Contract Innovation Manager

LaSalle Network has partnered with a leading food/CPG company in their search for a Brand Innovation Manager (Contract) to join their team on an interim basis and help drive its innovation portfolio.

This person will have broad ownership across the innovation pipeline, with a primary focus on stewarding projects through the stage-gate process and ensuring successful execution from concept through launch. The ideal candidate is a strong project manager with hands-on innovation experience who can quickly step in, bring structure to multiple workstreams, and keep cross-functional teams moving forward.

Experience in food or CPG—particularly food & beverage—is strongly preferred.

The Day to Day:

• Lead and manage innovation projects across the portfolio, from concept through commercialization.

• Steward projects through the stage-gate process, ensuring milestones, timelines, deliverables, and decisions stay on track.

• Partner cross-functionally with Marketing, R&D, Sales, Operations, and other key stakeholders to drive projects forward.

• Manage multiple innovation workstreams simultaneously and identify risks, dependencies, and roadblocks.

• Bring strong PMO/project management discipline to the innovation process.

• Help maintain and evolve the innovation pipeline and identify opportunities for future growth.

• Facilitate communication and alignment across teams and ensure clear ownership and accountability.

• Provide visibility into project status, timelines, and key decisions to senior leadership.

What You Bring:

• 3+ years of experience in brand innovation or product innovation

• 5+ years in CPG/ brand management experience

• Experience managing innovation projects through a stage-gate development process.

• Strong project/program management and organizational skills; comfortable managing multiple projects at once.

• Experience working cross-functionally across Marketing, R&D, Sales, Operations, and/or other business functions.

• Food or CPG experience strongly preferred; food & beverage experience ideal.

• Ability to quickly step into an existing organization, create structure, and drive projects forward with minimal ramp-up.

• Strategic thinker who is also highly hands-on and execution-oriented.

• Chicago-based and able to work 2–3 days per week onsite throughout the length of the contract (till the end of the year)

This position pays an hourly rate (w2) of $55/hr-$65/hr based on experience and as a consultant with LaSalle Network you are eligible to enroll in benefits. For details, visit

If this position sounds like a fit for you, please apply today!

Missy Stella
Sr. Marketing Recruiter

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