Associate Manager, Commercialization (Product Development) in Irvine

Who is Taco Bell? Taco Bell was born and raised in California and has been around since 1962. We went from selling everyone’s favourite Crunchy Tacos on the West Coast to a global brand with 8,200+ restaurants, 350 franchise organisations, that serve 42+ million fans each week around the globe. We’re not only the largest Mexican-inspired quick service brand (QSR) in the world, we’re also part of the biggest restaurant group in the world: Yum! Brands. Much of our fan love and authentic connection with our communities are rooted in being rebels with a cause. From ensuring we use high quality, sustainable ingredients to elevating restaurant technology in ways that hasn’t been done before… we will continue to be inclusive, bold, challenge the status quo and push industry boundaries. We’re a company that celebrates and advocates for different, has bold self-expression, strives for a better future, and brings the fun while we’re at it. We fuel our culture with real people who bring unique experiences. We inspire and enable our teams and the world to Live Más. At Taco Bell, we’re Cultural Rebels. Want to join in on the passion-fuelled fun? Learn more about the career below.

About the Job: This position handles the commercialization of new ingredients in support of our new menu Pipeline through effective collaboration, robust specifications, processes, innovation, and consistent, high-quality ingredients. This role is responsible for new ingredient product quality, food safety, and product performance. This candidate would be responsible for identifying and developing improvements for our Core Ingredients as needed, working with outside vendors to discover new production capabilities, collaborate and drive cross-functional teams including but not limited to Product Development, Quality Assurance, Food Safety, Operations, Purchasing Co-op, and Taco Bell Suppliers. The Associate Manager, Commercialization is responsible for commercializing new ingredients in support of our new menu Pipeline and drives impact across the Taco Bell business by ensuring those ingredients are made to the Taco Bell spec and quality standards, collaborating closely with key suppliers, and fine-tuning manufacturing processes to efficiently bring new, fresh, high-quality products to market. With this role, the opportunities are endless: identifying new ingredient processing technology, leading the scale up of some of the most interesting ingredients in QSR!

The Day-to-Day:

• Convert production procedures from the formula/processing guidelines obtained from the Product Development group into robust specifications.
• Coordinate scale-up of new products and report results to help develop the most efficient production/packaging processes and attend production runs, often standing on your feet for extended periods of time.
• Organize and lead pre-production calls, product evaluations, and collaborative work sessions.
• Make detailed reports of assessments obtained through testing, scale-ups and trial productions to determine necessary next steps and for future reference.
• Effectively communicate program status or updates to leadership, prepare cross functional review information, facilitate internal approvals.
• Be “curious” and ask questions that will probe, give learnings, and inform decisions about ingredient processing: proactively identifying potential production and packaging problems and assisting with resolution.
• Lead key cross functional and internal meetings to ensure project timelines and deliverables are being met while owning and using the commercialization tracker to guide discussion.
• Work closely with Product Development team and strategic suppliers to identify and develop new production capabilities to drive new ideas for the innovation pipeline.

Is This You?

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Agriculture, Chemistry, Microbiology or other related fields.
• 7+ years’ food industry with manufacturing experience: grains, proteins, and sauces preferred.
• Strong organizational verbal, and written skills, with the ability to work independently and multi-task in a complex, fast-paced, and deadline-driven environment.
• Strong internal motivation, intellectual curiosity, logical thinking, and desire to have a considerable impact on our organization.
• Ability to proactively develop and/or improve procedures and processes within a function.
• Flexible and willing to travel minimum 25%, sometimes on the weekend.
• Manage timelines to meet the needs of the business while being able to flex with shifting priorities.
• Outstanding interpersonal and communication/presentation skills, with the ability to partner with other team members and interface effectively with all levels of management.
• Strong computer skills, including Excel, PowerPoint, & Word.

Work-Hard, Play-Hard:

• Hybrid work schedule 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, 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 $120,000 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. At Taco Bell, we Live Más and invite you to do the same. Take a seat at our table. Bring your voice. Bring you, just as you are, a Cultural Rebel. We want you to be your best self!

Taco Bell is proud to be an equal opportunity employer and is committed to equity, inclusion, and belonging for all dimensions of diversity. We do not discriminate based on race, colour, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, veteran status, disability status, age, or any other protected characteristic. Taco Bell is committed to working with and providing reasonable accommodation to applicants with disabilities or special needs.