Digital Transformation Leader

Reporting to the Restaurant Excellence Director, the Digital Transformation Lead will collaborate closely with the senior leadership team and department heads to identify and deliver initiatives that enhance efficiency, connectivity, and agility across both restaurants and Head Office. Acting as a trusted expert and change agent, this role will play a pivotal part in embedding digital thinking into our culture, ensuring our people, systems, and processes are equipped for the future., This role will be central to shaping and delivering our AI strategy, developing our future IT roadmap, and driving process improvement and operational excellence across all departments. The Digital Transformation Lead will act as the key subject matter expert, working across the organisation to embed technology, automation, and data-led decision-making at every level.

You will collaborate with the senior leadership team and all department heads to identify and deliver transformation opportunities that make the business smarter, more connected, and more efficient. This role offers significant scope for growth as the company expands - with the potential to evolve into a broader leadership position in the future., Strategy and Leadership

• Develop and own the company's Digital Transformation and AI Strategy, ensuring alignment with business priorities and growth plans.
• Partner with senior leadership and department heads across Operations, Finance, HR, and Central Support to define and execute the digital transformation roadmap.
• Lead on identifying opportunities for new digital tools, automation, and process optimisation across the organisation.
• Act as the internal expert and champion for digital innovation, promoting adoption and best practice across all teams.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) & Automation

• Define and deliver the AI roadmap, exploring and implementing solutions that enhance performance, accuracy, and decision-making.
• Evaluate opportunities to deploy AI in areas such as forecasting, reporting, labour planning, and customer insight.
• Lead pilots and proof-of-concept initiatives to demonstrate value before scaling across the business.
• Collaborate with partners and vendors to ensure access to the best available technologies.
• Track and communicate the measurable impact of AI and automation projects on business performance.

IT & Systems Development

• Contribute to the design and delivery of the IT and digital systems roadmap, ensuring infrastructure and platforms support future business needs.
• Lead on technology procurement and implementation projects, ensuring solutions are cost-effective, secure, and scalable.
• Partner with internal and external IT resources to ensure system stability, integration, and efficiency.
• Maintain alignment between technology, data, and business processes.

Policy, Governance & Cybersecurity

• Support the development and implementation of digital and IT policies, ensuring clear governance and compliance across the business.
• Work with technical teams to maintain strong cybersecurity standards and awareness.
• Oversee data protection and compliance (including GDPR), ensuring safe and responsible use of technology and information.
• Help shape the company's digital governance framework to ensure all transformation activity aligns with risk, compliance, and control standards.

Operational Excellence & Process Efficiency

• Conduct detailed reviews of departmental processes and workflows, identifying areas for simplification, automation, or reengineering.
• Lead cross-functional projects to implement efficiency improvements and embed digital solutions.
• Develop performance metrics and tracking tools to measure the impact of transformation initiatives.
• Drive a continuous improvement mindset, ensuring efficiency and effectiveness are part of every role and process.

Collaboration & Influence

• Partner closely with the senior leadership team and all department heads to drive alignment, accountability, and enthusiasm for transformation initiatives.
• Influence and engage at all levels to promote digital adoption and new ways of working.
• Act as the key interface between business functions, IT providers, and external partners including the key relationship with KFC IT and digital teams.
• Coach and guide teams to embrace change and understand the benefits of digital tools., * A pivotal role driving the company's AI, digital, and efficiency agenda across all departments.
• Direct exposure to senior leadership and the opportunity to influence strategic decision-making.
• The chance to build and own a new digital function from the ground up.
• Significant potential for personal and career growth as the business expands.
• A forward-thinking, supportive culture that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

Do you have experience in Procurement?, * Proven experience in digital transformation, process improvement, or IT strategy delivery, ideally within a multi-site or service-driven organisation.

• Strong understanding of AI technologies, automation platforms, and data analytics.
• Solid grounding in IT systems, infrastructure, and software procurement.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity, governance, and digital compliance frameworks.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and deliver cross-functional digital or efficiency projects from concept to completion.
• Highly analytical with strong problem-solving skills and a focus on measurable outcomes.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, capable of influencing senior leaders and diverse teams.
• Strategic thinker who is also hands-on and delivery focused.
• Resilient, proactive, and adaptable, with the ability to thrive in a dynamic environment.

A career with KFC offers much more than just fantastic earning potential. We reward hard work and achievement with amazing incentives and benefits, including:

• Competitive pay banding £65,000 - 75,000 (based on a 45-hour contract).
• 28 days holiday (Inc BH), increasing to 33 days at 5 years' service, and 38 at 10 years' service.
• Flexible benefits including Private Medical and access to an online GP Service, Group income protection, Critical Illness Cover, Life Insurance and a Health Cash fund towards dental, optical and physiotherapy.
• Annual bonus based on achieving KPI's.
• Long Term Incentive Plan (50% of Salary - paid out at year 5 and 10)
• Career growth opportunities
• Free staff meals and 25% KFC discount.
• Access to an Employee Assistance programme.

We believe that our success is driven by our people. We do things the right way. It isn't always easy, but it's always better. We lead with our hearts, work hard and play hard, and we welcome everyone into our big KFC family. It doesn't matter who you are, where you're from, or what your shoe size is - everyone has a place at the Colonels table. All we ask is that you roll up your sleeves, get stuck in and treat our team like family and our guests as friends. It's what the Colonel would do. The Digital Transformation Lead is responsible for shaping and delivering our digital, AI, and efficiency agenda, driving innovation and operational excellence across the business. This role will lead the development of our future IT roadmap, championing the use of technology, automation, and data-driven insight to simplify processes, improve performance, and create smarter ways of working.