Job Description

COMPANY OVERVIEW:

Getting our start in 1995, QDOBA has grown to more than 740 restaurants in the U.S. and Canada. Even though our footprint has grown tremendously in the past 25 years, we’ve always stayed true to our brand promise: Bringing Flavor to People’s Lives. We believe the flavor of our people is the most important ingredient to QDOBA’s success. We are an optimistic and entrepreneurial collective that celebrates positivity, creativity, and innovation. At our core, we are a glass half-full, can-do bunch, united as one to make a great brand.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Sr. Manager, Consumer Insights is responsible for leading consumer insights to create competitive advantage for QDOBA as we accelerate omnichannel growth and brand development across new and existing markets.

This leader will drive the organization’s consumer learning agenda, from monitoring the changing behaviors of new, frequent, and lapsed customers as well as macro trends shaping occasions, to industry trends affecting customer expectations. This role is responsible for leveraging information from a wide range of methods and channels to derive actionable data and analysis to inform strategy and decisions and to help grow the brand and the business, including customer feedback survey data, guest relations, syndicated data, social, and primary research. This position provides guidance on addressing business issues and developing new products and services, with a significant focus on creating a stellar customer experience across all customer touchpoints including in restaurants, off-premises, and in digital experiences.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Deliver high-impact, fact-based consumer, and marketplace understanding, consumer insights, competitive intelligence, strategic consulting, future-proofing perspectives through primary (quantitative and qualitative) and secondary research to shape cross-functional strategy and tactics to build brand equity, improve customer experience, and support product innovation
• Provide data and insights that influence communication, strategy, and planning through a deep understanding of consumer and business drivers
• Develop and implement a learning plan agenda to meet organizational needs
• Consult on brand positioning, innovation, and customer experience journey
• Consult on how to attract new customers and drive more frequency with existing customers
• Identify/select third party research sources, effectively leveraging vendor relationships and external research partners as needed to achieve additional insights
• Manage guest satisfaction/feedback platform
• Support product innovation process including leading concept research, conducting qualitative and quantitative evaluation of potential new products/product improvements, and consumer feedback during market tests
• Measure, track and report on customer response to new initiatives and products. Assess impact of customer experience initiatives on consumer sentiment and key performance indicators
• Track QDOBA performance on key customer metrics versus competitors and regularly publish updates.
• Shape and execute ongoing field and corporate reporting in partnership with cross-functional partners and field teams
• Identify and harness consumer insights to fuel short- and long-term growth plans
• Key team member in the development and delivery of a brand annual operating plan that drives the brand narrative and differentiates from competition
• Support 3-year strategic plan to drive topline growth and share

KEY CAPABILITIES:

• Ability to translate insights understanding into compelling stories, actionable initiatives, and better business decisions
• Brings robust quantitative and qualitative insights toolkit (brand, consumer, A&U, segmentation, competitive, customer experience/journey)
• Strategic thinker, understands digital marketing and omnichannel business
• Strong oral and written communication skills, interpersonal skills, and presentation skills
• Strong project management capabilities
• Ability to juggle multiple projects in parallel and work effectively in a fast-paced environment with changing priorities and a diverse team
• Ability to be detail oriented while keeping a big-picture orientation
• Ability to work well across all levels of the organization and deal constructively with a range of perspectives

QUALIFICATIONS

EDUCATION: MBA preferred, or Bachelor’s degree, preferably in psychology, marketing, or related field

EXPERIENCE: 7+ years of experience in restaurant, retail, or consumer packaged goods (CPG) environment. Demonstrated track record with bringing novel approaches to support brand development and transformation, elevating marketing analytics and insights capabilities, and supporting innovation stage gate process. Success in smaller, leaner businesses (e.g., joint venture or private-equity) a plus.

Company Description

Qdoba puts you first. We know that our restaurant employees do everything to build Qdoba’s business and without you we wouldn’t be here. In return, we do everything we can to support you... and we feel honored to do it. We are dedicated to allowing you to be the best version of yourself, each and every day. We value you for your diversity and uniqueness and give you opportunities for personal and professional development.