Associate Manager, Consumer Insights

Who is Taco Bell?

Taco Bell was born and raised in California and has been around since 1962. We went from selling everyone’s favorite Crunchy Tacos on the West Coast to a global brand with 8,200+ restaurants, 350 franchise organizations, that serve 42+ million fans each week around the globe. We’re not only the largest Mexican-inspired quick service brand (QSR) in the world, we’re also part of the biggest restaurant group in the world: Yum! Brands. 

Much of our fan love and authentic connection with our communities are rooted in being rebels with a cause. From ensuring we use high quality, sustainable ingredients to elevating restaurant technology in ways that hasn’t been done before… we will continue to be inclusive, bold, challenge the status quo and push industry boundaries.   

We’re a company that celebrates and advocates for different, has bold self-expression, strives for a better future, and brings the fun while we’re at it. We fuel our culture with real people who bring unique experiences. We inspire and enable our teams and the world to Live Más.

At Taco Bell, we’re Cultural Rebels. Want to join in on the passion-fueled fun? Learn more about the career below. 

About the Job:

Taco Bell is seeking an inspiring and collaborative partner to join the Consumer Insights team, reporting to the Director of Consumer Insights. The Associate Manager is responsible for designing and conducting consumer research related to food, beverages and restaurant experiences, analyzing data and translating findings into actionable insights for Product and Brand Marketers and the Food Innovation Team.

The successful candidate will have proven success in managing and conducting quantitative and qualitative consumer research leveraging industry-leading tools, innovative techniques, and advanced methodologies.

The Associate Manager will be a strong critical thinker, collaborator, and innovator who is comfortable with, can deliver clarity to and provide direction from often ambiguous, gray and nuanced test results.  They will be able to interpret and work with statistical data, but also someone who is on trend, pays attention to the zeitgeist and realizes that sometimes you’ve got to go with your gut.

They must be able to work on-site at the Taco Bell headquarters located in Irvine, California for 3 days a week (Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday) with the ability to work remotely on Monday and Friday.

The Day-to-Day:

• Assist with aligning the Consumer Insights department’s focus and efforts with the organization’s broader goals and strategies, playing an active role in strategic decision-making and thought leadership
• Think and act with a broader business lens, delivering actionable consumer insights to inspire growth across the organization
• Play a collaborative role in a product and brand marketing teams, supporting the CI Managers in developing and executing learning plans
• Conduct concept testing and product development research to support the Taco Bell product development pipeline, including programming quant questionnaires, drafting qualitative discussion guides, interpreting results into concise recommendations and preparing easy to read, digestible reports and presentations tailored to both working teams and senior executives
• Ensure the Consumer Insights department is known and valued for subject matter expertise, insatiable curiosity, creativity and innovation, objectivity, actionable storytelling, technical excellence, business acumen, strategic mindset, thought leadership, and a passion for change
• Effectively balance Consumer Insight’s internal research and analytical capabilities with usage of external vendors and consultants, to efficiently deliver best practices and optimal business outcomes
• Contribute to a culture of innovation by finding new and better ways of doing things: identify, create, and employ innovative research approaches

Is This You?

• Bachelor’s degree with courses in consumer behavior, psychology, statistics, science, engineering or a business-related field required; Master’s degree preferred
• Experience in a consumer insights role supporting a product development pipeline with a focus on concept testing and both quantitative and qualitative consumer feedback
• Minimum of 4+ years direct experience programming quantitative surveys, drafting qualitative discussion guides and analyzing statistical data; moderator experience a plus
• Strong working knowledge of consumer research and analytical techniques, tools, software, and industry developments and their application to business challenges and opportunities, including Qualtrics, aytm, decipher or other similar survey platform; Famili