Responsibilities

• Delivers a compelling mix of branded consumer and operator products across flavor, format, and package rooted in consumer/operator-validated insights
• Executes annual innovation plans in partnership with Sales, R&D, Brand, and Business Unit (BU) Leadership
• Monitors and tracks innovation pipeline health in collaboration with the COE team ensuring a risk-adjusted pipeline plan metered to the BU’s long-term growth goals
• Assesses industry, customer, and consumer trends to stay abreast of competitive landscape and to identify opportunity gaps in the market
• Facilitates a food culture, driving a balance between the outside-in and inside-out insight inputs to inform on innovation pipeline execution and education
• Leads cross-functional teams to develop, commercialize, and launch concepts in the Innovation Pipeline using the Stage-Gate process, ensuring flawless execution in balance of demanding and tight timelines
• Manages assigned new product development projects from Market Landscape Assessment through Commercialization and Post Launch Optimization stages
• Provides support in the tracking and reporting against innovation goals and objectives (KPIs) back into the broader organization
• Collaborates with the COE team along with research vendors/partners to design and to execute market research studies; uncovers meaningful insights and implications to craft selling stories
• Conducts ideations, inspiration rooms, trend treks, and trend discoveries

Requirements

• Minimum of 5-7 years of progressive related marketing or business management experience (retail food or CPG preferred)
• Bachelor’s degree required; Master’s degree preferred
• Ability to travel (15%)
• Entrepreneurial accountability to drive projects forward in a disciplined approach with an attention and love for details
• Excellent determination evidenced by strategic thinking, collaboration, problem solving, teaming, and project execution skills
• Fluency in peer influence and navigating with organizational agility, managing cross-functional priorities that might be in conflict
• Curiosity and a knack for storytelling the “why, what,” “so what,” and “now what”
• Ability to effectively coach, manage, engage, and inspire direct reports
• Excellent communication & presentation skills—verbal and written
• Strong negotiation skills

Benefits

• Benefits: Vision, Medical, and Dental coverage begin after 60 days of employment;
• Paid Time Off: sick leave, vacation, and 6 company observed holidays;
• 401(k): company match begins after the first year of service and follows the company vesting schedule;