Director, Customer Insights & Growth Innovation

McDonald's; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 178,000 - 223,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health and welfare benefits

Long term Incentive

Bonus eligible

Stock/ Equity grants

Job summary

McDonald’s in Chicago seeks a Director of Innovation Insights & Strategy to lead consumer insights and strategic thinking that shapes the future of the U.S. business.

The role embeds the voice of the customer across up-stream work and partners with marketing, operations, and cross-functional leaders to ensure growth grounded in consumer needs. The candidate will define where McDonald’s should innovate, identify important consumer problems, and connect near-term priorities with long-term growth.

Qualifications

• 10+ years in consumer insights or related fields.
• Experience shaping innovation from opportunity identification through concept/proposition development and commercialization.
• Strong command of qualitative and quantitative consumer research approaches.
• Ability to synthesize consumer, cultural, marketplace, and business information into actionable strategies.
• Exceptional storytelling and executive communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and cross-functional teams.
• Experience leading complex, highly visible initiatives involving multiple stakeholders.
• Must live in Chicago area.

Responsibilities

• Bring the Voice of the Customer to Enterprise Strategy by identifying key customer jobs and conducting foundational research.
• Shape the Innovation Strategy with a consumer-led perspective and identify priority opportunity spaces.
• Ensure Innovation connects with customers through concept testing and product tests to validate ideas.
• Build Strategic Acumen by identifying themes and gaps across the pipeline and aligning with brand and menu strategy.
• Lead and develop a high-performing insights team of 4, fostering curiosity and impact.
• Advance tools and capabilities to meet future business and customer needs.

Skills

Consumer insights

Innovation strategy

Qualitative research

Executive communication

Stakeholder influence

Team leadership

Strategic judgment

Job description

McDonald’s in Chicago seeks a Director of Innovation Insights & Strategy to lead consumer insights and strategic thinking that shapes the future of the U.S. business.

The role embeds the voice of the customer across up-stream work and partners with marketing, operations, and cross-functional leaders to ensure growth grounded in consumer needs. The candidate will define where McDonald’s should innovate, identify important consumer problems, and connect near-term priorities with long-term growth.