New Product Development Manager - EMEA
Wingstop Global Support Center Careers · United Kingdom (Remote)
Our estimate of how close this job is to decisions about what protein a business sources, specifies, buys and serves. How we score
Why this role matters
How close this job is to real sourcing and menu decisions.
This role sits inside the supply chain of a chicken-wing chain, owning new product development, ingredient sourcing and supplier qualification for a brand built entirely around one animal product. Whoever holds this seat helps decide which suppliers are onboarded, what due-diligence and governance those suppliers are held to, and how ingredient specifications are written for new menu items and LTOs, real levers over how a major QSR chicken supply chain is run, even though the advert doesn't mention welfare standards explicitly. It won't let you shift the brand toward plant-based alternatives; Wingstop's whole proposition is built on chicken, so this isn't a protein-transition role. What it does build is genuine fluency in supplier sourcing, category management, supplier relationship management and stage-gate NPD governance inside a large multi-market food business, skills and relationships that could later be pointed toward a business with a more contestable protein mix, or toward tightening what supplier governance actually requires of chicken producers, with consequences for supply chain resilience and the standards those producers are held to.
Where this role can take you
What this job teaches you, and the jobs it can lead to.
What you'd build
- End-to-end NPD process ownership
- Category management across food and packaging
- Supplier qualification and onboarding
- Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practice
- Cross-functional project leadership at scale
Where it can lead
- Head of New Product Development
- Category Manager
- Supply Chain Director
Roles like these set the sourcing plans and supplier governance requirements that determine which producers a food business relies on and what standards they are held to.
About the role
Wingstop is recruiting a New Product Development & Supply Chain (NPD) Manager for its EMEA business, sitting within the Supply Chain team and reporting into that function while acting as the bridge between Marketing, Operations, Development, Quality, Procurement, Global Innovation Teams and supplier partners. The role owns the end-to-end NPD process from concept through commercialisation, manages the EMEA innovation pipeline across food, beverages, packaging and equipment, and is responsible for category management of agreed food, packaging and equipment, including sourcing, qualifying and onboarding suppliers aligned to the Wingstop model. The postholder will strategically map a 1-3 year sourcing plan tied to the NME and NPD development pipeline, incorporating risk, quality and commercial management, and will deliver Limited Time Offers (LTOs), permanent menu additions and market-specific innovations in line with Wingstop's global brand standards and flavor-first philosophy. The role leads supplier negotiations, contracts and performance management within regional and global frameworks, and implements Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practices including QBRs, Scorecards and continuous improvement plans, while ensuring suppliers meet Wingstop governance and regulation on operational and product standards with full due-diligence and transparency. It acts as central project lead across the Global Innovation Team, Marketing, Supply Chain (including procurement), Operations, Development, International Brand Partners and Suppliers, coordinating timelines and dependencies to deliver launches on time and within budget. Supplier and partner management responsibilities include working with suppliers and development chefs globally to spot trends, creating supplier briefs, managing supplier development from concept through production, coordinating product trials and factory testing, and identifying new supplier capabilities and emerging ingredient trends. Commercialisation work covers product specification, cost modelling, ingredient sourcing, packaging development, shelf-life validation, nutritional information, regulatory compliance, operational procedures and launch readiness/critical path management, working closely with the Technical Manager and suppliers. Operational Excellence duties include restaurant testing, operational validation, equipment compatibility, crew training requirements, build times, food quality standards and waste optimisation. The role also supports the long-term innovation strategy by tracking food trends across EMEA, identifying whitespace opportunities, monitoring competitors, and supporting annual innovation planning, and owns governance and process elements of the stage-gate NPD process including project plans, risk management, cross-functional updates, gate approvals, launch documentation and post-launch reviews. Essential requirements are 5+ years' experience in New Product Development within QSR, food manufacturing or hospitality, experience managing projects across multiple functions, strong understanding of food development and commercialisation, experience working with suppliers and manufacturers, excellent stakeholder management skills, strong project management capabilities, high organisation and attention to detail, ability to manage multiple launches simultaneously, data-driven commercial acumen, ability to influence without direct authority, and a global mindset. Preferred qualifications include experience across multiple international markets, experience supporting franchise businesses, knowledge of food legislation across Europe and the Middle East, packaging development experience, understanding of food manufacturing processes, and a Prince2 or project management qualification. The role is based remotely in the United Kingdom, full time, with benefits including medical, dental, vision and life insurance, income protection, an EAP and business travel medical cover.
We added this one ourselves, from the employer's own advert.
Key terms to include in your CV and cover letter
What this employer is asking for, in their words. Applications are often screened by software looking for exact phrases, so if these describe your experience, use their wording.
- new product development
- supply chain management
- category management
- supplier relationship management
- supplier qualification and onboarding
- supplier negotiation
- contract management
- stage-gate NPD process
- product specification
- cost modelling
- ingredient sourcing
- packaging development
- shelf-life validation
- regulatory compliance
- cross-functional project leadership
- stakeholder management
- commercial acumen
- project management
How to position yourself
The language that works with hiring managers for this kind of job.
Position your pitch around supply-chain resilience, supplier due-diligence and category management rather than any welfare framing: talk about strengthening supplier scorecards, QBRs and governance requirements as risk-management and quality-consistency tools. Build and cite experience with Supplier Relationship Management (SRM) practices, category management and stage-gate NPD process, since these are the credentials this track and this specific advert reward.
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