Director of Menu Innovation

Position Summary

The Director of Menu Innovation is responsible for creating new product lines and maintaining existing items that are current with food trends and contribute to overall sales and profits. Project management is required from ideation to product roll out which includes research and development, sourcing, costing, documenting, photo shoots, consumer testing, and presenting to the final customer. This position has a key role in maintaining specifications and databases for food cost and formulations. The director communicates with customers to understand their product needs and turn them into products that we can sell to them for a profit.

Job duties and responsibilities

Lead in new product development by researching and keeping abreast of food trends, competitive analysis, and product technological advancements through competitive analysis, marketplace immersions, trend data, ideations sessions, ideation sessions, and laboratory experimentation.

Modify and refresh menu items to stay current with consumer demand. Lead cross functional team to recommend and execute changes to ingredients, menu items, or additions to menu based on consumer demands.

Direct product development process from ideation through bench top development to scale up for systemwide implementation.

Compose and conduct annual concept screen research testing with marketing to identify potential sales events and menu placement.

Leverage Business partner culinary and marketing resources.

Direct consumer product research as necessary – concept screening, sensory evaluations, etc.

Collaborate with Ops for all new product testing.

Collaborate with Purchasing in sourcing, pricing, specifications, minimum volumes, shelf life, lead times for new and alternate sourced ingredients/menu items.

Collaborate with Ops Development and Training for training sessions, operations testing, new product rollouts, and equipment installations.

Lead product presentations for menu to Leadership, DAC, Company Ops, JDPF.

Coordinate food, attend photo shoots, provide direction, and assist food stylist. Make sure final products are representative of brand standards.

Collaborate in the development and maintenance of nutrition information for all menu items.

Develop, modify, and maintain nutritional information for all menu items and ingredients for internal and external communication.

Develop initial food cost summaries for menu items.

Direct Test Kitchen operation to ensure overall operation is effective and efficient.

Lead and communicate Menu Strategy to leadership team and organization.

Assign work and develop team members.

Excellent verbal and written skills.

Offer creative solutions.

Manage multiple priorities and work in fast-paced environment and changing environment to meet target deadlines.

Work Arrangement Options

Donatos has identified this position is eligible for the following work arrangement(s):

Full-Time Onsite: Position requires the physical presence of an Associate due to the nature of the work or the necessity to collaborate with partners to complete their work. Position may also follow strict IRS or Government regulations with heavy amounts of filing, printing, and oversight required.

Hybrid: Position requires the physical presence of an Associate to complete some duties or collaboration, balanced with solo work that does not require on-site resources or relationships. The Associate in this position will work 3 regularly scheduled days onsite, 2 days off-site weekly.

Minimum requirements

Education

BS – Food Science, Food Business, Food Engineering, Nutrition, Food Microbiology, or related field

Physical Requirements

May be required to lift up to 40 lbs occasionally.

Previous Experience

8-10 years in Food Product Research and Development, Food Microbiology, or related fields.