Sr Brand Manager Innovation, NA Foodservice

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute a breakthrough innovation strategy aligned to McCain’s long-range growth objectives, category priorities, portfolio strategy, and demand space framework.
• Build and manage a three-year innovation pipeline encompassing product, packaging, occasion, and channel innovations.
• Lead innovation projects from opportunity identification through insight generation, proposition development, validation, and launch readiness.
• Partner with R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Insights, Marketing, and the Go to Market Hub to bring innovation initiatives to market successfully.
• Drive innovation pipeline sufficiency, big-bet prioritization, and portfolio planning to support growth objectives and S&OP processes.
• Define the role of innovation within the broader portfolio and P&L, including product mix, positioning, pricing, and profitability considerations.
• Translate consumer, guest, operator, distributor, and marketplace insights into actionable growth opportunities and differentiated concepts.
• Build strong relationships with internal stakeholders and external customers to create alignment and accelerate innovation adoption.
• Champion a demand-centric, insight-led culture that places consumers and customers at the center of strategic decision-making.
• Coach and develop a Brand Manager through effective performance management, development planning, feedback, and mentorship.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• Minimum of 7 years of marketing or brand management experience.
• At least 3 years of experience leading innovation initiatives within a consumer packaged goods, foodservice, or related environment.
• Proven success developing new-to-world or new-to-company innovations, identifying whitespace opportunities, and creating new occasions or environments for growth.
• Strong strategic thinking skills with demonstrated ability to challenge conventional thinking and generate breakthrough ideas.
• Expertise in turning consumer, customer, and category insights into commercially viable innovations.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to synthesize data from multiple sources and make decisions in ambiguous environments.
• Demonstrated project management capabilities with experience leading multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
• Strong leadership and people management skills with experience coaching and developing team members.
• Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and influencing abilities across all levels of an organization.