Director, Food Service Innovation Job Listing at Rocket in Long Beach, CA (Job ID 25-665)

Description

The Director of Food Service Innovation will lead the development and implementation of innovative food and beverage offerings, introducing new products to our customers and advancing our organization's growth goals. This role involves enhancing and optimizing current menu offerings to capitalize on different dayparts and market needs. The Director will collaborate with current and prospective suppliers to gain insights on evolving culinary trends, ideate, and ultimately develop and test new food concepts across various markets. Staying ahead of industry trends and working with cross-functional teams to deliver programs tailored to the convenience store experience is key. The ideal candidate will have strategic vision and execution skills, and the ability to lead their team with a hands-on approach. They will be a data-driven, analytical decision-maker, utilizing external and internal data to validate the success of new and existing programs. The Director will develop effective promotional strategies to attract customers to the category, enhance profitability through price optimization, and secure lower product costs through negotiation. The Director will strategically manage vendor partnerships to align with our strategic objectives. They will work closely with operations and other stakeholders to ensure the successful execution of programs at retail. This role also involves leading the Food Service Field team by setting clear goals and objectives to achieve our business targets.

JOB QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor's degree in Food Science, Business Administration, or a related field.
• Minimum 10 years of experience in food service, product development, or a related field, with at least 5 years in a leadership role.
• A proven track record of developing and implementing successful food service programs at retail is required.
• Strong understanding of food industry trends, consumer behavior, product assortment, placement, pricing, and concept development in food service.
• Demonstrated abilities to think strategically about complex issues, leading to thoughtful recommendations and creative action plans.
• A self-starter with proven ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects simultaneously, and consistently strives to exceed expectations.
• Strong negotiation skills are required, specifically with suppliers and vendors.
• Creative, results-oriented, and able to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
• Exceptional verbal, written communication and presentation skills required.
• High level of problem-solving skills; must be highly analytical and be able to create/interpret analysis to support recommendations | Understanding of P&L
• Proven ability to work collaboratively with internal and external groups including office personnel, vendors, and other customers.

The job qualifications described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. If accepting an offer of employment, applicant must be able to provide proof of authorization to work in the U.S. United Pacific is an EOE.