Senior Innovation Development Manager - KFC Head Office

KFC Adco Limited; Australia; On-site; AUD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

Senior Innovation Development Manager at KFC Adco Limited leads the end-to-end food innovation pipeline, translating trends into scalable menu solutions across 860+ restaurants in Australia. You’ll head a team of Food Innovation Technologists, partner with Marketing, Operations and Supply Chain, and drive bold packaging and product initiatives from concept through restaurant launches.

Based at KFC Australia head office, you’ll shape the future of food, deliver taste, quality and commercial

Qualifications

• Lead complex new product and packaging development projects from brief to national restaurant launch.
• Translate food, consumer and competitor trends into scalable innovation opportunities.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex new product and packaging development projects from brief to national restaurant launch.
• Get hands-on in our Restaurant Support Centre innovation kitchen—experimentation, tasting, refining and showing how ideas work in restaurants.
• Own project plans, critical paths, key milestones and deadlines; navigate ambiguity and maintain momentum.
• Bring cross-functional stakeholders on the development journey across Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and others.

Job description

Senior Innovation Development Manager | KFC# Senior Innovation Development ManagerKFC Head Office## Job Description* Shape the future of food innovation across KFC Australia* Lead high-impact product development from concept to restaurant launch* Inspire a talented team and influence our menu across 860+ restaurantsAt KFC, everyone has a seat at our table. We feed our people’s potential to make a difference—and have fun along the way.As our **Senior Innovation Development Manager**, you’ll report to the FIT Director and lead a talented team of Food Innovation Technologists within our fun, entrepreneurial Food & Innovation Team.Together, you’ll keep KFC modern and distinctive through bold menu innovation building on customer favourites such as the bunless **Double Down**, our brand new 11-drink **KWENCH** range and the buzz-generating **PickleCore** menu.From ideation and hands-on kitchen trials to restaurant launch and evaluation, you’ll turn great food ideas into scalable products that deliver on taste, quality and commercial impact.**HOW YOU’LL MAKE A DIFFERENCE AS OUR SENIOR INNOVATION DEVELOPMENT MANAGER****Lead food innovation*** Lead complex new product and packaging development projects from brief to national restaurant launch.* Create distinctive, market-leading products that support our Menu Vision and business objectives.* Identify opportunities to optimise our existing range and improve the customer experience.* Translate food, consumer and competitor trends into scalable innovation opportunities.**Bring concepts to life*** Get hands-on in our Restaurant Support Centre innovation kitchen—experimenting, tasting, refining and showing how brilliant ideas can work in restaurants.* Design and lead restaurant trials, monitor results and optimise products ahead of launch.* Ensure products meet KFC’s taste, quality, nutrition, operational and commercial guidelines.* Evaluate performance after launch and apply learnings to future innovation.**Drive projects with impact*** Own project plans, critical paths, key milestones and deadlines.* Navigate ambiguity and complexity, creating clarity and maintaining momentum.* Troubleshoot product and packaging challenges and develop clear, practical solutions.* Present recommendations and project updates to senior leaders and Franchisees.**Build powerful partnerships*** Bring cross-functional stakeholders on the development journey, partnering across Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and other teams in a collaborative, energetic environment.* Work closely with suppliers and agency partners to achieve strong project outcomes.* Influence Franchisees and leaders through commercial awareness, food expertise and compelling communication.* Share insights and ideas with KFC’s global food community.