Global Beverages & Desserts Innovation Director

McDonald's; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 168,000 - 219,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k) plan

Adoption assistance

Educational assistance

Flexible working

Time off policies

Job summary

McDonald’s is seeking a Director of Innovation, Beverages & Desserts to shape the global beverage and dessert portfolio. You will lead category strategy, guide product concepts, and collaborate with suppliers, culinary and operations teams to deliver fast, high-impact innovations.

The ideal candidate has 8–10 years in beverage or liquid product development, a degree in Food Science or Culinary, and a track record of turning insights into market-ready products across multiple markets.

Qualifications

• Experience in food product innovation, menu development, or category management.
• Fluent in both strategic and technical aspects of menu innovation.
• Deep beverage expertise with understanding of product forms and consumer preferences.
• Extensive supplier and culinary community relationships.
• Proven track record leading innovation pipelines from concept to commercialization.
• Collaborative and influential in a global matrixed environment.
• Strong analytical abilities with portfolio strategy and testing data.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and translating consumer needs into strategy.
• 8–10 years in beverage and/or liquid product development.
• Degree in Food Science, Culinary, or equivalent with commercialization experience.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic menu guidance to the VP and lead global initiatives.
• Lead innovation and category management, including portfolio optimization.
• Ensure a robust pipeline of commercially viable concepts.
• Own product and ingredient specification development with cross-functional teams.
• Lead concept development and testing with supplier briefs and alignment.
• Synthesize testing findings and prioritize based on consumer, operational, and business impact.
• Provide ongoing market support, ensuring relevance to in-market needs.

Skills

Food product innovation

Menu development

Category management

Beverage expertise

Global/multi-market experience

Supplier relationships

Cross-functional collaboration

Data analysis

Communication skills

Commercialization experience

Education

Degree in Food Science or Culinary

Job description

McDonald’s is seeking a Director of Innovation, Beverages & Desserts to shape the global beverage and dessert portfolio. You will lead category strategy, guide product concepts, and collaborate with suppliers, culinary and operations teams to deliver fast, high-impact innovations.

The ideal candidate has 8–10 years in beverage or liquid product development, a degree in Food Science or Culinary, and a track record of turning insights into market-ready products across multiple markets.