Senior Manager/Director of Innovation

Role Description

We are seeking a Sr. Manager/Director of Innovation to lead beverage innovation and commercialization from concept through launch. This is a commercially driven innovation role focused on:

• Owning the product pipeline
• Partnering with external formulation partners
• Delivering profitable on-trend private label products for key retailers in the US, MX, and Canada

This role leverages consumer insights and data to define product strategy but also leans on personal gut instinct and market knowledge. The ideal candidate brings strong project management expertise (Asana preferred).

This role is critical to our growth strategy and partners closely with leadership, sales, operations, quality, and supply chain internal teams to succeed in building a resilient product portfolio.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Business, Engineering, or related field (Food Science is a plus, not required)
• Sr. Manager: 5 – 8+ years in CPG innovation, product development, commercialization, or technical program management
• Director: 8 – 10+ years leadership in CPG innovation – leading teams and product portfolios
• Strong experience building and managing product P&Ls and cost models
• Experience working with external formulators, co-manufacturers, or development partners
• Proven track record of launching beverage products from concept through commercialization
• Experience managing innovation pipelines using project management tools (Asana or similar platforms)
• Strong understanding of ingredient costs, supply chain, and manufacturing constraints
• Excellent cross-functional leadership and communication skills

Requirements

• Drive the end-to-end development of innovation projects from concept to commercialization and full-scale production
• Partner with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure manufacturability and cost targets are achieved
• Lead cross-functionally with Ops team to manage co-manufacturers and external partners through launch
• Proactively manage risks related to scale-up, cost, and supply to ensure successful commercialization
• Act as the central hub connecting Leadership, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, and external development partners
• Lead customer-facing innovation initiatives, focusing on private label and custom product development
• Translate customer and commercial needs into executable development plans and timelines

Benefits

• 11 paid holidays
• 401(K) matching
• Comprehensive health insurance
• Employee Assistance Program
• Life Insurance
• Educational Assistance
• Paid Paternity Leave
• Volunteering Paid Time Off