Sr. Associate Manager, Brand Marketing Merch

KFC•Irvine, CA

2d•$121,000 - $135,000•Hybrid

About The Position

Taco Bell is seeking a highly motivated and culturally savvy Senior Associate Manager, Brand Marketing – Merchandising to drive the development and execution of innovative merchandise strategies that amplify our brand, connect with fans, and create incremental revenue streams. This role sits at the intersection of marketing, product development, and culture—bringing Taco Bell’s bold personality to life through apparel, collectibles, collaborations, and retail experiences. Lead the planning and execution of Taco Bell’s print channel restaurant experience by partnering with cross functional and agency teams, leveraging customer journey insights, shaping brief inputs, and ensuring all executions align with the national brand plan across in restaurant touchpoints. You will be required to attend the Irvine, CA office three days per week (Tuesday - Thursday) Salary Range: $121,000- $135,000 + bonus eligibility. This is the expected salary range for this position. Ultimately, in determining pay, we'll consider the successful candidate’s location, experience, and other job-related factors.

Requirements

Bachelor's Degree required
Minimum 5+ years of relevant experience in marketing or comms
An attention to detail and a strong process driver that strives in a fast-moving environment
Experience in multi-channel retail industry and / or franchised business a plus
Strong strategic ability to visualize the overarching brand strategy into image to drive food crave and elevate the brand
Experience working with cross functional teams and agency partners to create multi-channel merchandise
Demonstrated leadership, project management, and planning skills
Self-motivated with a strong drive for results

Responsibilities

Lead the end‑to‑end print merchandising process—from field needs to national execution—to maintain a consistent, cohesive brand voice across all touchpoints.
Print Subject Matter expert for business delivery on sales targets year over year.
Oversee go‑to‑market planning for each marketing initiative, ensuring on‑time and seamless rollout.
Respond quickly to market shifts, adapting plans and solutions at the restaurant level as needed.
Facilitate field creative reviews in partnership with external agencies and franchisees to ensure quality and alignment.
Leverage diverse research methods and tools—including internal partners, competitive/vendor research, customer surveys, focus groups, interviews, and analytics—to gather and analyze insights on customer behavior and needs across all in-store print programs.
Own restaurant customer journey to optimize the guest experience at every stage.
Push for greatness by developing and testing new POP tactics.
Lead POP tests to determine effectiveness of new tactics, validating support for programs.
Working with external partners to develop, distribute, and maintain the national print channel, restaurant experience schematics to support consistent touchpoints and flawless execution.
Partner with cross functional teams and vendors on ad hoc restaurant experience projects and support needs (e.g., Hiring, Operations, Technology, Beverages).
Collaborate with cross functional partners to ensure the restaurant experience calendar aligns with both marketing and nonmarketing initiatives and upholds brand standards.
Partner with Digital Menuboard teams identifying consistency on all menu channels.
Manage national and regional production, fulfillment, and shipping vendors to support flawless delivery of print materials.
Oversee strategic planning and execution for in-store POP from schematics to roadmaps.
Liaison for internal partners and vendors for restaurant POP support and execution.
Manage and deliver the annual print merchandising budget, including creative development, production, and shipping costs.
Partner with Finance to track and evaluate monthly vendor spending and merchandise budget.
Manage the Local Store Marketing website and identify opportunities to enhance, streamline, and automate support for field teams.

Benefits

Year-round half-day Fridays
Free snacks, drinks and bagel & donut Fridays
Onsite childcare through Bright Horizons
Onsite dining center and game room (yes, there is a Taco Bell inside the building)
Onsite dry cleaning, laundry services, carwash, salon services
Onsite gym with fitness classes and personal trainer sessions
4 weeks of vacation per year plus holidays and time off for volunteering
Opportunities to support the Taco Bell Foundation’s educational initiatives and programs.
Recognition based culture and unique, fun events year-round (recess at work, Halloween Spooktacular, employee art show benefiting Taco Bell Foundation, etc.)
Employees (and their eligible family members) may enroll in the following types of insurance coverage: medical, dental, vision, legal, and accidental death and dismemberment, as well as FSA/HSA (depending on enrolled medical plan).
Yum! also provides short-term disability, long-term disability, and life insurance.
Employees may enroll in our 401(k) plan.
Yum! provides 4 weeks of vacation, paid sick leave, 10 paid holidays, a floating day off and 2 paid days for volunteer time each calendar year.