The Brand Manager, Individual Meals owns KFC''s single-serve business - sandwiches, boxes, combos, tenders, and snack-plus-meal occasions that win the one-person, on-the-go customer. The role owns this Consumer Understanding Opportunity (CUO) from validated concept to market, taking the concepts CI & Menu validate and turning them into transactions.
This role is critical to the Bird Comeback Plan because it owns concept-to-market for the individual-meal growth platform that enables KFC to become more Relevant, Visible, and Consistent with customers. It anchors Modern Menu and Modern Value - giving solo and lunch customers a craveable, affordable reason to choose KFC over a crowded QSR field.
Reporting to the Sr Director, Retail Marketing, this leader develops and owns the annual individual-meals plan - strategy, commercialization pipeline, promotional calendar, financial targets, and metrics - pricing within the guardrails Value & eComm sets, and leads cross-functional teams, agencies, and franchisees to bring it to life across the system.
Education / Certifications
Undergraduate degree required (Marketing or Business preferred); MBA a plus.
Experience
- 6-9 years of progressive experience in brand, category, or product marketing.
- Proven record owning a category, business, or platform with demonstrated commercial results.
- Experience leading commercialization from validated concept through national launch.
- Experience presenting business recommendations to senior leadership and franchise governance groups.
- QSR, restaurant, beverage, or CPG experience preferred.
Functional Capabilities
- Strong commercial acumen and financial literacy - P&L, pricing within guardrails, and category economics.
- Skilled at business case development, forecasting, and turning insight into growth.
- Excellent project management across multiple complex initiatives at speed.
Leadership Capabilities
- Leads through influence across cross-functional teams, agencies, and franchisees.
- Presents and defends recommendations to senior leaders and franchise governance.
Mindset
- Thinks and acts like an owner; balances creativity with commercial discipline.
- Consumer-first, data-informed, accountable, and thrives in ambiguity and speed.
Salary Range: $132,480 to $139,840 annually + bonus eligibility. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we''ll consider the successful candidate's location, experience, and other job-related factors.
CUO Ownership (Concept-to-Market) & Growth Strategy 20%
Owns the Individual Meals CUO concept-to-market; Recommends the annual plan to Retail Marketing
- Take validated individual-meal concepts from CI & Menu and own them concept-to-market across sandwiches, boxes, combos, and tenders.
- Develop and own the annual plan - strategy, commercialization pipeline, promo calendar, targets, and metrics.
- Feed the calendar Sr Director sequences with franchisee-ready, ops-ready individual-meal news.
Business Performance & Commercial Impact - 20%
Owns platform P&L and performance; Prices within Value & eComm guardrails
- Drive individual-meals sales, transactions, and check against clear targets.
- Optimize assortment and promotion, pricing within the guardrails Value & eComm sets.
- Read window results fast and reallocate to what drives traffic.
Innovation & Commercialization (Concept to Market) - 20%
Owns commercialization; Partners with FIT and Culinary
- Own individual-meal commercialization from validated concept through national launch.
- Contribute individual-meal tests into the single test-and-learn agenda owned by CI & Menu.
- Deliver clean concept-to-brief-to-retail-to-commercials execution.
Brand, Customer & Cultural Relevance - 15%
Recommends creative direction; Partners with IMC
- Keep individual meals culturally relevant, especially with younger, solo customers.
- Brief IMC and agencies for breakthrough, on-strategy storytelling.
- Protect KFC''s distinctive equities while modernizing the offer.
Cross-Functional & Franchisee Partnership - 15%
Partners with Ops, Supply Chain, Finance; feeds one franchisee voice
- Feed the single franchisee voice per topic - calendar via Sr Director, value via Value & eComm, menu via CI & Menu - rather than running a separate NCAC track.
- Align Ops, Supply Chain, Finance, and Value & eComm around shared priorities.
- Build franchisee trust by balancing ambition with operational excellence.
Data, AI & Modern Ways of Working - 10%
Owns adoption of AI and analytics tools for the platform
- Use AI and analytics for forecasting, planning, and portfolio decisions.
- Automate reporting to create capacity for innovation and strategy.
CUO Ownership (Concept-to-Market) & Growth Strategy 20%
Owns the Individual Meals CUO concept-to-market; Recommends the annual plan to Retail Marketing
- Take validated individual-meal concepts from CI & Menu and own them concept-to-market across sandwiches, boxes, combos, and tenders.
- Develop and own the annual plan - strategy, commercialization pipeline, promo calendar, targets, and metrics.
- Feed the calendar Sr Director sequences with franchisee-ready, ops-ready individual-meal news.
Business Performance & Commercial Impact - 20%
Owns platform P&L and performance; Prices within Value & eComm guardrails
- Drive individual-meals sales, transactions, and check against clear targets.
- Optimize assortment and promotion, pricing within the guardrails Value & eComm sets.
- Read window results fast and reallocate to what drives traffic.
Innovation & Commercialization (Concept to Market) - 20%
Owns commercialization; Partners with FIT and Culinary
- Own individual-meal commercialization from validated concept through national launch.
- Contribute individual-meal tests into the single test-and-learn agenda owned by CI & Menu.
- Deliver clean concept-to-brief-to-retail-to-commercials execution.
Brand, Customer & Cultural Relevance - 15%
Recommends creative direction; Partners with IMC
- Keep individual meals culturally relevant, especially with younger, solo customers.
- Brief IMC and agencies for breakthrough, on-strategy storytelling.
- Protect KFC''s distinctive equities while modernizing the offer.
Cross-Functional & Franchisee Partnership - 15%
Partners with Ops, Supply Chain, Finance; feeds one franchisee voice
- Feed the single franchisee voice per topic - calendar via Sr Director, value via Value & eComm, menu via CI & Menu - rather than running a separate NCAC track.
- Align Ops, Supply Chain, Finance, and Value & eComm around shared priorities.
- Build franchisee trust by balancing ambition with operational excellence.
Data, AI & Modern Ways of Working - 10%
Owns adoption of AI and analytics tools for the platform
- Use AI and analytics for forecasting, planning, and portfolio decisions.
- Automate reporting to create capacity for innovation and strategy.