program manager, Coffee Initiatives/Excellence - International

Starbucks Coffee Company•Seattle, WA

11d•$134,700 - $219,700•Onsite

About The Position

The Program Manager, Coffee Initiatives/Excellence – International advances Starbucks’ mission to be the premier purveyor of the world’s finest coffee by leading strategy, development, implementation, and continuous improvement of coffee quality and excellence initiatives across international markets. The role establishes scalable systems, processes, tools, and learning solutions that help markets and licensees deliver consistent Starbucks coffee quality and customer experiences. The position leads end-to-end programming, from strategy and cross-functional development through stakeholder engagement, training, implementation, equipment programming, and sustainment. It translates global and enterprise strategies into implementation-ready solutions, aligns global, regional, market, and functional stakeholders, manages interdependencies, risks, decisions, and resources, and measures business and operational impact. The role indirectly leads globally distributed partners and licensee stakeholders. The position leads an internationally applicable Centre of Excellence for coffee brewing, beverage quality, and equipment standards; establishes governance, benchmarks, diagnostic tools, and performance measures; identifies gaps and leads mitigation and sustainment programs; and manages complex, multi-year programs across international teams. It also develops implementation-ready programs, playbooks, tools, and learning resources, validates operational readiness and adoption with regional teams, and continuously improves the coffee excellence portfolio.

Requirements

Experience leading cross-functional programs in an international retail environment, including collaboration with regional teams, market operators, licensees, or franchisees.
Ability to navigate competing market priorities, cultural differences, implementation constraints, and varying capability levels while delivering scalable solutions across multiple countries.
Strong retail and industry coffee knowledge, including coffee quality, brewing, beverage, and equipment standards.
Program-management expertise across portfolio planning, governance, resources, budgets, dependencies, risks, decisions, stakeholders, and multiple workstreams.
Ability to translate complex strategies, technical requirements, and operational needs into clear standards, playbooks, learning solutions, communications, and implementation tools.
Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, analytical judgment, problem solving, and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders, align diverse stakeholders without direct authority, and move teams from consultation to decision and action.
Strong written, verbal, facilitation, and executive-communication skills, including leadership engagement, change, and adoption planning.
Ability to prioritize and adapt across multiple programs while maintaining accountability for outcomes, quality, timelines, and stakeholder visibility.
Proficiency with AI tools, Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and collaborative planning and content-management tools.

Nice To Haves

Q Grader, SCA, AST, or comparable coffee accreditation.
Four-year degree in business, operations, program management, communications, organizational development, coffee, food science, or a related field.
Project or program management certification.
Eight or more years of experience leading cross-functional programs or projects in a large, matrixed organization.
Five or more years of coffee-industry experience.
Recognized coffee, sensory, roasting, brewing, or equipment accreditation.
Experience supporting international retail operations, licensees, franchisees, or geographically distributed market operators.
Experience designing and implementing operational standards, quality systems, learning programs, tools, resources, processes, or launch plans.
Experience mentoring project or program managers and building capability in cross-functional teams.
Knowledge of retail store operations, implementation planning, operational readiness, change management, adoption, and sustainment.
Experience evaluating the financial, operational, customer, partner, or brand value of programs and investments.
Knowledge of sustainability, regulatory, compliance, sourcing, food-safety, or responsible-business considerations affecting coffee and retail operations.

Responsibilities

Lead an internationally applicable Centre of Excellence for coffee brewing, beverage quality, and equipment standards across coffeehouse formats.
Establish governance, benchmarks, diagnostic tools, and performance measures to monitor and improve coffee quality across international markets.
Embed coffee quality requirements into standards, learning, engagement programs, and operating routines.
Identify quality and capability gaps and lead targeted mitigation and sustainment programs.
Lead coffee initiatives from strategy through implementation and sustainment, with accountability for stakeholder engagement, operational readiness, delivery quality, and measurable outcomes.
Define program scope, governance, milestones, resources, dependencies, risks, decision rights, and success measures, and maintain visibility into program health and required actions.
Lead complex, multi-year programs across international teams and resolve tradeoffs among business value, coffee quality, market needs, operational feasibility, timing, and enterprise priorities.
Align senior leaders, international and regional teams, markets, licensees, and cross-functional partners around goals, decision rights, ownership, and handoffs.
Build stakeholder communities and engagement plans that strengthen advocacy, readiness, adoption, and sustained execution.
Model a productive team environment and coach partners to navigate team dynamics and deliver shared outcomes.
Translate coffee strategies and cross-functional input into scalable programs, playbooks, tools, and learning resources for international markets.
Partner with regional teams to validate operational feasibility, readiness, and adoption while maintaining central ownership of program content and quality.
Monitor market needs, program adaptations, risks, and opportunities across the coffee excellence portfolio and continuously improve execution.

Benefits

Medical, dental, and vision insurance.
Basic and supplemental life insurance and other voluntary insurance benefits.
Short-term and long-term disability.
Paid parental leave.
Family expansion reimbursement.
Paid vacation from date of hire.
Sick time accrued at one hour for every 25 hours worked.
Eight paid holidays and two personal days per year.
Eligible participation in a 401(k) retirement plan with employer match.
Discounted company stock program (S.I.P.).
Starbucks equity program (Bean Stock).
Incentivized emergency savings and financial well-being tools.
100% upfront tuition coverage for a first-time bachelor’s degree through Arizona State University’s online program via the Starbucks College Achievement Plan.
Student loan management resources and access to other educational opportunities.
Backup care.
DACA reimbursement.