Associate Brand Manager, Innovation
Associate Brand Manager, Innovation At Our Company, we’re all about bringing bold ideas to life—especially when it comes to food. As the Associate Brand Manager for Innovation on our Away From Home (AFH) team, you’ll play a key role in creating exciting new products from concept to launch for one of our flagship brands. If you love blending creative thinking with analytical skills, this role is for you. You’ll work closely with a variety of teams—like R&D, Culinary, Consumer Insights, Sales, Finance, and Supply Chain—to bring ideas to market and ensure every innovation is a success. We're looking for someone who takes initiative, thrives in a fast-paced environment, and enjoys leading multiple projects from start to finish.
What You’ll Do
- Help drive new product innovation for our AFH channel—from early-stage ideas to final launch.
- Analyze market trends and competitive landscapes to uncover new opportunities.
- Collaborate with R&D and Culinary teams to develop product concepts, prototypes, and formulations.
- Lead cross-functional teams through the commercialization process, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on budget, and with excellence.
- Oversee packaging design in partnership with creative agencies—review and approve deliverables.
- Work with Finance to manage product profitability, set pricing strategies, and guide forecasting.
- Partner with Sales and Brand teams to build early customer excitement and align launch plans.
- Stay organized with project tracking, budgets, and innovation routines (like stage gates and resourcing).
What You Bring
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field (MBA or advanced degree a plus—but not required).
- 3–5 years of experience in marketing, product innovation, or brand management—ideally in the consumer goods space.
- Passion for food, flavor innovation, and staying ahead of culinary trends.
- A growth mindset—you love learning, adapting, and solving real consumer needs.
- Strong project management and analytical skills; you make data-driven decisions and build solid business cases.
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple initiatives at once.
- Comfort working in ambiguity and a results-driven mindset.
- Excellent communication skills—you know how to build strong relationships and influence without direct authority.
- Strategic thinking—you see the big picture and can anticipate what’s ahead.
- Great at navigating organizations—formal or informal, you get things done.
- Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Work Environment & Flexibility
This is a hybrid office-based role with some travel to customers, stores, and manufacturing facilities. We offer flexible work arrangements: spend at least three days in the office each week and up to two days working remotely.
Total Rewards
We believe in supporting our people with a meaningful, flexible benefits package that reflects our values and diverse team.
Benefits Snapshot:
- Physical: Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescriptions, Health Screenings
- Social: Paid Time Off, Holidays, Leaves, Flexible Schedules, Recognition
- Emotional: Wellbeing Resources, Family Support, Employee Assistance Program
- Financial: 401(k), Life Insurance, Disability, AD&D
We’re proud to offer a variety of programs that support your well-being—physically, emotionally, socially, and financially.