Sr Manager Global Food Excellence, Portfolio & Process

Pizza Hut of America•Plano, TX

71d•$142,500 - $167,600

About The Position

Pizza Hut is seeking a Senior Manager – Global Food Excellence, Portfolio and Process to join its team in Plano, Texas. The role provides leadership for complex, cross-functional programs and projects in Innovation, Productivity, and Global Food Excellence. It leads the Food Innovation portfolio and project management function and acts as a strategic thought partner and Chief of Staff to the Head of the Food Innovation Team (FIT), supporting business operations, strategic planning, governance, and leadership team effectiveness.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree.
8–10 years of progressive R&D portfolio, project management, or innovation leadership experience in a global, food-forward, multiunit restaurant or retail brand.
Proven track record implementing and optimizing Stage-Gate or similar project governance processes.
Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to influence stakeholders and leaders at all organizational levels.
Expertise in portfolio and project management, including strategic planning, prioritization, resource allocation, and execution of complex global initiatives.
Strong analytical, problem-solving, negotiation, and decision-making capabilities, with a data-driven and business-impact mindset.
Leadership and stakeholder management skills in cross-functional, matrixed, and multinational environments.
Ability to manage ambiguity, adapt to changing priorities, and thrive in a fast-paced environment with a bias for action.
Ability to build collaborative relationships, align diverse stakeholders, and facilitate progress toward shared outcomes.
Enterprise mindset, end-to-end business understanding, and ability to assess broader organizational impacts of decisions.
Process-oriented approach and ability to establish scalable, sustainable systems and drive continuous improvement.
Technical curiosity and an innovative mindset to explore new approaches, tools, and solutions.
Flexibility to support global teams across time zones and travel as needed.

Nice To Haves

Project Management Certificate (PMP) is strongly desired.
Experience with project management tools and methods, including RACI, Microsoft Project, and Stage Gate.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage the Global Food Innovation and Food Safety & Quality (FSQ) project portfolio, aligning it with global business strategy and organizational priorities.
Drive cross-functional global initiatives from concept through launch, including new product, process, and packaging innovation.
Develop and manage project scope, timelines, budgets, resource plans, risk mitigation strategies, and success metrics for complex programs.
Lead cross-functional teams to support effective execution, stakeholder alignment, and achievement of project objectives.
Establish, implement, and continuously improve global stage-gate and project management processes, including governance, decision-making frameworks, and collaboration models.
Coordinate with Marketing, Supply Chain, Strategic Planning, and franchise markets to support integrated and compliant project execution.
Develop and maintain project tracking systems, dashboards, KPIs, and reporting tools, such as Monday.com, to monitor portfolio performance and project status.
Promote consistent use of project management best practices, tools, and documentation, including risk registers, RACI models, communication plans, and project reporting.
Support global market execution by defining frameworks, guardrails, and compliance processes related to menu, ingredients, and LTO initiatives.
Maintain understanding of food, process, and packaging technologies and their business implications across global markets.
Coach and train colleagues to enhance project and process management capabilities across the organization.
Provide thought partnership to the Head of FIT and Food Leadership Team (FLT).
Lead strategic and business operations across the Global Food Innovation and Food Safety & Quality teams, which comprise more than 60 people.
Build credibility with senior leaders through strong leadership and influence.
Develop executive-ready presentations, briefs, and strategic communications for the Head of FIT and Food Leadership Team.
Coordinate recurring initiatives and communications, including the Annual Operating Plan, budget, quarterly business planning, and strategic presentations.
Monitor consumer, competitive, macroeconomic, and geopolitical trends.
Lead key department meetings, events, and offsites.