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New Restaurant Opening Manager
KFC UK & I - Operations (Restaurant Excellence)
New Restaurant Opening Manager
KFC UK & I - Operations (Restaurant Excellence)
Full Time
5
Years
Experience
Competitive salary
New Restaurant Opening Manager
KFC UK & I - Operations (Restaurant Excellence)
Full Time
5
Years
Experience
Competitive salary
Skills
people leader
Leadership
stratigic
Development
Commercial
Description
Welcome to KFC. Home of the real ones.
We sell the world’s best chicken. Seriously. And we’ve done it since 1939, when the idea of crispy, original recipe chicken took Kentucky by storm. Now, we’re proud to serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that we started with, all those years ago.
Across the Restaurant Support Centre (RSC), we come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We want to see our potential go that little bit further, as part of one of the world’s most iconic brands.
What’s the gig? Well, you support our restaurants — and we’ll support you every step of the way. Simple. Our doors are open — and they can take you anywhere.
All we ask is that you be you. Because that makes us, us. Sound good? Great. Let’s find out about that job.
THE TEAM
Our Operations teams are where the real magic happens - running over 250 company-owned restaurants across the UK and Ireland, supporting our teams on the ground, solving challenges and driving for better every day. It’s hands-on, people-first work, packed with real growth, real impact, and plenty of fun along the way.
From the teams serving up the Colonel’s Original Recipe to life, to the leaders driving customer excellence, food safety, risk and compliance, we are an army of bold, passionate, guest obsessed people, keeping KFC at its best.
About the role
As a NRO manager at KFC, you will lead end-to-end execution of new restaurant openings, embedding consistent routines and enabling strong early trading performance across the system
What will you spend your time doing?
- Coordinate end-to-end execution of new restaurant openings, ensuring consistent processes, timely decisions, and on-time delivery to standard
- Drive cross-functional alignment and governance across Ops, Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Tech, Marketing and Franchise, ensuring all inputs are delivered and risks escalated
- Generate and analyse NRO performance insights to improve ramp-up and early-trading results; identify risk sites and support timely intervention
- Maintain and evolve system cadence, reporting, and routines (periodic reviews, dashboards, forums) to monitor progress and drive accountability
- Conduct field visits to validate operational readiness, support openings, and ensure learnings feedback into continuous process improvement
- Coach field leaders and general managers on pre-opening readiness and launch best practices.
What we love from you:
About you
- Degree is preferred but not critical to the role
- 5+ years’ experience in QSR, retail operations, or multi-site environment
- Proven experience supporting or leading new restaurant openings / site launches
- Experience working in a fast-paced, operational environment with multiple priorities
- Exposure to cross-functional delivery / project coordination across operations, development or similar
- Demonstrable experience of commercial understanding/ early P&L performance influence
Knowledge and Expertise
- Solid understanding of restaurant operations and people routines
- Knowledge of NRO processes and early-trading levers
- Familiarity with operational readiness, project milestones and critical path management
- Strong influencing and relationship-building skills; ability to work with senior stakeholders
- Excellent written and verbal communication and ability to present clearly across audiences
- Analytical capability to interpret performance data and identify root causes
- Disciplined planning & organisation, with strong attention to detail and ability to drive action
What’s in it for you:
We offer benefits that make your life that little bit easier, because we know the juggle is real.
From flexible, hybrid working to Fri-Yay early finishes and Live Well Days, we’ve created a package that supports the real you, in and out of work.
You’ll get:
- Hybrid working from our Woking RSC (just 24 mins from London), home and your Region
- Up to 11% company pension contributions
- Fri-Yay finishes at 1pm every Friday
- 25 days’ holiday (plus bank hols)
- 5 Live Well Days a year, just for you
- Bonus scheme linked to company & personal performance
- Private healthcare, Digital GP access & mental health coaching
- Enhanced parental leave and flexible return options
- Study support, income protection, life cover & more
- And yes—25% off the chicken
Because real ones deserve real rewards.
Keeping it real
We don’t hire staff — we hire people. People with real lives and aspirations, building real careers. Each of us has something special to add to the mix we call work, and we’ll always encourage you to add your perspective.
See, at KFC, everyone’s welcome — whatever your background, and whatever future you’re creating. We’ll look out for you because you’re one of us, not because you work for us. We’ll invest in your
Welcome to KFC. Home of the real ones.
We sell the world’s best chicken. Seriously. And we’ve done it since 1939, when the idea of crispy, original recipe chicken took Kentucky by storm. Now, we’re proud to serve 1000+ communities across the UK and Ireland, bringing the grit, pride and iconic reputation that we started with, all those years ago.
Across the Restaurant Support Centre (RSC), we come to work to be ourselves, and to make something of ourselves. We want to see our potential go that little bit further, as part of one of the world’s most iconic brands.
What’s the gig? Well, you support our restaurants — and we’ll support you every step of the way. Simple. Our doors are open — and they can take you anywhere.
All we ask is that you be you. Because that makes us, us. Sound good? Great. Let’s find out about that job.
THE TEAM
Our Operations teams are where the real magic happens - running over 250 company-owned restaurants across the UK and Ireland, supporting our teams on the ground, solving challenges and driving for better every day. It’s hands-on, people-first work, packed with real growth, real impact, and plenty of fun along the way.
From the teams serving up the Colonel’s Original Recipe to life, to the leaders driving customer excellence, food safety, risk and compliance, we are an army of bold, passionate, guest obsessed people, keeping KFC at its best.
About the role
As a NRO manager at KFC, you will lead end-to-end execution of new restaurant openings, embedding consistent routines and enabling strong early trading performance across the system
What will you spend your time doing?
- Coordinate end-to-end execution of new restaurant openings, ensuring consistent processes, timely decisions, and on-time delivery to standard
- Drive cross-functional alignment and governance across Ops, Development, Finance, Supply Chain, Tech, Marketing and Franchise, ensuring all inputs are delivered and risks escalated
- Generate and analyse NRO performance insights to improve ramp-up and early-trading results; identify risk sites and support timely intervention
- Maintain and evolve system cadence, reporting, and routines (periodic reviews, dashboards, forums) to monitor progress and drive accountability
- Conduct field visits to validate operational readiness, support openings, and ensure learnings feedback into continuous process improvement
- Coach field leaders and general managers on pre-opening readiness and launch best practices.
What we love from you:
About you
- Degree is preferred but not critical to the role
- 5+ years’ experience in QSR, retail operations, or multi-site environment
- Proven experience supporting or leading new restaurant openings / site launches
- Experience working in a fast-paced, operational environment with multiple priorities
- Exposure to cross-functional delivery / project coordination across operations, development or similar
- Demonstrable experience of commercial understanding/ early P&L performance influence
Knowledge and Expertise
- Solid understanding of restaurant operations and people routines
- Knowledge of NRO processes and early-trading levers
- Familiarity with operational readiness, project milestones and critical path management
- Strong influencing and relationship-building skills; ability to work with senior stakeholders
- Excellent written and verbal communication and ability to present clearly across audiences
- Analytical capability to interpret performance data and identify root causes
- Disciplined planning & organisation, with strong attention to detail and ability to drive action
What’s in it for you:
We offer benefits that make your life that little bit easier, because we know the juggle is real.
From flexible, hybrid working to Fri-Yay early finishes and Live Well Days, we’ve created a package that supports the real you, in and out of work.
You’ll get:
- Hybrid working from our Woking RSC (just 24 mins from London), home and your Region
- Up to 11% company pension contributions
- Fri-Yay finishes at 1pm every Friday
- 25 days’ holiday (plus bank hols)
- 5 Live Well Days a year, just for you
- Bonus scheme linked to company & personal performance
- Private healthcare, Digital GP access & mental health coaching
- Enhanced parental leave and flexible return options
- Study support, income protection, life cover & more
- And yes—25% off the chicken
Because real ones deserve real rewards.
Keeping it real
We don’t hire staff — we hire people. People with real lives and aspirations, building real careers. Each of us has something special to add to the mix we call work, and we’ll always encourage you to add your perspective.
See, at KFC, everyone’s welcome — whatever your background, and whatever future you’re creating. We’ll look out for you because you’re one of us, not because you work for us. We’ll invest in your
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New Restaurant Opening Manager
Full Time
5
Years
Experience
Competitive salary
Skills
people leader
Leadership
stratigic
Development
Commercial
United Kingdom & Ireland, , United Kingdom