Core Menu Strategy Architecture

This role owns the strategic stewardship of KFC's core menu, translating consumer demand, menu performance, competitive dynamics, and operational realities into recommendations that strengthen KFC's most important menu platforms and distinctive equities. Critical to the Bird Comeback Plan, it ensures KFC's core menu remains relevant, differentiated, and commercially strong.

Responsibilities

• Core Menu Strategy & Architecture (35%)
  • Own the strategic review of KFC's core menu portfolio.
  • Identify opportunities to improve, simplify, expand, or reposition key menu platforms.
  • Recommend menu architecture changes based on consumer demand, business performance, profitability, and competitive dynamics.
  • Support development of the 3-year menu roadmap through analysis and recommendation.
  • Protect KFC's distinctive menu equities, especially Chicken on the Bone.
• Menu Performance & Business Stewardship (25%)
  • Monitor performance of core menu platforms across sales, transactions, mix, attachment, and profitability.
  • Identify growth opportunities, risks, gaps, and renovation priorities.
  • Develop fact-based recommendations that improve business performance.
  • Partner with Finance and Analytics to evaluate menu decisions through a commercial lens.
• Consumer, Category & Competitive Intelligence (15%)
  • Monitor consumer trends, category shifts, emerging food behaviors, and competitor activity.
  • Translate learning into actionable menu recommendations.
  • Partner with Consumer Insights to identify future menu opportunities.
  • Maintain a deep understanding of category whitespace and threats.
• Menu Development & Innovation Support (10%)
  • Support development and refinement of innovation concepts (support role, not ownership).
  • Partner with Consumer Insights, FIT, and Culinary to evaluate opportunities.
  • Help prioritize ideas entering the menu pipeline.
  • Contribute recommendations to the broader innovation roadmap.
• Cross-Functional Alignment & Commercial Readiness (10%)
  • Partner with Brand Managers, FIT, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and Value & eComm.
  • Ensure menu recommendations reflect operational realities and commercial priorities.
  • Support successful transition of validated concepts into commercialization teams.
  • Feed menu recommendations through established governance processes.
• Data, AI & Modern Ways of Working (5%)
  • Use AI and analytics to accelerate menu analysis, competitive monitoring, and recommendation development.
  • Create efficient reporting and decision-support tools for the broader menu team.

Requirements

• Undergraduate degree required, preferably in Marketing, Business, Food Science, or related field. MBA preferred but not required.
• 6-9 years of progressive experience in brand, category, product marketing, menu strategy, innovation, or CPG/QSR product development.
• Proven experience turning consumer, category, and business insights into product or portfolio recommendations.
• Experience supporting concept development, product testing, commercialization, or menu/category strategy.
• QSR, restaurant, food, beverage, or CPG experience preferred.

Skills

• Strong commercial acumen, including sales, transactions, mix, margin, pricing guardrails, and category economics.
• Strong understanding of menu architecture, product positioning, concept writing, and innovation stage-gates.
• Ability to translate consumer learning and performance data into clear recommendations.
• Strong project management across multiple menu, innovation, and renovation workstreams.
• Leads through influence across cross-functional teams.
• Builds trust with FIT, Operations, Finance, Supply Chain, Brand Managers, and franchisee-facing partners.
• Communicates clearly, frames trade-offs, and presents decision-ready recommendations.
• Consumer-first, commercially grounded, and highly curious about food.
• Protects KFC's distinctive equities while pushing the menu forward.
• Balances creativity with operational reality.
• Acts like an owner, moves with speed, and keeps the work focused on business impact.

Pay

Salary range: $132,480 to $139,840 annually + bonus eligibility.