Marketing Innovation Manager

KDP is seeking a highly motivated, results-driven, Innovation Manager with a proven track record of success to join our team. This person will play a role in driving change in how we innovate as a beverage business, focusing on a consumer and design-centric model that is nimble and agile.  Opportunity identification, innovation strategy, and creating innovation capabilities and a culture of innovation are all elements of this role. If you enjoy making surprise connections, turning insight into action, and working beyond the status quo, we want to talk to you. Consumer and customer needs are constantly evolving, and thus we must be faster, more iterative, and more creative in how we work together as innovators. You will champion collaboration across business units, and you have demonstrated cross-functional leadership across marketing, R&D, Operations, Sales, Strategy, Finance, and Legal/Regulatory.

This Innovation Manager will lead new product innovation launches through the full innovation process. This includes data driven choice making to define the innovation strategy with Brand teams, generating consumer empathy to uncover unmet consumer needs with the Insight teams, idea generation leveraging cross-functional expertise, concept creation with R&D, concept vetting with consumers and with legal and regulatory teams, vetting financials with finance and RGM, incorporating retailer perspective with Commercial teams, briefing for graphics development with external agencies, briefing formula development with R&D, and ensuring timelines are met with IMO.

To be successful in this role requires the ability to identify innovations that consumers want to pay for and that KDP wants to sell them. Navigating challenges along the way requires appetite and acumen for problem solving, and ability to understand the unique perspectives of each cross-functional team.

Position Responsibilities

• Monitor the domestic and global marketplace for new product innovations, competitor actions, lifestyle trends, consumer and market trend insights, and emerging technologies.
• Collide this stimulus from the marketplace with consumer & market research, Syndicated data (IRi or Nielsen), competitive trends and forecasting.
• Analysis that leverages external data and internal cross functional perspectives to define rich territories for innovation with deep grounding in consumer needs, attitudes and behaviors as well as business needs and brand equity.
• Lead cross-functional teams to develop and execute innovation strategies, launch new products and brands that meet business objectives.
• Collaborate with KDP strategy, consumer insights, brand marketing, and commercial teams to scope and create the business case for prioritizing innovation investments.
• Make recommendations regarding product objectives and strategy, positioning, pricing, packaging and product lifecycle.
• Develop strategic analyses to assess and measure new product launch success.

Education and Experience

• Bachelor's Degree required. MBA preferred.
• 5+ years in Marketing positions in consumer packaged goods (CPG), with depth in innovation.
• Passion for the brand, strong energy, and willingness to do what is needed to get the job done.

Required Skills:

• Classically trained innovation marketer with experience (ideally) at a larger CPG company, who is passionate and comfortable operating within a smaller, entrepreneurial environment.
• Ability to apply knowledge of multidisciplinary business principles and practices to achieve successful outcomes in cross-functional projects and activities.
• Strong leadership, organization, planning, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to influence others both up and across the organization
• Strong analytical and technical skills; comfortable with IRI or Nielsen data.
• Strong knowledge of product development life cycle
• Strong problem-solving abilities.
• Working knowledge of financial planning, forecasting assortment planning and inventory management
• Strong knowledge of CPG marketing vehicles and marketing fundamentals.
• Ability to challenge the status quo and be persistent and persuasive in the face of opposition.
• Ability to work both independently and as part of a team.
• Low ego; this role requires a team and enterprise orientation, as well as the ability to roll up your sleeves, get things done, and own the work.
• Comfortable with ambiguity, ability to work well in an entrepreneurial environment, and thoughtful with regard to risk taking.

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) is a leading beverage company in North America, with a portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partners brands and powerful distribution capabilities to provide a beverage for every need, anytime, anywhere. We operate with a differentiated business model and world-class brand portfolio, powered by a talented and engaged team that is anchored in our values. We work with big, exciting beverage brands and the #1 single-serve coffee brewing system in North America at KDP, and we have fun doing it!

Together, we have built a leading beverage company in North America offering hot and cold beverages together at scale. Whatever your area of expertise, at KDP you can be a part of a team that’s proud of its brands, partnerships, innovation, and growth. Will you join us?

We strive to be an employer of choice, providing a culture and opportunities that empower our team of ~29,000 employees to grow and develop. We offer robust benefits to support your health and wellness as well as your personal and financial well-being. We also provide employee programs designed to enhance your professional growth and development, while ensuring you feel valued, inspired and appreciated at work.

Keurig Dr Pepper is an equal opportunity employer and recruits qualified applicants and advances in employment its employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability or association with a person with a disability, medical condition, genetic information, ethnic or national origin, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.