Manager, Innovation

About the position

The Innovation Manager at Stella & Chewy's will play a crucial role in shaping the future of the brand through the development and execution of new product initiatives. This position involves leading innovation projects from concept to launch, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring alignment with business objectives while staying attuned to market trends and consumer insights.

Responsibilities
? Lead innovation projects from concept to launch within the StageGate? process.
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? Stay abreast of market trends, consumer preferences, and competitor activities to identify opportunities for innovation.
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? Collaborate closely with cross-functional teams including marketing, sales, project management, quality, operations, R&D, regulatory, and finance.
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? Work closely with R&D throughout the new product development lifecycle to provide oversight on product formulations and testing.
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? Manage detailed deliverables related to the creative execution of new products, including timelines and packaging proofing.
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? Support analysis to ensure opportunities meet financial objectives through price, positioning, forecasting, revenue, and margin expectations.
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? Assist with the creation and management of the new product pipeline for domestic and global markets.
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? Monitor progress against goals and objectives, identifying potential risks and implementing mitigation strategies.
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? Develop compelling, insight-backed internal and external presentations to support product sell-in and training.
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? Support the implementation of innovation process optimization.

Requirements
? 5+ years of prior brand/product management, innovation or product development experience in the consumer packaged goods (CPG) industry.
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? Bachelor's Degree in Marketing or related field required; MBA a plus.
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? Highly proficient in Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint & Word.
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? Experience in using data sources such as Nielsen & Stackline preferred.
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? Proven track record of leading successful new product initiatives from concept development to commercialization.
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? Strong blend of strategic mindset and analytical/data-driven thinking.
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? Excellent project management skills with the ability to prioritize tasks and manage multiple projects simultaneously.
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? Meticulous attention to detail.
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? Highly motivated self-starter and creative problem-solver.
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? Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Nice-to-haves
? Pet industry experience highly preferred.

Benefits