Manager, Menu Innovation

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Date: Jun 26, 2025

Location: Chicago, IL, US, 60607

Company: McDonald's Corporation

Company Description: 

McDonald’s is proud to be one of the most recognized brands in the world, with restaurants in over 100 countries that serve 70 million customers daily. We continue to operate from a position of strength. Our updated growth strategy is focused on staying ahead of what our customers want and realizing further growth potential. Our relentless ambition is why McDonald’s remains one of the world’s leading corporations after almost 70 years. Joining McDonald's means thinking big and preparing for a career that can have influence around the world. 

At McDonald’s, we see every day as a chance to create positive impact. We lead through our values centered on inclusivity, service, integrity, community and family. From support of Ronald McDonald House Charities to our Youth Opportunity project and sustainability initiatives, our values keep us dedicated to using our scale for good: good for our customers, people, industry and planet. We also offer a broad range of outstanding benefits including a sabbatical program, tuition assistance and flexible work arrangements. 

Department Overview

As a Manager on the Global Menu Strategy team leading Beef Category innovation, you will be a key player in driving the evolution of McDonald's menus globally. This role requires a strategic thinker with a deep understanding of our Beef Category and the iconic menu items McDonald’s is known for. It will be critical to influence across the enterprise, lead market collaboration, and lead cross-functional teams to achieve global business objectives for the category.

  • McDonald’s high-performing Global Menu Strategy Team is looking for a new team member who is passionate about working with a Global cross-functional team across geographies and cultures to build a coalition and facilitate collaboration.
  • The new Manager will not only specialize in organizing and synthesizing information, but they will also facilitate relationships across the system

They must proactively build relationships with individuals who manage product development in the countries. This person needs to have a passion for working with people and bring fresh ideas and new thinking on how to maintain our strength in beef and ensure we continue to have an enterprise wide impact on the beef business across the system.

Responsibilities

  • Act as the key knowledge hub and global subject matter expert for the beef category and our key global beef equities
  • Partner with the Beef Category Director and Senior Director on the RX team to lead strategic initiatives and identify global growth opportunities within the beef platform (e.g., across category tiers: Entry, Mainstream and Top Tier).
  • Support the creation and governance of beef platform guardrails for global core menu items, including naming, ingredient / build standards, and LTO extensions.
  • Lead market engagement efforts to gather insights, work with governance team to assess new product requests, and facilitate alignment across global functions.
  • Coordinate cross-functional workstreams (insights, supply chain, marketing, culinary) to deliver on beef category priorities.
  • Monitor performance of core beef equities and analyze trends to inform strategy and innovation roadmap.
  • Prepare strategic communications and materials for senior leadership presentations, including global core menu reviews.
  • Track execution of beef initiatives and identify barriers to scale or adoption.
  • Assist deployment team with trouble shooting with markets any execution details as key beef category priorities scale across the system

  

Qualifications

  • BA required, MBA preferred
  • 5-8+ years of experience in strategy, marketing, innovation, or category management—preferably in the food & beverage, QSR, or CPG industry.
  • Experience with qualitative and quantitative research methodologies preferred
  • Innovation-minded, creative thinker, collaborative mindset, builds coalitions
  • Experience working with international and diverse cross-functional teams
  • Proven track record of leading cross-functional teams and successfully implementing global menu strategies.
  • Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with the ability to translate insights into actionable plans.
  • Excellent communication and collaboration skills, with the ability to work effectively across diverse cultures and markets
  • Proven experience managing multiple stakeholders across regions or functions.
  • Ability to balance big-picture thinking with attention to execution detail.
  • Passion for consumer-led innovation and brand building

 

Compensation

Bonus Eligible: Yes

Long - Term Incentive Eligible: Yes

Benefits Eligible: Yes

Salary Range

Salary Ranges - $112,860.00 - $143,900.00

The above represents the expected salary range for this job requisition. Ultimately, in determining your pay, we may also consider your experience, and other job-related factors.

Additional Information: 

Benefits eligible: This position offers health and welfare benefits, a 401(k) plan, adoption assistance program, educational assistance program, flexible ways of working, and time off policies (including sick leave, parental leave, and vacation/PTO). Eligibility requirements apply to some benefits and may depend on job classification and length of employment.  

Bonus eligible: This position is eligible for a bonus, calculated based on individual and company performance. 

Long term Incentive eligible: This position is eligible for stock or other equity grants pursuant to McDonald’s long-term incentive plan. 

McDonald’s is an equal opportunity employer committed to the diversity of our workforce. We promote an inclusive work environment that creates feel-good moments for everyone. McDonald’s provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities as part of the application or hiring process or to perform the essential functions of their job. If you need assistance accessing or reading this job posting or otherwise feel you need an accommodation during the application or hiring process, please contact mcdhrbenefits@us.mcd.com. Reasonable accommodations will be determined on a case-by-case basis. 

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. 


Nearest Major Market: Chicago