Associate Operations Manager, Kitchen Innovation

• Supports the development of 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.
• Help translate Kitchen 2030 strategy into clear problem statements, success metrics, and test plans, protecting accuracy, speed, quality, and consistency.
• Coordinate real-world testing and validation of kitchen equipment, technologies, layouts, and processes.
• Analyze pilot results and quantify impact across labor, throughput, order accuracy, and unit economics, ensuring scalability across 7,500+ restaurants.
• Partner with leaders to support 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.

Is this you?

• Minimum of 6 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.

• 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

Salary Range: ­­$109,400 to $125,000 annually + bonus eligibility + benefits

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition.

Ultimately, in determining your pay, we'll consider your location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Work Authorization Notice: Please note that we do not provide visa sponsorship or immigration support for this position.

Applicants must already be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time, permanent basis without the need for current or future sponsorship.

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Employment eligibility to work with Taco Bell in the U.S. is required as the company will not pursue visa sponsorship for this position.

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