Coffee Product Development & Commercialisation Manager, Tim Hortons

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Restaurant Brands International Inc. is one of the world's largest quick service restaurant companies with nearly $45 billion in annual system-wide sales and over 32,000 restaurants in more than 120 countries and territories.

RBI owns four of the world's most prominent and iconic quick service restaurant brands – TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES®, and FIREHOUSE SUBS®. These independently operated brands have been serving their respective guests, franchisees and communities for decades. Through its Restaurant Brands for Good framework, RBI is improving sustainable outcomes related to its food, the planet, and people and communities.

RBI is committed to growing the TIM HORTONS®, BURGER KING®, POPEYES® and FIREHOUSE SUBS® brands by leveraging their respective core values, employee and franchisee relationships, and long track records of community support. Each brand benefits from the global scale and shared best practices that come from ownership by Restaurant Brands International Inc.

Reporting to the Director, Roasted Coffee R&D, Quality and Standards, this role manages the development and commercialization of roasted whole bean and ground coffee products across North America and supporting international markets. The position partners closely with cross-functional teams, vendors and manufacturing plants to ensure products meet quality, sensory, operational, and business objectives from concept through full-scale production. This role also serves as a coffee subject matter expert, supporting product quality, manufacturing capability, industry insight, and continuous improvement across the coffee network.

Coffee Development & Innovation

• Lead the development of roasted whole bean and ground coffee products (R&G) to meet partner, guest, and consumer needs across North America and supporting international markets.
• Support development of recipes for coffee machines and manual preparation of coffee beverages, including brewed coffee, espresso-based drinks and cold brew, based on sensory evaluation, consumer testing, and product quality objectives.

Plant Commercialization & Manufacturing

• Manage the commercialization of new coffee products from pilot scale through full manufacturing, working closely with cross-functional teams.
• Drive product development work for coffee products at plant level both internally and at vendors, ensuring work is done efficiently and delivers on quality standards.
• Conduct vendor capability assessments, including comprehensive plant-level questionnaires for facilities new to the Tim Hortons coffee manufacturing network.
• Develop and ensure adherence to plant-specific processing and finished goods specifications for coffee manufacturing, including roasting, grinding, and packaging, ensuring the highest quality sensory results through shelf life of products.
• Ensure accurate, controlled documentation of product specifications. Support Quality Technical Writers and serve as an approver for the SPEQ commodity hub.
• Maintain a detailed inventory of manufacturing network capabilities and contingency plans, providing the information needed to support sourcing decisions and volume allocations.
• Evaluate changes to packaging, processing or finished goods specifications by partnering with plant operations and cross-functional teams to design robust trials that generate high-quality data and support accurate, confident decision-making.
• At plant level, troubleshoot production challenges identified through sensory monitoring and specification compliance reviews, providing root cause analysis and corrective actions.
• Ensure thorough validation and capability assessments of new coffee production equipment, including roasters, grinders, and packaging systems.

Project Management & Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Collaborate with CPG, Operations, Supply Chain, and Procurement to align product development with business objectives, cost targets, and launch readiness.
• Manage multiple concurrent coffee development projects using structured stage-gate processes, ensuring timely delivery against commercialization milestones.
• Act as the technical point of contact for Corporate QA and other functions, providing guidance on matters related to coffee products and the manufacturing network.
• Support the product quality monitoring process by participating in cuppings and partnering with plants to troubleshoot production issues, conduct root cause analysis, and implement corrective actions that drive continuous quality improvement.

Industry Intelligence & Consumer Insight

• Benchmark competitors’ QSR and CPG coffee offerings to identify white space opportunities and maintain competitive positioning.
• Actively monitor global coffee industry trends, including specialty coffee movements, processing innovations, and evolving consumer preferences, and translate insights into actionable product development opportunities.
• Monitor evolving regulatory, import, and compliance requirements across North America and key international markets, including ingredient and product standards, testing requirements, and market-specific legislation, proactively identifying upcoming changes and escalating potential impacts.
• Monitor advancements in coffee manufacturing technologies and processing methods, identifying and leveraging opportunities to improve product quality and consistency and enhance operational efficiency.
• Attend and participate in key industry events, such as CAC and NCA annual conferences, to maintain networks and stay current on emerging technologies and trends.

Team Leadership & Quality Culture

• Foster collaborative and innovative partnerships with vendors that bridge R&D and Operations through open communication and continuous improvement.
• Champion brand quality standards across all markets, support product messaging and defensible product claims, contribute to corporate communications, and provide coffee subject matter expertise across functions as needed.

Qualifications & Skills

Education

• Bachelor of Science in Food Science, Food Technology, Chemistry, Biochemistry, or a related discipline; or Bachelor of Engineering
• SCA (Specialty Coffee Association) certification in Roasting or Coffee Skills is an asset
• Q Grader license is an asset

Experience

• Experience in manufacturing R&G coffee
• Hands-on roasting experience with commercial roasters and proficiency in roast profile development
• Proven experience in coffee commercialization or R&D projects in a R&G coffee manufacturing environment. Experience with liquid coffee, coffee concentrates, or RTD coffee formats is a strong asset.
• Experience in food or beverage product development with a demonstrated specialization in coffee
• Experience within a QSR, foodservice, or CPG environment is a significant asset

Technical Skills

• Deep sensory acuity with the ability to conduct and facilitate structured cupping sessions
• Working knowledge of HACCP, GMP, FSMA/SFCA regulatory requirements as they apply to coffee manufacturing.
• Familiarity with shelf-life testing, accelerated aging studies, and packaging selection for R&G coffee, coffee concentrates and instant coffee.
• Proficiency in extraction science — understanding of brew ratios, grind particle size distribution, TDS (Total Dissolved Solids), and extraction yield measurement
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word); experience with R&D data management or formulation software is an asset

Core Competencies

• Effective project management skills with demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to translate complex technical findings into clear solutions for development or improvement of coffee products
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills — comfortable presenting to senior leadership, plant operations, and external partners
• Self-directed, collaborative, and comfortable operating with ambiguity in a dynamic, fast-paced environment

The expected salary range is $120,000 - $140,000 CAD. Base salary for this position may vary based on relevant factors such as experience, education, location, and skills.

This position is eligible to participate in the Company’s annual discretionary bonus plan, subject to the terms and conditions of the incentive program, based on individual and company performance metrics. This position may also be eligible for additional compensation in the form of equity grants pursuant to the Company’s long-term incentive plan.

This posting is for an existing vacancy.

RBI follows a 5 day, in-office work schedule to support collaboration. Successful candidates will be expected to work onsite 5 days per week

Benefits at all of our global offices are focused on physical, mental and financial wellness. We offer unique and progressive benefits, including a comprehensive global paid parental leave program that supports employees as they expand their families, free telemedicine and mental wellness support.

Restaurant Brands International and all of its affiliated companies (collectively, RBI) are equal opportunity and affirmative action employers that do not discriminate on the basis of race, national origin, religion, age, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by local, state, provincial or federal laws, rules, or regulations. RBI's policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment. Accommodation is available for applicants with disabilities upon request.