through structured communication loops and planning tools.
Achieved 15% increase in profitability margins in Region and Division, elevating market ranking from bottom 20% to top 10% company-wide through strategic operational enhancements.
Established cadence and system of communication of support unit to businesses - weekly touch bases, tracking of notes and follow up, all phases of planning, and providing specific points of support on an individual business level for all functions that include marketing, recruiting, training, and overall operations performance.
Streamlined coordination across training, marketing, recruiting, and operations by creating centralized calendars, enhancing team efficiency by 30%.
Facilitated weekly syncs with 18+ team members to enhance project timelines, addressing blockers and aligning initiatives.
Collaborated with cross-functional partners (finance, training, fulfillment, recruiting) to align resources and timelines, adjusting plans to meet business needs in real time; top 1% Network in Division 6, Division 8, and Division 9 Restaurant Partner program.
Spearheaded process improvements in forecasting and planning, achieving a 20% reduction in waste and boosting execution consistency by 45%.
Developed and mentored top-tier leadership talent, driving succession plans and scalable team systems through 18 total direct reports and 500 Crew Members.
Developed and designed 10+ visually compelling executive reports, enhancing strategic visibility and facilitating decision-making.
Utilized systems thinking and structured communication to enhance project efficiency by 30%, fostering a collaborative environment.
West Texas market - Midland, Odessa, San Angelo, and Abilene DMAs

Area Director

Wendy's Corporate

01.2021 - 01.2023

Successfully launched and managed Training Restaurants ($35 million , enhancing onboarding processes and improving team communication, resulting in a 40% efficiency increase.
Spearheaded collaboration with HR, Finance, and Ops to execute strategic initiatives, enhancing efficiency by 30%.
Facilitated cross-team communications, enhancing clarity and structure, resulting in a 20% faster adaptation to complex changes.

Leadership Development Program

Chick-fil-A

01.2016 - 01.2019

Enhanced daily and strategic operations by optimizing labor forecasts and elevating team development, resulting in top 1% store performance in entire company.
Streamlined project coordination and operational planning, enhancing customer satisfaction by 15% in a fast-paced environment.

Summary

Overview

Work History

Area Director

Area Director

Leadership Development Program

Education

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

Master's Degree - Divinity

Skills

Timeline

Area Director

Area Director

Leadership Development Program

Master's Degree - Divinity

Bachelor of Arts - Political Science

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