Welcome to KFC.
Take
one man with a big idea, add 11 herbs and spices, grit, ambition, and buckets
of heart – you’ve got KFC.
Since
1939, we’ve been bringing finger lickin’ good chicken to the world, and today
we’re proud to be in over 1000 communities across the UK & Ireland. But
without our people, none of it would be possible. Just like our recipe, they’re
all original.
Join
us. Bring it. And together, we can be part of something truly extraordinary.
Bringing it to the role.
The
Food & Quality Team at KFC UKI are looking for 12 month maternity cover for a Senior
Product Development Manager to lead a Product Developer and Implementation
& Validation Technologist in both EPD and NPD for the KFC UKI Menu.
There are two roles available – One in our Core Development Team and one in our
New Product Development Team.
The
Food & Quality Team at KFC are a fun, entrepreneurial team who have a
critical role in making the KFC Brand modern and distinctive through our menu.
Some highlights for the team over the last few years have been launching the
first Vegan Burger into QSR (it sold out in days…) having our (KFC global award
winning) Gravy Burger featured on a Channel 4 documentary, launching a
Watermelon & Lime Southern Refresher beverage to allow us to remove full
sugar Pepsi and wipe millions of calories from our menu and most recently
developing a Buffalo Twister that sold double it’s predicted forecast. It’s an
ideal time to now join the team and help craft our position on food for the
future….
The
role of Senior Product Development Manager sits in the Food and Quality team
which forms part of the wider Innovation & Strategy team within the
Marketing function. This role is responsible for leading key EPD and NPD
projects that both grow and protect our business. The role will report to the
Head of Food & Quality and have two direct reports.
What
you’ll do
* You’ll
bring new product concepts to life, ready to launch across our 1000+
restaurants, and lead complex projects to drive brand growth and encourage
customer loyalty.
* You’ll
ensure our products are market-leading by identifying opportunities for optimisation,
overseeing quality and taste, and implementing restaurant tests to track and
enhance performance.
* You are a cultural role model, who makes the Food & Quality Team a positive, collaborative and action driving team. You’ll harness to power of recognition to make big things happen by developing, challenging, supporting and caring for your team.
* You are an established leader and coach, you will inspire and motivate your team to make KFC the Undisputed
Chicken Champions in the UK & Ireland.
* You’ll
also manage critical project paths from ideation to launch, partnering with
suppliers, agencies, and cross-functional teams to maximize success.
* Championing
KFC’s food culture, you’ll share food insights and trends, driving a
collaborative, positive environment within the Food & Quality Team.
* Your
hands-on approach will help bring innovative ideas to life in our RSC kitchen,
from ideation workshops to testing and evaluation.
* With
a deep understanding of our menu and expertise in the poultry category, you’ll
influence franchisees, leadership, and global food communities, making a
lasting impact on KFC’s core menu.
* Troubleshoot
and diagnose against product or packaging opportunities, building a plan with
clear project aims and objectives to align with senior stakeholders
* Guardian
of the taste and quality of our finished products
* Project
management from brief to restaurant launch, collaborating with a full cross
functional team in the process with opportunities to present your projects to
our leadership team and franchisees
* Design
and implement restaurant tests ahead of launch, monitoring success and
optimising where necessary
* Evaluation
of your new products post launch to track performance and ensure that they are
loved by our customers
* Partner
with suppliers and agency partners to maximise success of projects
* Champion
the food culture across the business always inspiring with food news and
trends
* Be
the guardian of taste and quality, and share your expertise across the
business
* Where
relevant, ensure that our menu items are market leading through consumer
research and benchmarking
* Share
learnings and ideas with the KFC global food community
* Be a
curious food expert, always keeping your knowledge fresh of the industry,
trends and competitor ranges.
What we’d love from you
About You
* Someone
who lives, breathes, dreams (and ideally eats!) food
* You
thrive from working as a team and influencing stakeholders of all levels. You
are a natural leader and able to take teams of all levels on a journey.
* You
are a motivated self- starter with a flexible working attitude and excellent
time management. You thrive with ambiguous projects, seeking to discover
clarity and bringing that clarity to stakeholders
* Able
to demonstrate commercial awareness as well as food/technical knowledge and
skill
* You’re
ambitious and want to grow your career in product development. You don’t want
it to stop just there though - we’ve got a culture of building great
international leaders.
* A
huge part of Yum! is our internal culture and it’s something that we genuinely
pride ourselves on. Key to this is being able to recognise and celebrate the
successes of the company and our peers, as well as constantly striving to work
together for better results.
* We’re
looking for someone solution driven, meaning you’ll be inquisitive, tenacious
and determined
Experience
o A minimum of 6 years’ experience in a relevant product development role in food service,
retail or manufacturing
* Degree
in Food Science/ Technology/ related subject
* Exceptionally
strong influencing skills to motivate cross functional stakeholders and
franchisees alike, and confident communicator at all levels of the
organisation
* Experience
in Microsoft programmes such as PowerPoint & Excel and using specification
and nutrition systems.
* Proven
project management including product optimisation, research and product
launch
* Experience
leading different types of projects and working to changing priorities and
tight timelines.
Education:
* A
degree in Food Science or Food Technology is beneficial.
Be Original.
At
KFC, everyone gets a seat at our table. Since we landed in the UK in 1965,
we’ve fed our people’s potential – to be their best selves, make a difference
and have fun.
Because
it’s not just what you do at KFC. It’s the way you do it. Unapologetically you,
undeniably original.
You’ll
work with colleagues who all bring their originality to the table: their
energy, spirit and sizzle and make every day high flyin’ and high fryin’.
As
a multi-billion-pound business with over 1000 restaurants, we take ambition
seriously. You’ll be treated with respect and supported in everything you do as
you roll up your sleeves and play your part in bringing finger lickin’ good
chicken to our customers. And whatever your journey looks like, we’ll help you
get there. From flexible working to the chance to earn qualifications, we got
you. There are all kinds of opportunities at KFC.
Buckets of Benefits
A career with KFC offers much more than
just fantastic earning potential. We reward achievement with amazing incentives
and benefits, including:
* Flexible, hybrid working with our Restaurant Support Centre
located in Woking, Surrey – a 24-minute train ride from London Waterloo.
Depending on job requirement, travel across the UK & Ireland may be
required.
* Generous
pension with up to 11% company contribution.
* ‘Fri-Yay’
time – finish up at 1pm every Friday, all
year round.
* Live
Well Days - 5 days per year to disconnect from our
day-to-day (in addition to 25 days annual leave and bank holidays).
o
You can buy or sell up to 5 extra days of your
core annual leave allowance each year.
o
After 5 years’ service, annual holiday
allowance increases to 30 days.
* Bonus – We
work hard and do our best work to succeed together. When the company and
individual goals are reached, you’ll be rewarded through our bonus scheme.
* Wellness– We
want you to be your best self, so you’ll have access to lots of wellbeing
initiatives and programmes, including Telus Health, and 1:1 Mental Health
coaching sessions with our partner Sanctus.
* Private
healthcare, including access to Digital GP, with
the option to increase to include family cover.
o
Flexible and Voluntary benefits including
Dental Insurance, Health Screening and Gym Discounts.
* Insurances –
All colleagues are covered by our life and income protection insurance which
provides protection and peace of mind.
* Study
Support may be
available for job-related qualifications.
* Parental
Leave – We offer enhanced paid leave and
flexible return to work options for those important times.
* Colleague
Discount – If you love KFC as much as we do,
you’ll received a 25% discount.
Our Commitment to You
Our
customers come from all walks of life and so do our teams. We value,
support, and celebrate the things that make Team KFC authentic and original and
all candidates – regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability,
religion, or sexual orientation.
We
welcome applications from underrepresented groups in our industry such as
women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+
community.
To
make your journey with us accessible and tailored to your needs, we encourage
you to let us know if you'd like any additional support with your application,
have a disability or condition that may affect your performance during your
recruitment process, or any other requirements.
Neurodiverse? Our accessibility toolbar can support you
when you apply.
Ready to apply?
If
you are ready to bring your passion, skills, and dedication to KFC, we
encourage you to apply now. We look forward to welcoming you to our team and
embarking on this extraordinary journey together. Bring it.
Don’t
tick all the boxes? Don’t worry. If you don’t match all the criteria for the
role and still think you’d be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you.