Manager - International Culinary Innovation

Role Overview

When our square shaped burgers made their first sizzle on the scene more than 50 years ago, people knew our approach wasn’t like any other. Same goes for the way we support our employees. Our culture of openness, flexibility, and inclusiveness allows everybody to flourish in their own way. If you’re looking for a career where you can be part of the action as we continue to grow our iconic brand – We got you!

The Manager - International Culinary Innovation position leads all International R&D for over 30 countries from ideation to concept development and testing to implementation. This role creates on-trend innovative menu items that support international brand strategy and fuel global objectives for the growth of international business. The Manager - International Culinary Innovation is the thought-leader driving best-in-class culinary innovation and collaborating with brand marketing, operations, supply chain, QA, engineering, and franchise partners. Serves as a brand ambassador for both internal innovation sessions and external opportunities with media, franchisees, suppliers, and SLT. Sets standards for the International QA team in commercialization from new product development, product optimizations, and new markets. Manages all International sensory testing from study design, sensory objectives, execution, and implications on results.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage multiple category platforms to develop a robust pipeline of compelling, on-trend, and traffic-driving products to be executed and supported by Franchise marketing calendars for international markets.
• Provide culinary vision and direction to guide the overall food culture for International.
• Collaborate with Sr. Director Brand and Advertising and with marketing and franchisee leaders in each of 4 regions.
• Lead the annual food forum to align innovation calendars for the international franchisees.
• Consult with franchisee teams as needed to approve locally developed products, ensuring they meet brand requirements.
• Direct and manage the development of gold standard prototypes, new product ingredients, new menu item builds, and improved core menu products and procedures in collaboration with culinary peers, cross-functional, and supply partners.
• Ensure all products and procedures are acceptable via the following: meet specified success criteria for marketing, financial, and operational execution and procedure design; meet Three Green protocol alignment; regularly review new product development with regional marketing managers and Menu Councils; assess all products and procedures being commercialized and implemented into International restaurants across 30+ countries; ensure products meet or exceed consumer insights and product sensory testing benchmarks; benchmark import and US costs provided for theoretical food cost modeling for new products.
• Utilize sensory results to create, develop, and optimize best-in-class products.
• Manage projects, relationships, and expectations with cross-functional and global supplier partners to meet business objectives and timeliness. This role is the key point person for all suppliers supporting international innovation and leads these key supply partners to assist in the development of pipeline innovation.
• Schedule, plan, and execute creative sessions with cross-functional teams and supplier partners to support strategic innovation.
• Lead implementation of innovation and present recommendations to WCAP and WMAB franchisees.
• Manage Innovation Forum food content, presentation, and follow up with Marketing management.
• Understand business dynamics that impact each region’s menu categories and assigned projects relative to supply, operations, restaurant capability, supplier capability, competitive pressures, financial implications, consumer need states, quality assurance, and global culinary trends.
• Lead International, consumer, and regional Sensory Product Evaluations, supporting logistics for food delivery: develop panel methodology/design, recruit criteria and ballot creation (and programming, when applicable); complete data analysis for internal and consumer panels run by Wendy’s International; develop full sensory training package for franchise partners to execute their own global consumer sensory studies in country; collaborate with International third-party sensory groups on recruit, methodology, and ballot to execute in country consumer sensory studies. Publish and share all sensory results for international leadership.
• Prioritize projects and assist with development plans that support a fun workplace. Identify on-the-job opportunities, outside opportunities, and stretch assignments to create a Global mindset in the Culinary Innovation team.

What We Expect From You

• Education: Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Culinary, or Nutrition (Technical background and expertise necessary).
• 10 years’ combined experience in product development, restaurants, and education.
• Proficient computer skills including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Strong organizational, communication, delegation, and presentation skills.
• Creative thinker with ability to achieve results in a dynamic environment.
• Passion for food.

About The Wendy's Company

Wendy’s was built on the premise, "Quality is our Recipe®," which remains the guidepost of the Wendy's system. Today, Wendy's and its franchisees employ hundreds of thousands of people across more than 7,000 restaurants worldwide with a vision of becoming the world's most thriving and beloved restaurant brand.

Compensation & Benefits

The base pay range for this position is $99,000.00 - $173,000.00 Annually. The base pay actually offered will take into account internal equity and budget for the open position and also may vary depending on the candidate’s job-related knowledge, skills, and experience, among other relevant factors. This range does not include an estimated value for any benefits, bonus, or other incentives that may be applicable based on position. The target annual bonus for this role is 20% of annualized base salary, based on actual company and personal performance.

Travel: 30%

Key skills/competency

• Culinary Innovation
• Product Development
• International Markets
• R&D Management
• Sensory Testing
• Franchise Collaboration
• Supply Chain Optimization
• Brand Strategy
• Menu Development
• Project Management