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Director, Field Testing & Product Introductions
Panera Bread Company
St. Louis, MO, United States
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Category Headquarters Location ID 1 Location Name Saint Louis Support Center Address 3630 S Geyer Road State/Region Missouri Postal Code 63127 Country United States
Director, Field Testing & Product Introductions
Reports to: VP, Ops Services---this can be a REMOTE role****
Panera Bread is a fast-paced constantly changing environment that embodies our concept essence and cultural values. Paneras people are as unparalleled as our quality products and we offer careers as diverse as our breads. Here you can be part of a vibrant culture, where teamwork and collaboration are encouraged, excellence is rewarded, and diversity is respected and valued.
This position will be responsible for leading the ops services food testing function which oversees the programs and processes that direct all field tests for our menu items. This role will oversee a team of experts that work to project manage and validate all operational executional components. This role also contributes, recommends, and oversees food testing strategic plans; drives production, productivity, quality, and customer-service standards; determines system improvements; and implements changes through appropriate and designated channels.
Accountabilities:
• Develop and maintain strong working relationships acting as a conduit between all support center departments supporting rollout efforts for new products/equipment/smallwares, new suppliers, product changes.
• Accountable for ensuring accuracy and operational readiness of products and programs that lead to successful Celebration and off-Celebration introductions.
• Responsible for overseeing the operational execution of prep, BOH, ingredient handling and production line processes to identify efficiences that will improve throughput, lower production time, and minimize accuracy errors while maintaining or improving finished product quality.
• Evalute product and ingredient options based on customer feedback to determine what can be eliminated, removed, to find efficiences in the ingredient pantry.
• Provide project management leadership for all new and existing Panera products, food-focused cost-savings initiatives, and operational improvements ensuring cross-functional and cross-vendor participation and alignment.
• Oversee a team of field test managers ensuring systematic approaches across food categories and platforms and that projects are delivered on time and within budget, responsible for their performance and development.
• Responsible for adhoc projects as assigned.
Qualifications:
• Bachelors Degree/four-year college education.
• 5+ years experience in restaurant operations environment or similar needed.
• Experience managing a team of associates who are primarily remote and geographically dispersed.
• Experience in project management, budget delivery and leadership of cross-functional teams.
• Excellent communication skills (written, verbal, facilitation/presentation skills), with capability to manage up and across the organization, including franchisees and outside vendors.
• Solid understanding of Panera operations and how to effectively work with the bakery-cafe teams.
• Outstanding organizational skills with the ability to manage both urgent issues and multi-year projects effectively, exceptional project management capability.
• The ability to think both strategically from a generalist perspective on projects, initiatives, and tactical issues.
• Ability to travel up to 60% of the time.
Saint Louis Support Center