Product Development & Innovation Manager (CPG)

Manager, Product Development & Innovation (CPG)

Position Summary

The Manager of Product Development & Innovation is responsible for leading the execution of product development and R&D initiatives within a dynamic Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) environment. The role oversees the end-to-end development lifecycle-from concept ideation and formulation through commercialization assuring products are delivered on time, within budget, and in compliance with consumer, customer, regulatory, and quality standards.

This role serves as a key integrator across R&D, Marketing, Sales, Finance, Supply Chain, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing, translating consumer insights and business priorities into scalable, market-ready solutions.

Key Responsibilities

Product Development & R&D Execution

• Lead end-to-end product development activities including formulation, prototyping, validation, scale-up, and commercialization
• Partner with R&D to guide technical feasibility, ingredient selection, product performance, and claims support
• Execute product renovation and optimization initiatives to improve cost, quality, sustainability, and consumer experience
• Ensure compliance with food safety, quality, regulatory, and labeling requirements across markets

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Act as the primary development lead across Marketing, Sales, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, Regulatory, and Manufacturing
• Translate consumer and customer insights into clear development briefs and technical requirements
• Align development timelines with launch plans, customer commitments, and operational readiness
• Communicate risks, tradeoffs, and progress with clarity and accountability

Commercialization & Scale-Up

• Lead pilot and plant trials to ensure successful scale-up and production readiness
• Partner with Supply Chain and Procurement on sourcing strategies, supplier qualification, and cost optimization
• Support smooth handoff from development into full-scale manufacturing

Budget & Investment Management

• Oversee innovation-related development budgets and resource allocation
• Ensure disciplined investment of R&D and development spend toward highest-impact initiatives
• Partner with Finance to build business cases, validate assumptions, and track financial performance and ROI across projects

Process Discipline & Continuous Improvement

• Manage multiple development programs simultaneously in a fast-paced environment
• Apply standardized development processes, governance, and documentation
• Identify opportunities to improve speed-to-market, predictability, and execution efficiency

In This Role, You Will Bring

• Bachelor's degree required, Food Science, Product Development, R&D, or innovation roles.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with experience supporting growth of new products, platforms, or brands
• Proven ability to work cross-functionally with Marketing, Insights, Sales, Finance, Operations, and Manufacturing.
• Strong strategic thinking paired with hands-on execution and commercialization.
• Consumer-obsessed, with strong intuition for trends, unmet needs, and evolving preferences
• Analytical and data-driven, able to translate insights into clear actions and decisions
• Influential collaborator capable of aligning stakeholders and driving outcomes without direct authority
• Results-driven with a strong sense of ownership, urgency, and accountability
• Comfortable operating in ambiguity and making sound decisions with incomplete information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Outlook, and any project management software.

Additional Requirements

• Up to 30% of travel required
• This role is based at the corporate office in Sioux City, IA