Senior Manager, Innovation

ROLES & RESPONSIBILITIES

• Develop and lead the company's innovation strategy and three-year rolling innovation pipeline, aligned with business objectives, consumer needs and category growth opportunities.
• Analyse consumer insights, market trends, competitive landscape and emerging technologies to identify innovation opportunities and portfolio gaps.
• Develop and manage the innovation portfolio across brands, including new products, renovations, line extensions and packaging innovations to drive sustainable business growth.
• Lead cross-functional innovation projects from concept development through stage gate approvals, commercialisation, production, launch and post-launch evaluation.
• Ensure all innovation projects comply with the Stage Gate process and meet financial, commercial, regulatory and operational feasibility requirements prior to commercialisation.
• Drive effective project governance by monitoring timelines, risks, dependencies and key deliverables to ensure successful execution.
• Continuously review and improve innovation processes, governance frameworks and cross-functional ways of working to enhance speed, collaboration and efficiency.
• Identify and proactively manage project risks and opportunities, enabling timely decision-making throughout the innovation lifecycle.
• Build strong partnerships with Marketing, Sales, Consumer Insights, R&D, Supply Chain, Regulatory, Procurement, Finance, Operations, AHSEA, PepsiCo and other key stakeholders to ensure successful project delivery.
• Monitor and manage the innovation budget, ensuring efficient utilisation of resources and alignment with business priorities.
• Foster a culture of innovation and continuous improvement by encouraging knowledge sharing, best practices and capability building across the team.
• Coach and develop the Innovation team through ongoing mentoring, performance management and capability development.
• Leverage internal and external networks, partners and industry trends to strengthen innovation capabilities and accelerate business growth.
• Perform any other duties or additional tasks as assigned, consistent with the role and the needs of the business.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Marketing, Business Administration, Beverage Technology, or a related discipline.
• Minimum 8–10 years of relevant experience in product innovation, product development, R&D, brand management, or category management within the beverage, FMCG, or food industry.
• At least 3–5 years of leadership experience managing innovation projects and cross-functional teams.
• Proven track record of successfully launching new beverage products from concept to commercialization.
• Experience managing innovation portfolios and stage-gate development processes
• Strong understanding of New Product Development (NPD) processes, consumer research methodologies, and innovation frameworks, with the ability to translate insights into successful product concepts and commercial opportunities.
• Excellent interpersonal, communication, and influencing skills, with the ability to build strong relationships and achieve positive, win-win outcomes with internal and external stakeholders.
• Strategic and creative thinker with the ability to synthesize complex information, identify opportunities, and develop innovative solutions using both conventional and unconventional approaches.
• Highly collaborative team player with proven experience leading and working effectively within cross-functional teams, including Marketing, R&D, Operations, Sales, Supply Chain, and Finance.
• Demonstrated ability to champion innovation and drive projects from concept through commercialization while balancing consumer needs, business objectives, and operational feasibility.
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making capabilities, with a proactive and results-oriented mindset.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced and dynamic environment while maintaining attention to detail and execution excellence.
• Skilled in stakeholder management, facilitating alignment across diverse functions to ensure successful project delivery and business outcomes.