NTS Group
Job description / Role
Senior Manager Innovation & NPD
Major Duties/Responsibilities:
• Assessing the regional and local specific innovation needs that will enable the Region to achieve and exceed its strategic and financial goals.
• Partnering with the Insight & Analytics team, carrying out systematic white demand space/blue ocean analysis to identify unmet consumer’s needs.
• Cooperating with the Insight & Analytics team and the Brand marketing team, shaping product development scenarios and drive optimal life cycle management.
• Translating data and insights into actionable innovation project plans with sound financial feasibility, including new product platforms and long-term horizon projects
• Developing and managing local co-manufacturing platforms to address specific local innovation needs across different product categories.
• Defining a 3 years projects innovation pipeline for the various Markets within the Region across different categories.
• Leading end-to-end the project development and delivery process, ensuring that timelines and milestones are met.
• Leading the new product go-to-market – plan the launch of new products and manage the cross-functional implementation of the plan up to the in-market launch.
• Partnering with Insight & Analytics team to create the testing protocol for determining which initiatives and products show the most potential and to provide insights on the prototyping stage.
• Creating project plans, including schedules, budgets, and resource plans and eagerly enforce them.
• Tracking and monitoring of progress of projects and summarize status reports for all stakeholders.
• Continuously developing process improvements to increase efficiency, productivity, and communication in marketing, brand, and product development.
• Connecting and aligning all departments involved in the launch of products (Operations, Product Development, Design and Management).
• Facilitating feedback, approval processes, and delivery schedules.
• Managing and lead project status stand-ups, meetings, and workshops.
• Actively participating in incubating new projects and product ideas based on trend and forecasting data, as well as personal intellectual curiosity.
• Creating and leveraging Open Innovation platforms to solve compelling innovation challenges and deliver business impact.
Requirements
Senior Manager Innovation & NPD
Competencies/Skills/Knowledge Required:
• High initiative and determination to drive results.
• Being fast-thinker and able to solve issues swiftly.
• Confident in decision making and calculated risk taking.
• High willingness to drive change & innovation.
• Capability to work in a high speed, lean Organization with entrepreneurial mindset.
• Sharp influencing skills and capability to build consensus at different organizational levels.
• Minimum of 10 years in Marketing Innovation or R&D, preferably at a food company with minimum of 3 years of team management.
• Experience in leading new product innovation white space, including: comprehensive business case, analysis, market sizing, forecasting, strategic marketing, a new product validation models.
• Experience managing complex processes with colleagues across tenures and roles.
• Familiarity with food manufacturing processes, quality assurance principles, and ingredient interactions.
• Proven track record in developing strategy; guiding experimentation, and finding creative and new solutions.
• Experience in Open Innovation projects would be a plus.
• Broad understanding and interest in food science and engineering would be a plus.
• Up to 30-40% global travel required.
About the Company
NTS Group is a leading specialist recruitment firm and experts at recruiting skilled, qualified and professional people in the Middle East.
Our promise is simple. To provide our clients and candidates an expert, professional and bespoke service whilst maintaining the highest levels of integrity and honesty.
NTS Group specialise within contingency, retained and search based recruitment campaigns across the following sectors;
Finance & Accountancy Professional Office Support Sales & Marketing Operations
To our clients, we understand people are your biggest asset and the future of your business. This is why we focus on understanding not only your technical requirements, but your culture, values and vision in order to find the right people for your business first time.
To our candidates, we believe in honesty, integrity and supporting you throughout the entire process. We listen to what you want and proactively go to market to assist you in finding your dream job. Learn More