To succeed in your Speedway interviews, you must approach your preparation with a holistic understanding of convenience store management. Preparation should focus on demonstrating reliability, physical readiness, and a strong capability to lead diverse teams.

Operational Resilience – You must demonstrate that you can handle the physical and mental demands of a fast-paced, 24/7 retail environment. Show that you are comfortable standing for long periods, managing inventory, and working flexible hours.

Situational Leadership – Interviewers will look at how you handle real-world challenges like employee call-offs, high turnover, and customer disputes. Be ready to use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to structure your answers.

Customer-First Mindset – Every decision you make as an Operations Manager should prioritize the customer experience. Your answers should reflect a commitment to maintaining a clean, safe, and friendly environment.

The interview process for the Operations Manager position at Speedway is designed to be straightforward, practical, and fast-paced, though the administrative steps following an offer can take some time.

Initially, you will submit your resume online through the career portal. Within a few days, a recruiter will typically reach out for a brief phone screening. This call is highly informative and covers the basic requirements of the role, your work history, and your general availability. If you pass this screen, the recruiter will schedule an in-person interview with the hiring manager, who is usually the District Manager (DM) or a General Manager (GM).

The in-person interview is highly conversational but focused on practical scenarios. It is often conducted directly inside a local Speedway store—sometimes in a back office, or even on the sales floor if the store is undergoing inventory or high-volume shifts. You should expect questions about your past retail management experience, your ability to work flexible hours, and your comfort level with physical tasks like lifting heavy inventory. Offers are often extended quickly after this stage, followed by a background check process that can take up to two to three weeks to finalize.

The timeline above illustrates the typical progression from your initial application to your first day on the job. Candidates should prepare for a fast-moving interview phase, but expect a standard administrative holding period while background checks and training schedules are finalized. Use this transition period to prepare for the rigorous onboarding and training program.

To excel in your interviews, you must understand the specific areas where Speedway hiring managers focus their evaluation. They want to ensure you are not only capable of doing the job but can also handle the unique challenges of the convenience store sector.

Schedule Flexibility & Reliability

Because Speedway locations are open 24/7, staffing shortages and employee call-offs are common operational challenges. Managers are expected to be highly reliable and willing to step in when needed.

Be ready to go over:

• Open Availability – Your willingness to work mornings, evenings, weekends, and holidays.
• Handling Call-offs – Your strategy for covering shifts when entry-level workers call off.
• Commitment to the Store – Demonstrating that you are ready to invest the time and energy required to keep the store operational.

Example scenarios:

• "Tell me about a time you had to adjust your personal schedule at the last minute to support your team."
• "How do you handle a situation where you are already working a long shift and the next manager calls off?"

Situational Leadership & Team Management

Managing a diverse, high-turnover team requires patience, clear communication, and strong conflict-resolution skills. Interviewers want to know how you lead under pressure.

Be ready to go over:

• De-escalation – Resolving conflicts between employees or between staff and customers.
• Performance Coaching – Motivating underperforming employees and maintaining high morale.
• Training and Onboarding – Ensuring new hires are trained quickly and effectively on store policies.

Example scenarios:

• "Describe a time when you had to address an employee who was consistently arriving late for their shift."
• "How do you maintain team morale during highly stressful, busy holiday shifts?"

Store Operations & Physical Stamina

The Operations Manager role is highly active. You will not be sitting in an office; you will be on your feet, stocking shelves, cleaning, and assisting customers.

Be ready to go over:

• Physical Requirements – Your comfort level with lifting 50 to 70 pounds and standing for 8 to 10 hours.
• Multi-tasking – Balancing administrative duties (like cash drops and inventory audits) with floor management.
• Compliance – Ensuring strict adherence to safety, food handling, and age-restricted sales laws.

Example scenarios:

• "How do you balance completing your daily operational checklist while also managing a sudden rush of customers?"
• "Walk me through how you ensure your store remains compliant with local health and safety regulations."

As an Operations Manager at Speedway, your day-to-day work is fast-paced and highly varied. You are responsible for ensuring that the store operates efficiently, safely, and profitably during your shifts.

Your primary responsibilities include:

• Shift Leadership – Supervising Customer Service Representatives, assigning daily tasks, and ensuring all shift duties are completed efficiently.
• Customer Service Excellence – Modeling friendly, fast service and resolving customer complaints quickly and professionally.
• Inventory & Merchandising – Stocking shelves, organizing coolers, receiving vendor deliveries, and ensuring promotions are set up correctly.
• Financial Accountability – Managing cash registers, performing safe drops, auditing drawer counts, and completing daily financial paperwork.
• Compliance & Safety – Enforcing policies regarding age-restricted sales (tobacco/alcohol), food safety standards, and overall store security.
• Store Maintenance – Keeping the sales floor, restrooms, food service areas, and exterior forecourt clean, organized, and safe for customers.

You will work closely with the General Manager to review store metrics, manage labor hours, and implement corporate initiatives. This requires strong communication skills and the ability to pivot quickly as store needs change throughout the day.

To be competitive for the Operations Manager position, candidates must meet several key operational and educational requirements.

• Education – A high school diploma or equivalent (GED) is required. Candidates are often asked to provide proof of graduation during the onboarding process.
• Licensing – A valid driver's license is required, as managers may need to travel between locations or perform bank runs.
• Physical Capability – Must be able to stand, bend, and walk for extended periods, and lift/carry up to 50 to 70 pounds regularly.
• Experience – Prior experience in retail, food service, hospitality, or convenience store management is highly preferred. Experience using the STAR method in previous roles is a plus.

Must-have skills:

• Strong customer service and communication skills.
• Ability to multi-task in a high-volume, fast-paced environment.
• Basic computer literacy for managing inventory and shift schedules.
• Proven leadership ability and experience supervising teams.

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience with inventory management software or POS systems.
• Knowledge of food safety regulations and cash handling procedures.
• Career interest in retail management with a desire to advance within the company.