Manager - International Culinary Innovation

Why Wendy's

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 position leads all International R&D for over 30 countries from ideation to concept development and testing to implementation. Creates on‑trend innovative menu items that support international brand strategy and fuel global objectives for growth of international business. 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 brand ambassador for both internal innovation sessions and external opportunities with media, franchisees, suppliers, and SLT.

Sets standards for 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.

• 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. Leads 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. Ensures 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 that are being commercialized and implemented into international restaurants across 30+ countries.
  • Ensure products meet or exceed consumer insights and product sensory testing benchmark.
  • Benchmark import and U.S. costs provided for theoretical food cost modeling for new products.
• Manage projects, relationships and expectations with cross‑functional and global supplier partners to meet business objectives and timeliness. Is the key point person for all suppliers supporting international innovation. Lead these key supply partners to assist in 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 their country.
  • Collaborate with international third‑party sensory groups on recruit, methodology and ballot to…