Director, Core Product/Process Innovation, Innovation

Little Caesars Pizza; Detroit (MI); On-site; USD 120,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

A major fast-food chain is seeking a Bakery Innovation Leader with extensive experience in bakery research and development. The role involves leading innovation initiatives, analyzing operations, and collaborating with multiple departments to drive improvements in product consistency and labor savings. Ideal candidates will have a relevant Bachelor’s degree and 15 to 20 years of experience in the bakery industry. This position is based in the United States with required travel to various locations.

Qualifications

• 15 - 20 years of bakery research and development and/or bakery operations work experience.
• Experience in product/process analysis, design and commercialization is essential.
• Ability to work any position in Little Caesars restaurant.

Responsibilities

• Lead innovation initiatives focusing on product and equipment.
• Analyze data to identify opportunities for improvement.
• Collaborate with several stakeholders to deliver economically viable solutions.
• Manage projects with clear metrics, gates and test plans.
• Support bakery pilot plants and field testing across locations.

Skills

Bakery Science expertise

Data analysis

Product/process analysis

Statistical evaluation

Collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Bakery Science, Food Science or Food Engineering

15-20 years bakery R&D/operations experience

Job description

Build a Bigger, Better, Bolder Future

Imagine working for a company that measures its success based off the growth of its colleagues, a company that invests in its future by investing in you. Little Caesars is a company where our colleagues make an impact.

Your Mission

Leads innovation initiatives specific to product, equipment and processes that simplify operations, create labor savings and/or improve consistency of product and procedure execution at the restaurant level. Analyzes processes and data to identify innovation opportunities. Collaborates with industry leaders to identify, scale and commercialize potential solutions. Leads planning, execution and building of a business case to substantiate the innovation or capture learnings to apply to future projects.

How You’ll Make An Impact

• Subject Matter Expert in the Bakery Industry.
• Subject Matter Expert in restaurant Operations, Little Caesars Operations is a plus.
• Leads analysis of restaurant operations time motion data to identify and solve for simplification, labor savings and improvement to consistency of product and execution processes.
• Initiates projects by developing sell-in model and presentation, presenting to leadership to gain approval and alignment on success metrics.
• Collaborates with Operations, Suppliers, Finance, Franchisees, Equipment, and Development to deliver economically viable solutions that impact the restaurants by reducing labor hours and increasing bottom line operating income.
• Develops and recommends suppliers and manufacturers for new and existing product, ingredients, restaurant equipment, and supplier’s production equipment/lines.
• Leads project management and development of project test plan, scale up and commercialization with clearly identified key metrics and decision gates associated with business case development.
• Proactively engages with the bakery industry through networking, industry conferences, supplier visits, trade shows and trade journals to continually build and evolve knowledge.
• Actively engaged in day to day planning, operations and testing execution in the bakery pilot plant and production plant(s) in support of approved projects.
• Collaborates with Consumer Research to ensure consumer validation of product associated with process, equipment and/or production line changes. Key metrics identified, communicated and aligned upon at the beginning of the project with leadership updates at key decision points throughout the business case development.
• Develops product and process specifications.
• Works in Little Caesar Restaurants to continue to be an expert in the operations side of the business.

Who You Are

• Minimum of Bachelor’s degree in Bakery Science, Food Science or Food Engineering,
• 15 - 20 years of bakery research and development and/or bakery operations work experience. Supplemental experience in restaurant R&D, QSR preferred.
• Extensive experience in product/process analysis, design and commercialization required.
• Bakery pilot and production plant experience specific to design, operations and testing required.
• Proven experience in data analysis and statistical evaluation.
• Knowledge and experience of directing product development processes and consumer testing.
• Ability to formulate bakery products in written form to produce food specifications.
• Ability to work with food and operate food processing equipment in restaurant environment.
• Ability to work any position in Little Caesar restaurant.

Where You’ll Work

• Works in R&D/Innovation office and test kitchen. Field work in manufacturing plants.
• Travel by car or airplane to stores and various locations (domestic and globally) for supplier visits/tours, ideation sessions, field food product testing, competition research and company business conference.

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Little Caesar Enterprises, Inc. is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regards to that individual’s race, color, religion or creed, national origin or ancestry, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, age, physical or mental disability, veteran status, genetic information, ethnicity, citizenship, or any other characteristic protected by law.

The Company will strive to provide reasonable accommodations to permit qualified applicants who have a need for an accommodation to participate in the hiring process (e.g., accommodations for a job interview) if so requested.

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