Company Description

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries and billions of customers served each year. As the global leader in the food service industry, we have a legacy of innovation and hard work that continues to drive us. Today, we are growing with velocity and are focused on modernizing our experiences, not to make a different McDonald’s, but to build a better McDonald’s.

We are moving fast and are adding to our best-in-class team. Joining McDonald's means thinking big every day and preparing for a career that can have impact around the world. We are customer obsessed, committed to being leaders, and believe we are better when we work together. Over the last couple years, we’ve launched home delivery, modernized our restaurant experience through digital enhancements and have so much more to come.

We are dedicated to using our scale for good: good for people, our industry and the planet. From ambitious recycling initiatives and balanced sourcing efforts to our partnership with Ronald McDonald House Charities, we are constantly improving. We see every single day as a chance to have a genuine impact on our customers, our people and our partners.

Our new, state-of-the-art headquarters is located in the booming West Loop area in the heart of downtown Chicago. It's set up to be a global hub that cultivates innovation. Take a class at Hamburger University, sample future menu items in our Test Kitchen, and utilize the latest technology to communicate with your team around the globe! Our office helps us connect with each other like never before. Participate in monthly organized events, enjoy massive outdoor spaces, an 8000 square foot gym, and an onsite McDonald's serving international favorites. Needless to say, you’ll be lovin’ it here!

Job Description

Provide functional leadership that cultivates creativity and innovation to develop new products in accordance with the McDonald’s strategic menu framework under the direction of the Brand & Menu Strategy Team. This person will Influence the food culture at McDonald's and be recognized as a hardworking culinary expert in beef, poultry, pork product development, manufacturing technologies, and culinary trends. In addition to serving as a culinary ambassador and educator to the McDonald's system.

Principal Accountabilities:

• Develop prototypes to validate with consumers and identify target product profiles that fulfill ideas and concepts that fit within the strategic framework
• Scale-up new plant technologies, processing parameters and product formulas to commercialize target products.
• Initiate the use of new ingredients and potential new suppliers that would enable new product development.
• Establishes product specifications to ensure supplier compliance and product quality consistency.
• Demonstrates new industry knowledge in meat science technology and culinary trends/techniques to find opportunities for menu development and enable relevant innovations.
• Collaborates on cross-function teams with marketing, operations, supply chain, consumer insights, nutrition to align with menu strategic initiatives.
• Considers viable alternatives to existing restaurant operational platforms that strategically align with the menu business needs
• Demonstrate passion and track record of creating memorable food that is fresh, real, natural and minimally processed.
• Ability to plan, manage, and execute Ideation Sessions Product Development:
• Responsible for ensuring that target products meet McDonald's key screens, including food cost targets, and safety, operational and nutrition standards.
• Provides direction and mentorship to suppliers in the development and presentation of product prototypes that meet McDonald's strategic goals.
• Provide tastes development council and assistance to the McDonald's system and suppliers.
• Assists suppliers with identifying product trends and developing products to meet McDonald's menu needs.
• Assertively engage with the Owner-Operator Community to gain insight to daily challenges as well as to be able to help influence out Culinary Vision for the future.
• Manages the prioritization of product testing in the Culinary Center, ensuring efficient use of resources.
• Ensures that staff and suppliers understand the culinary development aspects of the business case for new products/concepts.
• Interacts closely with Quality Systems and Sensory team during the development process and orchestrates product knowledge transfer post-national deployment.
• Assists Restaurant Operations in ensuring that all tools are accurate for the launch of new products/concepts, e.g., equipment, manuals, training materials, etc.

Qualifications

People/Self:

• Provides ongoing mentoring, training and development of suppliers, direct reports, and other team members in the culinary and menu team.
• Supports department conformance with McDonald's people's standards and procedures including the People Promise, valuing growth and contributions, and treating employees with respect.
• Helps to create a positive environment that is built on collaboration, mutual respect, and diversity of ideas that supports high-performing teams.
• Proactive leadership of the culinary team and full engagement in product showings, special events and focus groups.
• Accepts ambiguity and efficient in an ever-changing business environment.
• Ambitious, self-starter and enthusiastic
• Strong organizational, communication and multitasking skills
• Ability to balance the need for creatively and the practical needs of our system.
• Ability to challenge conventional thinking and work without constraints.
• Leads with integrity, reserve, and trustworthiness.

Minimum Requirements :

• Must be willing and able to Travel.
• Strong verbal & written communication skills required.
• 5+ Years in beef/poultry manufacturing experience required.
• B.A. or BS in Food Science or Agriculture Animal Science preferred.
• Restaurant/Food Service Experience and/or Associates Degree in the Culinary Arts preferred.
• Proven record of accomplishment for developing wholesome and balanced food.

Additional Information

McDonald’s is committed to providing qualified individuals with disabilities reasonable accommodations to perform the essential functions of their jobs. Additionally, if you (or another applicant of whom you are aware) require assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise seek assistance in the application process, please contact [email protected] 

McDonald’s provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to sex, sex stereotyping, pregnancy (including pregnancy, childbirth, and medical conditions related to pregnancy, childbirth, or breastfeeding), race, color, religion, ancestry or national origin, age, disability status, medical condition, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, gender expression, transgender status, protected military or veteran status, citizenship status, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation and training.

Nothing in this job posting or description should be construed as an offer or guarantee of employment.