Summary
the innovation specialist is a key driver in shaping the future of our portfolio. This role is responsible for supporting the development of a robust innovation strategy and pipeline, ensuring that every project transitions seamlessly from a creative concept to a successful market reality. You will bridge the gap between visionary thinking and disciplined execution, managing the end-to-end lifecycle of new initiatives.
core responsibilities
* strategic execution: drive the annual innovation plan by managing a diverse project portfolio, ensuring all initiatives meet or exceed established kpis.
* end-to-end development: lead new initiatives through the full stage-gate process, overseeing the journey from initial ideation and prototyping to full-scale commercialization.
* market intelligence: maintain a 360‑degree view of the business landscape, synthesizing internal and external trends, competitive moves, and brand equity to identify high‑growth opportunities.
* data-driven decision making: utilize advanced analytical skills to transform complex data into actionable insights, refining the product mix and optimizing the marketing strategy.
major duties & responsibilities
50%
* innovation stage gate process management
* end‑to‑end governance: lead project development through the stage‑gate pipeline, ensuring rigorous adherence to timelines and quality standards.
* strategic alignment: prioritize initiatives to ensure total consistency with the innovation strategy and overarching business goals (e.g., speed‑to‑market and financial kpis).
* resource planning: forecast and plan requirements for each stage of the pipeline to ensure adequate depth and resource allocation to meet objectives.
* cross‑functional leadership: serve as the "project champion," orchestrating activities across r&d, supply chain, sales, and finance to ensure seamless delivery.
* financial stewardship: own the financial health of assigned projects, including p&l development, capital feasibility studies, and roi analysis.
20%
* trend & market intelligence: track and synthesize global/local innovation trends and fmcg dynamics to identify "white space" opportunities.
* insight-driven innovation: analyze consumer, shopper, and market research to build a robust pipeline of insights and ideas for future exploration.
* business case development: partner with insights and marketing teams to build compelling business cases and consumer learning plans for new initiatives.
* strategic recommendations: present and advocate for initiatives that maximize commercial success within relevant brand spaces.
20%
* data consolidation: orchestrate the monthly innovation tracker by gathering and validating inputs from all cross-functional marketing partners.
* executive reporting: generate high-impact local and international innovation reports, providing visibility on pipeline health and performance to senior leadership.
10%
* continuous growth: take proactive ownership of professional development, identifying key areas for growth in innovation methodology and leadership.
* self-driven training: commit to a structured self-training plan under the mentorship of the innovation manager to stay at the forefront of industry best practices.
minimum knowledge, skills & abilities
* analytical & strategic mastery
* insight synthesis: ability to apply comprehensive research and analytical principles to identify patterns and transform complex data into strategic business recommendations.
* adaptive problem solving: proficiency in utilizing (or designing) innovative analytical frameworks to address evolving business questions and ambiguous situations.
* strategic thinking: demonstrated potential to connect market dynamics with business objectives, fostering long-term value creation.
* intellectual curiosity: a proactive mindset characterized by the ability to ask thought-provoking questions and challenge the status quo to drive innovation.
* operational excellence & resilience
* agile prioritization: proven ability to manage multiple, sometimes conflicting, priorities in a fast-paced environment with tight deadlines and short time constraints.
* reliability: strong commitment to operational excellence and a consistent track record of meeting or exceeding deadlines.
* learning agility: capacity to rapidly acquire and apply new technical skills and industry methodologies.
* cross-functional influence: ability to interact effectively and build rapport with diverse teams (r&d, sales, finance, supply chain).
* communication skills: excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to present complex information clearly to stakeholders.
* technical & tools proficiency
* business intelligence: advanced proficiency in microsoft office suite (excel and powerpoint are essential).
* data platforms: familiarity with retail databases such as nielsen or iscam (answers/cubo) is highly desirable.
* project management: working knowledge of project management software (e.g., ms project, asana, or smartsheet).
additional requirements
* mobility: willingness and ability to travel (10-20% of the time).
education
* bachelor’s degree required (marketing/management, high achievement and quantitative ability primary considerations).
experience
* innovation experience: 2 - 3 years.
* project management experience with stage gate process.
* brand management experience (as brand associate) a plus.
* working knowledge of syndicated data a plus (e.g. Nielsen).
business experience
* 1-3 years.
* background in consumer packaged goods considered a plus.
* experience in cross‑functional disciplines a significant plus (e.g. marketing, finance, category management, consulting, r&d, etc.).
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