Program Manager Project Lead

KFC•Plano, TX

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Project Lead manages strategy execution and tracking of delivery outcomes, including the overall cadence across the governance structure, to ensure alignment to business value and successful completion of project initiatives. As the Project Lead you will operate as a key advisor to Yum! senior leadership and drive disciplined decision-making across the program. The Project Lead reports directly to the VP of the Major Programs Office. You will be required to attend the Plano, TX office three days per week (Tuesday - Thursday).

Requirements

Strategic and structured thinker who can simplify complexity and connect execution to business outcomes
Strong influencing and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to challenge senior leaders constructively
Advanced analytical and problem-solving capabilities with a focus on actionable insights
Excellent executive communication skills (written and verbal)
High ownership mindset with the ability to drive pace and accountability across teams
10+ years leading large, complex, cross-functional programs with enterprise-level impact
Proven experience managing ambiguity and undefined problems, translating them into structured plans
Strong background in governance, risk management, and dependency orchestration across multiple teams
Experience influencing senior leaders and cross-functional stakeholders in matrixed organizations

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with transformation programs or large-scale operational project management preferred

Responsibilities

Drive end-to-end strategy execution for program initiative development and delivery, ensuring alignment to enterprise priorities and value realization targets
Lead integrated project planning, including complex dependency management, risk mitigation, and scenario planning across multiple workstreams and functions
Establish and run program governance cadence, including preparation for key decision forums, ensuring timely, high-quality decisions
Deliver insight-driven, executive-ready reporting that links progress to financial and operational outcomes
Proactively identify, analyze, and resolve ambiguous, cross-functional challenges with broad business impact
Influence and challenge senior stakeholders (including VP-level and external partners/franchisees) to drive alignment and accountability
Ensure program discipline and execution rigor across functions, elevating standards beyond “business as usual”
Act as a trusted advisor to senior leadership, providing recommendations on risks, trade-offs, and strategic decisions
Maintain the program master plan (e.g., milestones, owners, risks)