The Staff Tech Operations Engineer - Payment & POPs is the SONIC payments SME (subject-matter-expert) responsible for ensuring the stability, integrity, and efficient operation of the POPS (payments and point of personalized service) platforms, with the goal to ensures high levels of customer satisfaction by monitoring, maintaining, supporting, and optimizing both the intake and execution of requests (settlements, chargebacks, inventory control, menu items, coupons/discounts, images/videos, digital display layouts, etc.).
This role will manage and continually improve on the processes to go from initial requirements gathering through post launch support (including build & testing and successful launch), including Level 3 Support of payments technologies.
This position will work cross functionally and establish close business relationships with corporate and franchise payments teams through regular communication and business reporting. They will also be key to managing vendor relationships relating to all aspects of the payments & POPS platforms).
RESPONSIBILITIES
Ensures the SONIC brand’s payment & POPS IT products work as expected and provide Level 3 Support for all products within the team’s purview. This includes execution, monitoring, maintenance & coordination of all content changes for all aspects POPS as well as release management of software deployments, testing and QA activities
Leads a who perform Level 3 coordination activities for payment and POPS platforms
Establishes connections with brand & franchisee teams to ensure elevated levels of success, complete understanding of requirements and serves as a brand subject matter expert (SME) in appropriate meetings. Communicate and collaborate with coworkers, management, franchisees, operators, and others in a courteous and professional manner. Use decision-making and negotiation skills. Team-orientation and positive attitude
Mentors, builds knowledge and experience within the team so that each team member can own their work within the project with little oversight
Establishes the strategy and process by which the team executes on the regular operational work to configure content across each of the IT products
Develop executive dashboard reporting for leadership reporting on workload, adherence to schedules, and quality assurance
Effectively ensures the adoption and implementation of the technology goals for the organization
Collaborate with all internal and external teams to gather the appropriate requirements to roll out technology programs
Responsible for adherence to established budgets, including tracking & reporting
Plans effectively and multi-tasks. Utilize time management and organization skills to achieve aggressive deadlines; sets priorities and maintains organizational and filing systems. Responds promptly to others to ensure open and timely communication
Serve as the point of contact for franchisee and vendor escalations owned products. Communicate all issues, status updates, action items, and risks to the management team
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE QUALIFICATIONS
5+ years of experience in design, development, and implementation related to payment technologies in the context of point-of-sale systems
4-year Degree in business administration, Computer Science or related field
Experience in multiband, franchise, retail, foodservice, or consumer-facing industries preferred
REQUIRED KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, OR ABILITIES
Strong understanding of how complex technology systems interact including cloud-based platforms, integration layers and scripting languages Proven ability to oversee collaborative programs with executives, business owners and vendors, on complex technology initiatives, which bear tangible results
Working knowledge and existing relationships with restaurant industry leading technology vendors
Strong analytical skills required, including a thorough understanding of how to interpret customer business needs and translate them into operational requirements
Strong presentation skills with ability to clearly communicate to all levels of the organization in all forms (written, verbal & telephone)
Excellent problem-solving skills with he ability to solution in a fast-paced environment
Exceptional organization, communication skills, and keen attention to detail
Ability to meet deadlines and make sound decisions based on data and stakeholder feedback
Ability to work cross functionally within an organization.
PMP (Project Management Professional) certification a plus
JIRA and Confluence skills preferred
Strong skills with the Microsoft Office Outlook, PowerPoint & Word required
Expert level skills with the Microsoft Office Excel required
Ability to analyze problems and escalate issues in a timely manner for quick resolution
Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team environment, build strong relationships, and effectively manage projects with enthusiasm and a people-focused approach
This position is based in our Atlanta Support Center, with an expected on-site presence of 80%.
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.
Skills Required
- 5+ years of experience in design, development, and implementation related to payment technologies in point-of-sale systems
- Four-year degree in business administration, computer science, or a related field
- Strong understanding of complex technology systems, cloud-based platforms, integration layers, and scripting languages
- Experience overseeing collaborative programs involving executives, business owners, and vendors
- Strong analytical skills and ability to translate customer business needs into operational requirements
- Strong presentation and written, verbal, and telephone communication skills
- Excellent problem-solving, organization, communication, and attention-to-detail skills
- Ability to meet deadlines, make data-informed decisions, and work cross-functionally
- Working knowledge of and relationships with restaurant-industry technology vendors
- Experience in multiband, franchise, retail, foodservice, or consumer-facing industries
- PMP certification
- Jira and Confluence skills
- Microsoft Outlook, PowerPoint, and Word skills
- Expert-level Microsoft Excel skills
- Demonstrated ability to analyze problems, escalate issues, collaborate, build relationships, and manage projects
Inspire Brands Compensation & Benefits Highlights
The following summarizes recurring compensation and benefits themes identified from responses generated by popular LLMs to common candidate questions about Inspire Brands and has not been reviewed or approved by Inspire Brands.
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Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive health coverage, mental health support, disability insurance, and related programs are emphasized for support‑center and eligible management roles. Materials also reference options like HSAs and EAPs as part of a broad healthcare offering.
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Leave & Time Off Breadth — Unlimited PTO is highlighted for support‑center roles alongside paid leaves such as parental and adoption assistance. Feedback suggests these time‑off elements are a core part of the corporate employee value proposition.
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Wellbeing & Lifestyle Benefits — Employee food discounts, on‑site amenities (e.g., gym, snacks, and similar perks), and lifestyle programs add tangible day‑to‑day value. Additional benefits like commuter options, financial wellness tools, and pet insurance further broaden the package.
Inspire Brands Insights
What We Do
Inspire Brands was founded in February 2018 with a vision to invigorate great brands and supercharge their long-term growth. In an industry facing increasing disruption, our leaders saw an opportunity to build a restaurant company unlike any other – one that brings together differentiated yet complementary brands and aims to make them stronger than they would be on their own. Found inherently in the purposes of our family of brands, we identified a common thread between our restaurants – the capacity to inspire. From guest experience to career development to community well-being, Inspire plays a role in the lives of millions of people every day.
