Director, International Menu & Product Development

This position is responsible for the development and execution of strategies to regionalize global menus while addressing the needs of individual counties. This position will lead menu regionalization to provide consistency of the brand message and menu across a region, increase consumer reach, and maximize supply efficiencies. This Director evaluates and weighs the local market needs with Denny’s brand identity to determine the best menu for the market. Once the menu is determined, this Director creates, refines, and assists in sourcing ingredients for new recipes and products that align with the corporate strategy and vision and maintain country-specific relevance under the direction of the Sr. Director, Product Innovation. The position also provides guidance to franchisees on menu layouts, LTO strategies, and other menu marketing needs. Duties and Responsibilities:  Conduct local market evaluations to understand the individual needs of that market related to the menu and messaging support needs.  Determine where and when regional programs could maximize profits. Lead local franchise partners to determine the best menu and limited-time offers for their market that support Denny’s brand identity and provide profitable sustainable sales. Provide guidance and partner with Denny’s marketing subject matter experts to determine the best menu layout and design. Support global menu requirements with a balance of local, regional, and US ingredient sourcing.  Must match all A-level ingredients and find suitable alternatives for ingredients with subsequent levels of proprietary status.  Must use Denny’s standard protocol for international ingredient testing. Maintain global recipe and photo database by country, to ensure all Denny’s recipes are protected worldwide and can be assessed by international partners in the event a recipe in one part of the world could be successful in another part. Help franchise partners source ingredients to support US programs where applicable and fill voids where necessary.  Manage the supply commitment process for franchisee module participation in conjunction with Denny’s purchasing. Develop bi-yearly regional ideation sessions to support the efficiencies of regional programs as an alternative to an all-US calendar. Support concept ideation of then create recipes that meet the cultural expectations of respective countries. Refine recipes and ingredient specifications to meet the consumer preferences as established through sensory panels and marketing research with special consideration of the ability to successfully execute said recipe within Denny’s operational and manufacturing limitations. Conduct market visits to discover issues and find solutions before a recipe, ingredient, or program is implemented when applicable. Verify or refine recipes submitted by international franchisees through the “New Product Approval” process. Assist Product Innovation/Product Development team with other duties as…