Head of Innovation

Welcome to KFC. Home of the real ones.

We sell the world’s best chicken. Seriously. And we’ve done it since 1939, when the idea of crispy, original recipe chicken took Kentucky by storm. Now, we’re proud to serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that we started with, all those years ago.

Across the Restaurant Support Centre (RSC), we come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We want to see our potential go that little bit further, as part of one of the world’s most iconic brands.

What’s the gig? Well, you support our restaurants — and we’ll support you every step of the way. Simple. Our doors are open — and they can take you anywhere.

All we ask is that you be you. Because that makes us, us. Sound good? Great. Let’s find out about that job.

Our Marketing team is a 50-strong crew of bold thinkers, culture shapers and creative doers - from Brand and Digital to Strategy, Corporate Affairs, Food Quality and Innovation. We’re here to keep KFC at the heart of culture across the UK & Ireland, blending our iconic roots with fresh, fearless ideas that connect with real people. We don’t just make ads - we build love, drive growth, and stay one step ahead of what’s next.

This is a senior growth role at the heart of KFC UK&I’s future menu and customer strategy.

You’ll lead our three-year Menu Vision, shape the occasions and need states we want to win, and own the Innovation portfolio that brings those opportunities to life. From new growth platforms and value innovation to partnerships and future menu ideas, you’ll help decide where we place our bets and what we prioritise.

You’ll connect customer insight, commercial opportunity and restaurant reality, bringing teams across Food, Brand, Commercial, Digital, Operations and Supply Chain together behind a clear growth agenda.

And because UK&I is a lead market for KFC globally, your influence won’t stop here. You’ll also help shape Global thinking, investment and future innovation priorities.

• Own our three-year Menu Vision and define the customer occasions and need states we want to win.
• You’ll turn customer and cultural insight into clear growth priorities, setting the guardrails for Food, Brand, Commercial, Digital and Operations and translating them into AOP commitments and an 18–36 month roadmap.
• You’ll also shape how Innovation contributes to our Value agenda, making sure we’re creating compelling propositions for customers while delivering sustainable commercial growth.

• Own and prioritise the Innovation portfolio across core menu optimisation, value innovation, scalable platforms, calendar innovation, collaborations and longer-term pipeline
• You’ll make clear choices around what we start, stop, accelerate or deprioritise, balancing customer opportunity, commercial return, restaurant complexity and available resource.
• For the biggest opportunities, you’ll build the case and recommend where KFC should place its next major bets.

• Create a clear and effective innovation system that takes ideas from insight through to test, learn and scale.
• You’ll set stage gates, lead decision forums and make go/no-go calls within agreed guardrails.
• Most importantly, you’ll turn strategy into brilliant briefs and clear propositions that give teams the confidence and clarity to deliver.

• Great ideas only matter if they drive growth.
• You’ll partner closely with Commercial and Finance to size opportunities, define success measures and build compelling business cases.
• You’ll use insight…