Manager, Kitchen Innovation

Yum!•Irvine, CA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Kitchen Innovation Manager owns the business and operational definition of next-generation kitchen solutions for Taco Bell. This role partners closely with Architecture & Design, Engineering, Food Product Development, and Yum! Red Labs to design, test, and scale kitchen systems that reduce team member workload, expand capacity, improve throughput, protect margins, and work in our restaurants. The role reports to the Director of Drive-Thru and Kitchen Innovation and plays a critical part in delivering the Kitchen 2030 vision.

Requirements

Minimum of 8 years of experience in QSR, multi-unit restaurant operations, restaurant innovation, or adjacent foodservice environments, with direct exposure to kitchen operations at scale
Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred or equivalent practical experience
Demonstrated ability to develop and communicate compelling business cases that connect operational solutions to P&L impact, including labor, throughput, capex, margin, and scalability considerations
Exercise strong judgment operating in tradeoff‑heavy environments, balancing speed, quality, consistency, complexity, and cost to deliver solutions that work in restaurants
Proven track record of leading pilots and tests in real restaurant environments, with a clear understanding of the gap between lab concepts and field‑ready, operationally viable solutions
Practical, operator‑minded approach to innovation, with an ability to identify when ideas that look strong on paper do not scale operationally or economically and adjust course accordingly
Excellent communication, organizational, and influence skills, including translating complex ideas into clear, executive‑ready narratives and driving alignment across cross‑functional leaders and franchisee stakeholders without direct authority in a fast-paced, matrixed organization
Strong project and program management capability, partnering effectively with Engineering, Product Development, and Operations with clarity on shared ownership, handoffs, decision rights, prioritization, and risk management.

Responsibilities

Own the business, operational, and economic case for next-generation kitchen solutions, partnering with cross-functional teams (A&D, Engineering, FIT, Food Ops, Red Labs, Field Leaders & Finance) to bring concepts from pilot to scale.
Translate Kitchen 2030 strategy into clear problem statements, success metrics, and test plans, protecting accuracy, speed, quality, and consistency.
Lead real-world testing and validation of kitchen equipment, technologies, layouts, and processes.
Prioritize initiatives based on quantified impact to labor, throughput, order accuracy, and unit economics, ensuring scalability across 7,500+ restaurants.
Own pilot-to-scale execution by translating test results into deployment decisions, defining rollout criteria, and building clear business cases and roadmaps for leaders and franchisees.

Benefits

Hybrid work schedule (onsite expectation Tues, Wed, Thurs) and year-round flex day Friday
Onsite childcare through Bright Horizons
Onsite dining center and game room (yes, there is a Taco Bell inside the building)
Onsite dry cleaning, laundry services, and carwash
Onsite gym with fitness classes and personal trainer sessions
Up to 4 weeks of vacation per year plus holidays and time off for volunteering
Generous parental leave for all new parents and adoption assistance program
401(k) with a 6% matching contribution from Yum! Brands with immediate vesting
Comprehensive medical & dental including prescription drug benefits and 100% preventive care
Discounts, free food, swag and… honestly, too many good benefits to name