Agile Innovation Manager

Job Description

Job Description

Russell Tobin is partnering with a top food and beverage company to identify a  Agile Innovation Manager for an opportunity in Chicago, IL.

Responsibilities:

• Lead sprint planning, daily stand-ups, retrospectives, sprint reviews, and other agile rituals to keep the team focused, aligned, and on track.
• Partner with Project Owner and Marketing Lead to manage end-to-end innovation & commercialization process, from initial concept to successful market launch.
• Build and manage timeline of the project and product development; Align POD members on their commitments with the timelines to ensure on time delivery.
• Coach the pod on agile principles, flex when needed and helping the team balance speed and structure while adapting quickly to feedback and new insights.
• Identify and resolve impediments that hinder progress—whether operational, organizational, or resource-related—to keep the initiatives moving forward.
• Tracking key agile metrics such as CSat, Maturity, Capacity of the team, reporting progress, and making adjustments as needed to ensure project success.
• Maintain clear documentation of sprint goals, backlog items, decisions, and velocity. Ensure the team and stakeholders have visibility into progress, risks, and timelines.
• Guide the team in retrospectives to continuously improve delivery and collaboration.
• Ensure alignment across all pod members, including R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, and Marketing, while fostering an environment of shared ownership and rapid iteration.
• Tailor agile workflows to reflect the unique physical product innovation characteristics —helping the team move quickly from insight to execution while navigating pack simplification, retail constraints, and test-and-learn launches.
• Help the team align on the highest-impact initiatives by working closely with the Pod Lead and cross-functional partners to manage and refine the product backlog.

Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, or related.
• MUST HAVE: 5+ years of project management, agile leadership, or scrum master experience within the Food & Beverage industry.
• MUST HAVE: experience with physical product innovation in Food & Beverage with packaging projects, aligned with operations & manufacturing side: engineering, changing of machines, alignment with supply chain, etc.
• Strong knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies or proven experience in product development and commercialization.
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
• Strong experience in building timelines for projects with uncertainty, that demands a lot of changes multiple times throughout the project.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
• Experience supporting test-and-learn innovation cycles or commercialization processes.
• Passion for team empowerment, iterative learning, and removing barriers to execution.
• Open to work flexible hours and able to – start 7am Chicago time when needed.

Additional Details :
• Location: Chicago, IL 60601 (Hybrid)
• Duration: 12+ Months
• Pay rate: $60–$77/Hr.
• Schedule: Open to work flexible hours and able to start 7am CST when needed.

APPLY NOW!
Russell Tobin is a professional recruitment and staffing advisory firm that connects job seekers and employers across various industries.  We are a staffing arm of Pride Global.  Affiliates include Russell Tobin, Pride health, Pride Now and Pride One.

#LI-HA2

#ScienceZip

#JD-SCIENCE

#RTA 

For workers in the United States, PrideGlobal and it's affiliates offers eligible employee’s comprehensive healthcare coverage (medical, dental, and vision plans), supplemental coverage (accident insurance, critical illness insurance and hospital indemnity), 401(k)-retirement savings, life & disability insurance, an employee assistance program, legal support, pet insurance and employee discounts with preferred vendors.

Equal Employment Opportunity
PrideGlobal and it's affiliates are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate on the basis of the race, religious creed, color, national origin, ancestry, physical disability, mental disability, reproductive health decision making, medical condition, genetic information, marital status, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, age, sexual orientation, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Fair Chance Employment
PrideGlobal and it's affiliates are a Fair Chance employer. We consider all qualified applicants, including those with criminal histories, in a manner consistent with applicable state and local Fair Chance laws and ordinances, including, the California Fair Chance Act and all applicable local Fair Chance ordinances.

Accommodations
We are committed to providing reasonable accommodations to applicants and employees with disabilities. If you require a reasonable accommodation to participate in the application or interview process, or to perform the essential functions of this role, please contact us.

Only applicable for San Francisco Candidates : Under the San Francisco Lactation in the Workplace Ordinance, we will provide written notice of lactation accommodation rights, and this notice will automatically be given upon hiring, any inquiry of parental leave or lactation accommodation.

Only applicable for Kentucky positions: For this type of employment, state law requires a criminal record check as a condition of employment. This applies to direct care staff (Examples: RN, LPN, Nurse Aides, Therapists) referred to Kentucky nursing facilities, assisted living communities, or long-term care facilities, in accordance with KRS 216.793.