Role: Head of Innovation & Commercialisation – Europe
Responsibilities
* Sitting on the regional leadership team and reporting directly to the General Manager, leading the Europe food innovation strategy and setting a clear vision for the next 3–5 years.
* Coach and develop a world-class food innovation and safety regional team.
* Build and manage a robust multi-year innovation pipeline, including breakthrough innovation, sustaining platforms, value propositions, and market-specific solutions informed by insights, global consumer trends, culinary inspiration, and brand storytelling.
* Accountable for upholding Taco Bell’s brand food standards, ensuring all core ingredients and menu builds consistently meet the highest quality, safety, and established brand expectations.
* Oversee the regional commercialisation process: supplier engagement, costing, operational validation, complexity evaluation, and launch readiness.
* Partner at a senior level with Marketing to bring innovation narratives to life and ensure brand-right menu strategy across markets.
* Engage and influence franchise partners, building capability and alignment around food strategy, operational execution, and innovation adoption.
* Collaborate with Operations to ensure products meet global safety and quality standards and land consistently across restaurants.
* Represent Europe within Global FIT, providing regional perspectives and influencing global pipelines, frameworks, and capability initiatives.
Qualifications
* 10+ years of experience in food innovation, product development, culinary strategy, menu innovation or similar roles within QSR, CPG, FMCG, or food-centric consumer brands.
* Proven track record in creating and scaling breakthrough innovation and delivering commercially successful launches across markets.
* Strong strategic thinking with the ability to connect consumer insights, culinary trends, and operational realities into distinctive menu propositions.
* Demonstrated experience influencing senior stakeholders and franchise networks, with strong storytelling and communication skills.
* Experience leading and developing high-performing teams; able to inspire creativity, challenge norms, and cultivate an innovation culture.
* Comfortable working in fast-paced, ambiguous environments with shifting priorities and competing demands.
Preferred
* Some understanding of restaurant food safety and supplier QA systems and processes.
* Culinary innovation background, global brand exposure, or experience in multi-country QSR and/or franchised environments.
Work Arrangement
* Hybrid working – 2 days required in our office at Woking.
Benefits
* Company and performance-related bonus.
* Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution.
* Private healthcare with the option to increase to include family cover.
* Annual holiday allowance starts at 25 days with the option to buy or sell up to 5 extra days per year. After 5 years’ service, annual holiday allowance increases to 30 days.
* Competitive parental leave and flexible return-to-work options.
* Wellbeing Reimbursement – a fund to claim back costs throughout the year that support wellbeing (e.g., vitamins subscriptions, language lessons, gym membership).
* Flexible and voluntary benefits including dental insurance, health screening, and gym discounts.
We’re looking for someone who lives for culture, craves growth, and wants to build a brand that refuses to blend in. If this sounds like you, we encourage you to apply.
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