A Working View of Circle K’s Operating Environment
This microsite provides a fact-based view of how work gets done today, where value is leaking, and how that value can be realized in execution. It is designed to support a practical discussion about where to focus and next steps—not to present a finished solution.
Content reflects an early point of view to support discussion and refinement.
Operating Intent Intent and Structure Follow Value.
Operating Intent Regionalization Needs Role Ownership. Centralization Needs Process Ownership.
Structure Insights from US Data Informed Three Key Hypotheses.
If Circle K’s operating intent remains regionalized, then spans should widen and layers flatten to support a true pyramid structure.
If Circle K outsourced a significant portion of Layer 9–10 execution work, then upper execution layers (Layers 6–8) should be resized to avoid excess oversight and micromanagement.
If Circle K embeds AI as part of its process transformation, then spans in Layers 4–6 should widen and at least one supervisory layer should materially reduce to reflect the lower coordination and review burden.
| Number of Employees by Org Layer | Managers | ICs | Average SOC | # Managers SOC<5 | |
| 1 |
0
1
|
1 | 9.0 | ||
| 2 |
1
8
|
8 | 1 | 4.9 | 3 |
| 3 |
4
35
|
35 | 4 | 3.3 | 27 |
| 4 |
21
96
|
96 | 21 | 3.1 | 71 |
| 5 |
112
185
|
185 | 112 | 4.3 | 117 |
| 6 |
611
187
|
187 | 611 | 6.8 | 108 |
| 7 |
1172
92
|
92 | 1172 | 10.6 | 46 |
| 8 |
942
32
|
32 | 942 | 7.0 | 14 |
| 9 |
203
21
|
21 | 203 | 7.7 | 4 |
| 10 |
162
0
|
162 | |||
| Total | 657 | 3228 | 5.9 | 390 | |
| Managers Individual Contributors (IC) |
Tight spans represents over-management and/or role duplication
Large inconsistencies in SOCs + management burden at layer 6/7
59% of Managers w/ SOCs <5, unnecessary hierarchy
FTEs within same job family report to many different leaders within and outside of job family
Unnecessary layers creates challenges with handoffs & quick decision-making
Roles & Work Building on Spans & Layers Analysis, We Assessed AI Disruption by Job Family.
AI Hotspots When Span and Layer Realities are Applied, Material Value Concentrates in a Small Set of Job Families.
| Shared Service Finance & Accounting | Analytics & Data Engineering | Marketing | Merchandising | Supply Chain |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Shared Service Accounting | Data Analytics | Advertising | Field Merchandising | Planning |
| Shared Service Finance | Data Management | Field Marketing | Sourcing | |
| Data Architecture | Global Marketing | Distribution & Fulfillment | ||
| Data Engineering | Media | Insights |
Value Opportunity Is this Directionally Worth Looking at Further?
Initial Scope
- Subset of U.S. role data (non-store employees)
- Spans & layers redesign
- AI-enabled role & work redesign on five priority job families
Loaded Cost Rate
- Cost per FTE: $80k-$100k
- Corporate / non-store FTEs
Note: This is an order-of-magnitude view intended to guide focus and next steps. Estimated value does not account for required investments.