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Nando's PERi-PERi North America · 1 month ago

Managing Director, Supply Chain Innovation & Product Development

Washington, DC, 20004, United States

Full-time

Onsite

Director/Executive

$170K/yr - $190K/yr

Nando's PERi-PERi North America is a growing restaurant group seeking a Managing Director, Supply Chain Innovation & Product Development to join their team. This role is crucial for leading the strategic supplier and network planning, overseeing the process of bringing new or improved food products to market while ensuring alignment with brand standards and operational implementation.

Restaurants

Responsibilities

Lead the end-to-end process of bringing new or improved food products to market—from concept to commercialization—ensuring alignment with Nando’s brand standards and guest experience

Drive ideation, innovation, concept development, testing, and food show execution with cross-functional teams

Partner with culinary, operations, and marketing to ensure new products are feasible and scalable for full-service and casual dining environments

Champion ingredient integrity and sourcing strategies that support quality, sustainability, and brand differentiation

Identify emerging trends, technologies, and supplier capabilities to fuel innovation and menu evolution

Build strong, strategic partnerships with suppliers to enable rapid innovation and seamless product launches

Collaborate with suppliers and internal teams to ensure ingredient integrity, scalability, and operational feasibility for new products

Oversee product specifications and compliance during development, first production runs, and commercialization phases

Develop and implement commercialization protocols that balance creativity with operational practicality, ensuring smooth integration into restaurant operations

Introduce new systems and processes to accelerate speed-to-market for menu innovations, leveraging technology and data for efficiency

Negotiate and manage supplier agreements that support innovation, quality, and long-term brand objectives

Monitor supplier performance and proactively address challenges to maintain consistency and reliability throughout the supply chain

Embed food safety and quality assurance into every stage of product development, from concept to launch

Provide strategic oversight for supplier compliance and risk mitigation while maintaining speed and creativity in innovation

Develop scalable food safety programs and protocols that align with FDA Food Code and industry best practices

Partner with culinary and operations teams to ensure HACCP plans and regulatory requirements are integrated into menu development and commercialization

Lead crisis management planning, including escalation protocols and communication strategies for potential foodborne illness incidents

Monitor emerging food safety technologies and regulatory changes to keep Nando’s ahead of compliance requirements

Maintain and continuously update accurate nutrition and allergen data for all menu items, including new product launches

Ensure compliance with labeling regulations and guest-facing information requirements across all platforms

Collaborate with marketing and training teams to deliver clear, accessible nutrition and allergen information for guests and staff

Coordinate lab testing and partner with nutrition consultants to validate data integrity

Act as the subject matter expert for nutrition and allergen regulations, providing guidance during product development and menu innovation

Qualification

Supply Chain ManagementProduct DevelopmentFood Safety ComplianceSupplier CollaborationNutritional AnalysisInnovation StrategyCrisis ManagementCross-functional Leadership

Required

Lead the end-to-end process of bringing new or improved food products to market—from concept to commercialization—ensuring alignment with Nando's brand standards and guest experience