Innovation Manager (Relocation Available) - Kevin's Natural Foods : Job Details

We are seeking a creative and strategic Innovation Manager to join our Marketing team. This role is integral to driving our company's growth by leading the development of the innovation pipeline, creating both new product concepts and building on our current platforms, while collaborating closely with the marketing, sales and R&D teams. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in CPG and/or Food, and a passion for innovation.

What You'll Do:

• Manage the development and implementation of innovation strategies that feed into long-range and annual plans for assigned categories, aligning with overall enterprise goals.
• Lead the development and execution of product and packaging innovation initiatives, including concept development, category and competitive assessments, feasibility, product and packaging exploration, consumer and sensory validation, size of prize assessment, customer sell-in, and tracking of in-market performance.
• Identify growth opportunities by leveraging syndicated research, trend data, primary market research, and competitive intelligence.
• Develop meaningful consumer concepts and positioning for innovation ideas that add value in the category and effectively communicate product benefits to consumers.
• Collaborate with finance partners to develop Innovation product P&Ls and pricing strategies that meet brand objectives.
• Act as the project lead and a liaison with other cross-functional partners to ensure that the innovation initiatives progress toward launch and receive the necessary resources and support.
• Work collaboratively with consumer insights, R&D, and culinary teams to identify and build exploration areas, build research and development plans, and solve business challenges.
• Partner closely with sales and marketing teams to understand and integrate customer strategies into the innovation pipeline.
• Other duties as assigned and necessary.

What You'll Need:

• Bachelor's degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or a related field; MBA preferred.
• 5+ years of product innovation or marketing, preferably in the CPG and/or Food industry.
• Strong analytical & research skills with the ability to interpret data to make recommendations and informed decisions.
• Ability to translate consumer and market insights into brand and innovation strategies.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate across teams.
• Naturally curious about new products and new consumer behaviors
• Passion for health and wellness and a deep understanding of consumer behavior in this space.

Healthy, Diverse Teams Breed Innovation:

Kevin's Natural Foods is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We deeply believe that diverse backgrounds and experiences make better teams, and we seek to attract talent from all walks of life. The team at Kevin's is smart, humble, and passionate and we value a work environment that fosters personal development and opportunities to move within our small, but quickly growing organization.

More About Kevin's Natural Foods:

Kevin's Natural Foods is a line of healthy entrées, sides, and sauces, on a mission to make clean eating delicious and accessible. Kevin's guilt-free, sous-vide entrées and sides, and signature certified paleo, keto, and gluten-free sauces allow health-conscious home cooks to whip up delicious meals in five minutes or less.

With restaurant-quality ingredients and recipes, Kevin's products are readily available on the shelves at leading grocery retailers nationwide including Costco, Whole Foods, Albertsons, HEB and Publix. All Kevin's products contain no refined sugar, artificial ingredients, grains, or soy, and are made with antibiotic- and hormone-free meat. A true market disruptor, Kevin's Natural Foods is the first clean refrigerated entrée brand. For more information, please visit www.kevinsnaturalfoods.com.

Kevin's Natural Foods was acquired by Mars, Inc. in July 2023. Kevin's Natural Foods joins the Mars Food & Nutrition segment, complementing its portfolio of leading food brands and recent product innovations. Kevin's will play a key role in Mars Food & Nutrition's ongoing journey to enable delicious, healthier eating to be part of consumers' daily lives, while Mars will help Kevin's to continue to grow, innovate, and bring its portfolio of products to more people.