Senior Associate Manager, Menu Experience – Merchandising

Jobtailor; Irvine (CA); On-site; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Jobtailor in Irvine, CA seeks a Senior Marketing & Merchandising lead to translate brand strategy into in‑restaurant merchandising plans and cross‑channel campaigns.

You will own end‑to‑end go‑to‑market, collaborate with agencies and franchisees, manage production and budgets, and continually optimize the customer experience based on analytics and field insights. 5+ years in Marketing or Communications is required.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree required.
• 5+ years of Marketing, Advertising or Communications experience.
• Strategically translate brand strategies visually for consumer ease.
• Experience with cross-functional teams and agency partners in omnichannel merchandising.
• Leadership, project management and planning skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Self-motivated with a strong drive for results.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners through integration of the broader menu strategy into in-house merchandising and communication.
• Translate Menu Strategy and team initiatives across all channels into clear, consistent plans that deliver on accuracy and flawless execution.
• Serve as the Menu Subject Matter Expert, driving merchandising strategies that support sales performance and align to the national Brand Plan.
• Own the end-to-end go-to-market in-restaurant print merchandising process – planning to execution, translating national Brand ensuring accuracy, speed, and consistency.
• Partner with agencies, franchisees, and internal cross-functional teams to develop, review, and refine creative to meet Brand and Operational standards.
• Oversee the management of production, fulfillment, and distribution vendors to ensure flawless execution of merchandising materials.
• Continuously optimize the Restaurant Experience by adapting merchandising based on performance, feedback, and business needs.
• Own the in-restaurant customer journey, identifying opportunities to improve the customer experience at every stage.
• Leverage research, analytics, and field insights to inform menu channels and in-restaurant merchandising.
• Develop and test new merchandising approaches and tactics for various channels, measuring effectiveness and scaling successful approaches.
• Own and manage the overall merchandising budget, ensuring accurate execution of menu and merchandising updates across restaurants.
• Collaborate on transition and ongoing management of budget responsibilities as part of the Menu team.
• Partner on menu budget tracking and visibility to align decisions with Brand and operational priorities.
• Manage Local Store Marketing and identify opportunities to enhance, streamline, and automate support for field teams.
• Facilitate field creative reviews in partnership with external agencies and franchisees to ensure quality and alignment.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to support and successfully execute restaurant experience initiatives.
• Align the restaurant experience calendar with both marketing and non-marketing initiatives.
• Collaborate with Digital Menu Board teams to ensure consistency across all menu channels.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Project management

Attention to detail

Self-motivated

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

Responsibilities

• Collaborate with cross-functional partners through integration of the broader menu strategy into in‑restaurant merchandising and communication.
• Translate Menu Strategy and team initiatives across all channels into clear, consistent plans that deliver on accuracy and flawless execution.
• Serve as the Menu Subject Matter Expert, driving merchandising strategies that support sales performance and align to the national Brand Plan.
• Own the end‑to‑end go‑to‑market in‑restaurant print merchandising process – planning to execution, translating national Brand ensuring accuracy, speed, and consistency.
• Partner with agencies, franchisees, and internal cross‑functional teams to develop, review, and refine creative to meet Brand and Operational standards.
• Oversee the management of production, fulfillment, and distribution vendors to ensure flawless execution of merchandising materials.
• Continuously optimize the Restaurant Experience by adapting merchandising based on performance, feedback, and business needs.
• Own the in‑restaurant customer journey, identifying opportunities to improve the customer experience at every stage.
• Leverage research, analytics, and field insights to inform menu channels and in‑restaurant merchandising.
• Develop and test new merchandising approaches and tactics for various channels, measuring effectiveness and scaling successful approaches.
• Own and manage the overall merchandising budget, ensuring accurate execution of menu and merchandising updates across restaurants.
• Collaborate on transition and ongoing management of budget responsibilities as part of the Menu team.
• Partner on menu budget tracking and visibility to align decisions with Brand and operational priorities.
• Manage Local Store Marketing and identify opportunities to enhance, streamline, and automate support for field teams.
• Facilitate field creative reviews in partnership with external agencies and franchisees to ensure quality and alignment.
• Partner with cross‑functional teams to support and successfully execute restaurant experience initiatives.
• Align the restaurant experience calendar with both marketing and non‑marketing initiatives.
• Collaborate with Digital Menu Board teams to ensure consistency across all menu channels.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree required
• Minimum 5+ years of relevant experience in Marketing, Advertising or Communications
• Strong strategic ability to translate overarching brand strategies visually to create ease for the consumer, drive food crave, and elevate the Brand
• Experience working with cross functional teams and agency partners to create omnichannel merchandise within retail industry and / or franchised business a plus
• Demonstrated leadership, project management, and planning skills
• Strong organizational skills, process driver, and high level of attention to detail
• Self‑motivated with a strong drive for results

Certifications & Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree