Associate Manager, RTD Innovation
New York, USA
Posted 4 months ago
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Job Description
Date: Mar 16, 2026
Location: New York, NY, US
Company: Suntory Global Spirits
- The Alcoholic Beverage industry is an exciting, dynamic, and fast-paced business. Suntory Global Spirits is a top player in the spirits business and focused on becoming a top player within the Ready to Drink category, capturing new consumers and occasions not currently being serviced by our full bottle strength spirit brands in our key markets
- This individual will serve as an integral part of the North America’s RTD team to drive growth in an exciting category will have the opportunity to shape Suntory Global Spirits’ long-term ambitions in the Ready to Drink Space in the US
- Opportunity to work on an exciting, priority category – to set and implement brand strategies in conjunction with cross-functionals (R&D, Finance, Consumer Insights, etc.), and to partner with sales / commercial teams to ensure execution of strategies and tactics
- Serve as a brand steward in developing plans to extend Suntory Global Spirits’ presence in the Ready to Drink space in the US
- Role Responsibilities
- RTD Innovation: Help drive the innovation agenda for the RTD brand such as On The Rocks and -196, from ideation to commercialization. Collaborate with brand marketing, insights, R&D, supply chain and commercial stakeholders to bring new products to market
- Cross-Functional Leadership: Work with cross functional teams to deliver projects efficiently and effectively, from initial ideation, through concept development, liquid and packaging design, to commercialization in market
- Excellent Products: Direct and influence the R&D product and packaging teams to develop excellence in taste delivery and pack presentation
- Insights: Monitor consumer trends in needs, occasions, flavors and drink experiences, and recommend activities and projects to maintain our position of leadership within the spirits industry
- Project Management: Support the overseeing of the end-to-end management of innovation projects, ensuring timely delivery and alignment with Market Development and Commercialization Team to ensure our sales teams are set up for success for new innovation launches
- Innovation Strategy Support: Support the innovation strategy for the RTD business through leadership of On the Rocks innovation recommendation, ensuring alignment Suntory RTD Company ambition
- +3 years Consumer Marketing or Brand innovation experience or a similar amount of solid experience in a related field
Up to 20% travel. - Excellent interpersonal skills, with ability to communicate effectively in a multicultural, cross functional organization and a strong ability to develop and foster internal and external partnerships
- Self-starter, flexible and comfortable working in unstructured environment, and able to manage multiple priorities effortlessly
- Passionate and determined, committed to delivering projects on-time and above expectations
- Demonstrated experience in working across and up, within the organization, gaining credibility amongst peers, managers and other commercial leadership
- Resourceful, with a problem-solving attitude and willingness to think creatively to reach resolutions
- Collaborative and able to build bridges across cross-functional teams and geographies; more specifically strong communicator, active listening skills, ability to listen for feedback and validate and address concerns; and excellent influencing and presentation skills
- Leverage syndicated data sources such as Nielsen or IRI to understand own, competitor, and category performance.
- Highly organized and detailed oriented with ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Suntory Global Spirits
As a world leader in premium spirits, Suntory Global Spirits inspires the brilliance of life, by creating rich experiences for people, in harmony with nature. Known for its craftsmanship of premium whiskies, including Jim Beam® and Maker's Mark®; Japanese whiskies, including Yamazaki®, Hakushu®, Hibiki® and TokiTM; and leading Scotch brands including Laphroaig® and Bowmore®, Suntory Global Spirits also produces leading brands such as Tres Generaciones® and El Tesoro® tequila, RokuTM and Sipsmith® gin, and is a world leader in Ready-To-Drink cocktails, with brands like -196 and On The RocksTM Premium Cocktails. A global company with approximately 6,000 employees in nearly 30 countries, Suntory Global Spirits is driven by its core values of Growing for Good, Yatte Minahare and Giving Back to Society. The company’s Proof Positive sustainability strategy includes ambitious goals and investments to drive sustainable change and have a positive impact on the planet, consumers and communities. Headquartered in New York City, Suntory Global Spirits is a subsidiary of Suntory Holdings Limited of Japan. For more information, visit www.suntoryglobalspirits.com and www.drinksmart.com.
