Associate Manager, Restaurant Operations Technology (3742)

YUM; Plano (TX); On-site; USD 75,000 - 115,000; Full time

Job summary

An established industry player is seeking a Global Associate Manager of Restaurant Operations Technology to lead innovative technology initiatives. This role focuses on enhancing operational efficiencies and driving the Connected Restaurant/BYTE initiative as part of a digital transformation strategy. You will collaborate with various stakeholders, manage vendor relationships, and ensure the successful implementation of cutting-edge technologies across global restaurants. This position offers a unique opportunity to make a significant impact within a renowned global brand, fostering a culture of innovation and professional growth in a dynamic work environment.

Benefits

Competitive Salary

Benefits Package

Professional Growth Opportunities

Collaborative Work Environment

Qualifications

• 5+ years in QSR, Operations, Engineering, or Technology.
• Exceptional coaching and consultation skills required.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Connected Restaurant/BYTE initiative for KFC Global.
• Collaborate with cross-functional groups for technology adoption.

Skills

Project Management

Conflict Management

Communication Skills

Analytical Skills

Attention to Detail

Education

Bachelor’s Degree

MBA

Related Business Management Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

What You’ll Be Serving Up:

The KFC Global Associate Manager of Restaurant Operations Technology is responsible for identifying, validating, and implementing innovative technology platforms and tools in our global restaurants to drive operational ease and efficiencies. The primary focus will be to lead the Connected Restaurant/BYTE initiative as part of the 100% Digital ambition for KFC Global.

Here’s How You’ll Spice Things Up:

50% - Own the governance structure and resourcing for the outstanding Connected Restaurant/BYTE workstreams – Restaurant technology/Yum! BYTE product suite.

• Organize a tracking system for technology adoption to enable visibility into all business units.
• Lead the building and/or sharing of required documentation to key stakeholders to drive adoption in business units.
• Vendor manager for existing and future technology providers to ensure accurate alignment and adoption in the global system.
• Continuously communicate and collaborate with internal managers or senior leaders at business units on Connected Restaurant initiatives and discoveries.

25% - Lead the effort in organizing and synchronizing global innovation endeavors from within our business units to drive efficiencies.

• Evaluate local technology platforms and tools to determine opportunities for global scalability.
• Bring organizations together to build synergies on global innovation endeavors.
• Communicate findings to global leaders responsible for restaurant innovation to build capabilities in the business units.

20% - Collaborate with Yum! Innovation and Yum! Digital & Technology product owners to substantiate the future innovation roadmap for our global restaurant business.

• Meet with Yum! product owners to verify and elevate platform/tool scoping for our global restaurants – BYTE.
• Partner with Yum! Automation on innovation ideation to bring concepts to life in the test kitchen before interrupting our employees in the field – Robotics, Camera Vision, etc.

5% - Partner with Yum! Automation and KFC Engineering on Innovation field testing to roll out new technologies.

COMMUNICATION REQUIRED:

• Partner with cross-functional groups: Supply Chain, Legal, Engineering, FIT.
• Negotiate with vendors and business units.
• Support business units & FZs.

PROBLEM SOLVING AND ANALYSIS:

• Step change the current global operations into a more connected and technology-forward kitchen through ongoing problem solving and analysis.

JUDGMENT AND DECISION MAKING:

• Make sound decisions for all restaurants globally considering the complexity of each market.
• Solicit bids from vendors and make final decisions on technology to recommend to Franchisees.
• Key decision-making will have major implications on the overall strategy and commercial growth for our business.

INNOVATION:

• Review current processes and develop improvements to the status quo.
• Develop and prepare innovative technologies for adoption in restaurants.

What You Bring to the Table:

Education/Certifications

• Required: Bachelor’s degree.
• Preferred:
  • Related business management degree.
  • MBA.

Experience:

• 5+ years’ experience in QSR, Operations, Engineering, or Technology field.
• Exceptional coaching and consultation skills, including conflict management capability to effectively navigate through productive conflict.
• Project management experience, including ability to manage budgets and timelines.
• Superior written and verbal communication skills, including ability to manage multiple stakeholders at varying levels of seniority.
• Ability to work under ambiguous scenarios, hypothesis-driven approach.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to contribute to, interpret, and implement strategic vision.
• Strong understanding of decision-making complexities in a multi-level organization like KFC.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office suite of products.

What’s In It for You:

• Competitive salary and benefits package.
• Opportunity to innovate within a global brand and make a significant impact.
• Collaborative, fast-paced work environment with a focus on professional growth and development.

Who is KFC?

KFC, a subsidiary of Yum! Brands, Inc. (NYSE: YUM.), is a global chicken restaurant brand with a rich, decades-long history of success and innovation. It all started with one cook, Colonel Harland Sanders, who believed in doing things “the hard way,” because nothing ever got done right by cutting corners. Hard work, hospitality, and integrity are still core to our brand today.

While we’re grounded in our heritage, we’re always looking forward to the future and evolving to make it easier for our customers to enjoy our chicken. Through digital innovation, our goal is to make KFC available everywhere, implementing a frictionless & friendly experience leveraging scalable technology stack and standards and accelerating rollouts via multiple channels. And we’re growing… a new KFC restaurant opens somewhere in the world every six hours.

As we grow, KFC is committed to doing so responsibly through commitments like our 2025 global plastic packaging goal and the KFC Harvest program, which to date has donated over 82 million pounds of food to our local communities around the world. Our purpose is feeding people’s potential, whether that means helping team members get through school, turn their passion for fried chicken into a career, or being a positive force in our communities. We fight inequality and believe in all people. Everyone has a seat at our table: from millionaires to truck drivers, to our more than 800,000 Team Members, to our customers around the world, KFC treats everyone like family.

Our people are what make us distinctively KFC, and we value every opportunity to celebrate the unique perspectives and backgrounds they bring to our company. To learn more about KFC Global, check out our company page here.