Manager, Consumer Insights & Sensory

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES
Calendar Insights & Product Development Support (45%)

• Drive ongoing innovation process for the KFC brand by developing and independently managing custom quantitative and/or qualitative research to identify new product innovation opportunities and set conceptual priorities for food development team.
• Partner with food innovation team providing consumer guidance for quarterly creative kitchens with food vendors and KFC leadership team.
• Be the subject matter expert on sensory testing. Design new product & core product improvement learning plans comprehensive of consumer preference and difference testing. Partnering with food innovation and calendar teams to ensure testing is executed.

• Execute the consumer research agenda to validate KFC's promotional calendar initiatives with minimal supervision.
• Provide consumer insights leadership in cross functional teams through development and execution of consumer learning plans for calendar initiatives to amplify top-line growth based on in-market risk.
• Independently manage external partners in execution of quantitative research to support the national calendar and promotional testing (Ex: product naming, pricing, positioning, product development, advertising, and in-store testing).
• Deliver databased assessments for promotions which reconcile business results vs. assumptions and provide recommendations to improve the execution of future windows.

• Influence and inform consumer insights for promotion briefs.
• Lead all research for advertising to inform creative and strengthen advertising responsiveness.
• Deliver learnings on the drivers of advertising effectiveness to enable stronger creative, creative briefs, and media planning.

• Collaborate with Marketing cross-functional team to establish clear objectives, goals, and strategies for measuring marketing effectiveness.
• Develop a comprehensive marketing measurement framework that aligns with business objectives and provides a clear understanding of marketing impact across different channels and campaigns.
• Generate regular reports and present findings to marketing teams, marketing leadership & IAT – with ownership of IAT Measurement Meetings.
• Communicate insights, findings, and recommendations in a clear and concise manner to drive data‑driven decision‑making and marketing optimization.
• Monitor marketing spend and ROI across different channels and campaigns, making data‑driven recommendations for resource optimization.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional teams, including marketing, analytics, finance, and operations, to ensure alignment and integration of marketing effectiveness initiatives with overall business goals.

• Responsibilities will include additional research as required including but not limited to Multicultural Research, foundational consumer deep dives or ideation sessions 1-2/yr.

Must be willing and able to travel, approximately 20%

• Core members of the KFC marketing team and Marketing Leadership Team
• Cross‑functional teams & directors (Food Innovation, Finance, Operations, Packaging, etc.)
• National Marketing Subcommittee Franchisees
• Research agencies/vendor partners

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited 4‑year university in Marketing, Marketing Research, or Social Sciences.

• 5+ years of relevant work experience with Bachelor’s, 3+ years with Master’s.
• Experience in a Consumer Insights or Market Intelligence position for a consumer products company ($500M+ in size) preferred.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills to engage and align cross‑functional stakeholders; ability to present effectively to senior leaders.
• Strong analytical skills to interpret data and form action‑able recommendations.
• Exceptional project management capabilities, including driving great outcomes in a fast‑paced environment.
• Steadfast ability to act as the key person‑to‑contact in interactions with downstream stakeholders, including franchisees and customers.

• Relentless in the pursuit of excellence and maintaining high standards.
• Resourceful and adaptive in ambiguous situations with a proven ability to operate “in the grey.”
• Resilient in the face of obstacles and persistent in driving towards results.

Thrive in a collaborative environment.

• Play a pivotal role in driving data‑informed decisions that directly impact marketing campaigns, menu innovation, and customer experience initiatives.
• Collaborate with and influence senior leadership and franchisees, ensuring that the voice of the customer remains central to KFC’s growth and strategic direction.
• Leverage cutting‑edge research and insights tools to uncover opportunities and craft strategies that set industry benchmarks for customer experience.