Welcome to KFC

Take one man with a big idea, add 11 herbs and spices, grit, ambition, and buckets of heart – you’ve got KFC.

Since 1939, we’ve been bringing finger lickin’ good chicken to the world, and today we’re proud to be in over 1000 communities across the UK & Ireland. But without our people, none of it would be possible. Just like our recipe, they’re all original.

Bringing it to the role.

KFC UKI is looking to bring on board a talented and ambitious Brand In Culture Manager. We want someone who not only LOVES chicken but has a real passion for marketing and delivering winning results. We pride ourselves on being right smack bang in the heart of culture. Britain loves the Colonel and loves to talk about KFC – so there’s often amazing opportunities that we can search out and capitalise on amongst to drive relevance for the brand. You’ll be at the forefront of positioning KFC firmly in culture.

You’ll have the instinct to spot the right moments, both proactively and reactively, the creative spark to respond distinctively to them and the drive to execute these activations brilliantly. A natural collaborator, you’ll have the ability to influence internal stakeholders behind big ideas and partner with the wider Marketing and cross-functional teams to deliver buzzy, impactful activations that make the brand famous.

We’re a massively ambitious brand… but as well has having real drive to grow, we also want to do the right thing and make a positive difference to society. It’s an ongoing journey for us to become the most responsible business we can, so you’ll help us to shape impactful comms around our social impact commitments, working across the intersection of paid, owned and earned channels to deliver campaigns.

What you’ll do

Be the strategic business owner to deliver our Brand In Culture strategy & calendar, from creative ideation through to brilliant execution, keeping a finger on the pulse of British culture to identify the right proactive and reactive opportunities for the brand, re-forcing consumer perception that KFC is a modern brand relevant to the next generation
You’ll sense when great PR and social opportunities appear, and be proactive in taking full advantage of them. You’ll have a drive for action and ability to galvanize your peers to bring bold ideas to life.
You’ll lead the day-to-day management of two brilliant partner agencies, forming strong relationships to unlock the best work.
Develop and manage our influencer & talent strategy, identifying authentic opportunities for partnerships to extend our reach to the right audiences.
Lead the execution of the Trust layer of our marketing calendar to change brand perceptions and increase awareness of our community impact programmes. You’ll work across paid media partnerships, earned media and owned channels, from briefing our world-class agency partners to collaborating with our Corporate Affairs & Responsibility team. This is an area of the business full of white space to bring fresh ideas to the mix and really make a mark. Challenge us!
You’ll develop and maintain strong relationships with other departments in the business as well as with our partner agencies. We want our Brand In Culture Manager to be an ambassador for raising the profile of cultural relevance within the UK business, acting as an in-house consultant on all things culture.
As part of the Brand & Retail team, you’ll get a great insight into the broader world of marketing and brand building, working with an award-winning, brilliant team. Sometimes this involves rolling up your sleeves and working on broader brand-building campaigns and projects.

Experience

We’re looking for either a PR expert looking to broaden their experience beyond earned media working in a broad brand management role, or a generalist brand manager with experience and expertise in earned media and brand activations. Ideally you’ll have experience working in owned, earned and paid media.
You keep a finger on the pulse of UK culture, paired with a hustler mentality to spot and activate the right opportunities to bring the KFC brand to life in culture.
We want a brilliant creative thinker who can balance delivering bold ideas with sound strategic thinking and connecting the work back to business objectives, with a drive to get things done and a sharp eye for detail.
You have top-notch creative judgement, with a knack for understanding how to sell in stories.
It’s a team sport, so you’ll have experience building strong, effective relationships cross functionally and with agency partners. You’ll need to manage internal and external relationships with key stakeholders – so goes without saying you’ll be able to demonstrate superb communication skills. We want a total team player mentality and someone able to build strong relationships at all levels across the organisation.
We really want someone who shows great initiative and out-of-the box creative thinking… we’re not afraid to take a risk here and there. This role has a unique opportunity to shape how one of the biggest brands in the UK shows up in culture. Impress us!

About You

We’re looking for someone with passion, energy and ideas who is ready to hit the ground running! A mild inclination towards poultry might help too.
You are intellectually curious and creative, with sound creative instinct. We’re looking for someone solutions-driven, meaning you’ll be inquisitive, tenacious and flexible… always looking for new ways to deliver ground-breaking work. You’re not afraid of a little ambiguity and are adaptable to pivoting plans based on trends and business needs.
You’ll need to be someone who always remains positive and motivated, inspiring colleagues to maintain a similar attitude. You’ll see positive or negative feedback as constructive and a way to help you develop. Your ambition and hunger to grow will see you thrive in our culture of building great international careers.
You’re a true team player who embraces the company culture and believes you can deliver the best work as a team rather than alone. You have experience fostering strong agency relationships, with a strong ability to collaborate and take people with you as you lead them towards your vision.

Be Original.

At KFC, everyone gets a seat at our table. Since we landed in the UK in 1965, we’ve fed our people’s potential – to be their best selves, make a difference and have fun.

Because it’s not just what you do at KFC. It’s the way you do it. Unapologetically you, undeniably original.

As a multi-billion-pound business with over 1000 restaurants, we take ambition seriously. You’ll be treated with respect and supported in everything you do as you roll up your sleeves and play your part in bringing finger lickin’ good chicken to our customers. And whatever your journey looks like, we’ll help you get there. From flexible working to the chance to earn qualifications, we got you. There are all kinds of opportunities at KFC.

Buckets of Benefits

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

Flexible, hybrid working with our Restaurant Support Centre located in Woking, Surrey – a 24-minute train ride from London Waterloo. Depending on job requirement, travel across the UK & Ireland may be required.
Generous pension with up to 11% company contribution.
‘Fri-Yay’ time – finish up at 1pm every Friday, all year round.
Live Well Days - 5 days per year to disconnect from our day-to-day (in addition to 25 days annual leave and bank holidays).
You can buy or sell up to 5 extra days of your core annual leave allowance each year.
After 5 years’ service, annual holiday allowance increases to 30 days.
Bonus – We work hard and do our best work to succeed together. When the company and individual goals are reached, you’ll be rewarded through our bonus scheme.
Wellness– We want you to be your best self, so you’ll have access to lots of wellbeing initiatives and programmes, including Telus Health, and 1:1 Mental Health coaching sessions with our partner Sanctus.
Private healthcare, including access to Digital GP, with the option to increase to include family cover.

Flexible and Voluntary benefits including Dental Insurance, Health Screening and Gym Discounts.

Insurances – All colleagues are covered by our life and income protection insurance which provides protection and peace of mind.
Study Support may be available for job-related qualifications.
Parental Leave – We offer enhanced paid leave and flexible return to work options for those important times.
Colleague Discount – If you love KFC as much as we do, you’ll received a 25% discount.

Our Commitment to You

Our customers come from all walks of life and so do our teams. We value, support, and celebrate the things that make Team KFC authentic and original and all candidates – regardless of age, background, ethnicity, gender, ability, religion, or sexual orientation.

We welcome applications from underrepresented groups in our industry such as women, people with disabilities, ethnic minorities and members of the LGBTQ+ community.

To make your journey with us accessible and tailored to your needs, we encourage you to let us know if you'd like any additional support with your application, have a disability or condition that may affect your performance during your recruitment process, or any other requirements.

Neurodiverse? Our accessibility toolbar can support you when you apply.

Ready to apply?

If you are ready to bring your passion, skills, and dedication to KFC, we encourage you to apply now. We look forward to welcoming you to our team and embarking on this extraordinary journey together. Bring it.

Don’t tick all the boxes? Don’t worry. If you don’t match all the criteria for the role and still think you’d be a great fit, we’d love to hear from you.

KFC UK & Ireland jobs

Brand in Culture Manager