Innovation Manager

The Company

A household name FMCG business with market and category leading brands

The Role

The key purpose of the role is to contribute to the development of the 5 year Innovation strategy and activity plan, creating and delivering innovation ideas and concepts in line with the innovation strategy and project managing these from concept to launch.

Key accountabilities include:

• Lead idea generation sessions with both internal and external stakeholders using proven ideation tools & techniques to deliver a high quantity and quality of ideas.
  
• Create high appeal product and packaging concepts in-line with the innovation strategy and project manage these concepts through consumer testing and feasibility stages
• Work closely with the Category function to create and deliver motivating selling stories to influence retailers to list and support your key NPD initiatives
• Project manage NPD launches and EPD projects, working closely with Operations, Finance and marketing colleagues to deliver projects on time, on budget costs and at above target profitability.
• Work with the Category Team to deliver motivating selling stories that persuade retailers to list and support your key NPD initiatives

Essential Skills

Success in this role will largely be dependant on your ability to develop good relationships with internal and external stakeholders, aligning everyone to the innovation agenda to deliver projects on time and to budget. You will be of graduate calibre, an ambitious, career minded, high achiever with good analytical capability and a desire to make a difference.

You must have significant experience of launching NPD projects into FMCG or Grocery retail environments, with demonstrable experience of achieving targeted profitability. You will have experience of concept writing and testing methodology, leading brainstorming sessions and knowledge of the tools and techniques required for facilitating successful idea sessions.