Head of Innovation

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC); Woking; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Job summary

Kentucky Fried Chicken (KFC) UK&I is seeking a senior growth leader to own the three-year Menu Vision, define occasions and need states, and lead the Innovation portfolio that brings those opportunities to life. You’ll connect customer insight, commercial opportunity and restaurant reality, coordinating teams across Food, Brand, Commercial, Digital, Operations and Supply Chain.

As UK&I is a lead market for KFC globally, you’ll help shape Global thinking, investment and future innovation

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience across innovation, food, menu, brand or customer growth within a fast-moving consumer business.
• Experience in QSR, FMCG, retail, hospitality or another consumer-led brand would be brilliant.

Responsibilities

• Own our three-year Menu Vision and define the customer occasions and need states we want to win.
• Turn customer and cultural insight into clear growth priorities and translate them into an 18–36 month roadmap.
• Shape how Innovation contributes to the Value agenda and develop compelling propositions for customers.
• Create a clear innovation system with stage gates, briefs and go/no-go decisions that drive growth.

Job description

Welcome to KFC. Home of the real ones.

We sell the world’s best chicken. Seriously. And we’ve done it since 1939, when the idea of crispy, original recipe chicken took Kentucky by storm. Now, we’re proud to serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that we started with, all those years ago.

Across the Restaurant Support Centre (RSC), we come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We want to see our potential go that little bit further, as part of one of the world’s most iconic brands.

What’s the gig? Well, you support our restaurants — and we’ll support you every step of the way. Simple. Our doors are open — and they can take you anywhere.

All we ask is that you be you. Because that makes us, us. Sound good? Great. Let’s find out about that job.

THE TEAM

Our Marketing team is a 50-strong crew of bold thinkers, culture shapers and creative doers - from Brand and Digital to Strategy, Corporate Affairs, Food Quality and Innovation. We’re here to keep KFC at the heart of culture across the UK & Ireland, blending our iconic roots with fresh, fearless ideas that connect with real people. We don’t just make ads - we build love, drive growth, and stay one step ahead of what’s next.

ABOUT THE ROLE

This is a senior growth role at the heart of KFC UK&I’s future menu and customer strategy.

You’ll lead our three-year Menu Vision, shape the occasions and need states we want to win, and own the Innovation portfolio that brings those opportunities to life. From new growth platforms and value innovation to partnerships and future menu ideas, you’ll help decide where we place our bets and what we prioritise.

You’ll connect customer insight, commercial opportunity and restaurant reality, bringing teams across Food, Brand, Commercial, Digital, Operations and Supply Chain together behind a clear growth agenda.

And because UK&I is a lead market for KFC globally, your influence won’t stop here. You’ll also help shape Global thinking, investment and future innovation priorities.

WHAT YOU’LL SPEND YOUR TIME DOING

• Menu Vision, CUO & Value Growth Strategy
  • Own our three-year Menu Vision and define the customer occasions and need states we want to win.
  • You’ll turn customer and cultural insight into clear growth priorities, setting the guardrails for Food, Brand, Commercial, Digital and Operations and translating them into AOP commitments and an 18–36 month roadmap.
  • You’ll also shape how Innovation contributes to our Value agenda, making sure we’re creating compelling propositions for customers while delivering sustainable commercial growth.
• Innovation Portfolio & Growth Platform
  • Own and prioritise the Innovation portfolio across core menu optimisation, value innovation, scalable platforms, calendar innovation, collaborations and longer‑term pipeline.
  • You’ll make clear choices around what we start, stop, accelerate or deprioritise, balancing customer opportunity, commercial return, restaurant complexity and available resource.
  • For the biggest opportunities, you’ll build the case and recommend where KFC should place its next major bets.
• Growth System, Briefs & Decision Making
  • Create a clear and effective innovation system that takes ideas from insight through to test, learn and scale.
  • You’ll set stage gates, lead decision forums and make go/no-go calls within agreed guardrails.
  • Most importantly, you’ll turn strategy into brilliant briefs and clear propositions that give teams the confidence and clarity to deliver.
• Commercial Accountability & Enterprise Mobilisation
  • Great ideas only matter if they drive growth.
  • You’ll partner closely with Commercial and Finance to size opportunities, define success measures and build compelling business cases.
  • You’ll use insight and commercial judgement to make clear recommendations, challenge thinking where needed and bring our Leadership Team, franchisees and cross-functional teams behind the strongest opportunities.
• Global Lead Market & Strategic Partnerships
  • UK&I plays an important role in shaping the future of KFC globally.
  • You’ll represent UK&I as a lead market across Menu Vision, Snacking and CUO growth, selected partnerships and future innovation.
  • You’ll build strong relationships with Global teams, influence multi‑market priorities and make sure we’re using the best thinking and investment from across the KFC system.
• People Leadership & Senior Leadership Deputy
  • You’ll lead and coach our Innovation team, creating clarity, accountability and space for people to grow.
  • You’ll also independently lead major Customer Strategy and Menu Growth agendas and deputise for the Strategy & Innovation Director with senior leaders, franchisees and Global teams.
• WHO YOU’LL WORK WITH
  • Pretty much everyone.
  • You’ll work closely with our Strategy & Innovation Director and wider leadership team, as well as teams across Insights & CX, Food, Brand, Commercial, Finance, Digital, Operations and Supply Chain.
  • You’ll also build strong relationships with franchisee, Global Menu and innovation teams, and external partners and collaborators.
  • This role isn’t about owning every piece of delivery yourself. It’s about creating clarity, making strong decisions and bringing brilliant people together behind the right opportunities.

WHAT WE’D LOVE FROM YOU

• You’ll likely bring around 10+ years’ experience across innovation, food, menu, brand or customer growth within a fast-moving consumer business.
• Experience in QSR, FMCG, retail, hospitality or another consumer-led brand would be brilliant.

We’d love to see:

• Experience owning a