Research And Development Manager

Job Purpose

The R&D Manager is responsible for leading the end-to-end supplier development of new menu items and existing products. The role ensures that all products align with brand strategy, consumer insights, operational feasibility, food safety standards, and commercial objectives. The position has a direct impact on product quality across all Americana brands and markets, ensuring consistent development, commercialization, cost control, and execution across regions. The role operates in close collaboration with brand leads, Quality Assurance, Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, and franchisors, reporting to the Director of Food Technology & Commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

• Identify, evaluate, and onboard new ingredient and product suppliers to support product development and innovation
• Develop supplier capabilities, including ingredient development, process improvement, and scalability for regional and global rollout
• Build and manage long-term supplier partnerships, including ongoing performance evaluation and continuous improvement
• Define and maintain ingredient specifications, processing methods, and packaging requirements, ensuring alignment across all stakeholders
• Translate product concepts into manufacturable specifications and ensure supplier readiness for pilot, testing, and full-scale production
• Support plant trials, initial production runs, and troubleshoot product or process issues during commercialization
• Coordinate product trials, kitchen tests, sensory evaluations, and consumer testing to ensure product viability and consistency
• Ensure consistent execution of products across restaurant operations
• Build business cases including costings, margins, and pricing recommendations, while driving cost optimization through value engineering and process improvements
• Support innovation planning, including annual calendars and long-term product roadmaps, and contribute to pipeline development using market and consumer insights
• Monitor product performance and recommend improvements using data-driven insights
• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, and regulatory standards, including KFC and Yum! Brands requirements
• Manage product specifications, ingredient approvals, and supplier compliance, ensuring proper documentation and traceability
• Identify and mitigate risks related to supplier capability, product quality, and production timelines
• Manage multiple NPD projects simultaneously, ensuring delivery within timelines and budget constraints
• Balance consumer expectations, brand standards, operational feasibility, and cost requirements
• Prepare presentations and updates for senior stakeholders
• Collaborate cross-functionally with Marketing, Brand, Operations, Quality Assurance, Procurement, Finance, and Supply Chain, and engage with external suppliers, vendors, franchisors, and chefs
• Operate effectively within a fast-paced, high-volume QSR environment with frequent innovation cycles

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Food Engineering, or a related field
• Master's degree in Food Science, Food Technology, or Business/Innovation is an advantage
• 5–8+ years of experience in food product development, supplier development, New Product Development (NPD), and food R&D or food technology environments
• Strong industry experience within Quick Service Restaurants (QSR), food manufacturing, FMCG food production, food technology/food science, or central kitchen/food processing operations
• Proven experience working with cross-functional teams and external suppliers across multiple markets
• Experience working in multi-brand or multi-market environments is an advantage
• Relevant certifications such as HACCP, ISO 22000, Certified Food Scientist (CFS), Certified Food Safety and Quality Auditor (CFSQA), Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP), and sensory evaluation or product testing certifications are preferred

Skills and Competencies

• Product development and commercialization expertise
• Strong project management and ability to manage multiple priorities
• Commercial acumen including cost, pricing, and margin understanding
• Strong understanding of food safety, quality, and regulatory standards
• Analytical thinking and data-driven decision-making
• Problem-solving and risk assessment capability
• Strong communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to work effectively in fast-paced, high-volume environments
• Innovation mindset with focus on continuous improvement