Job Summary:

We are seeking a dynamic and commercially minded Brand Innovation Project Manager to lead the end-to-end innovation journey, from identifying new opportunities and developing concepts through product development, industrialization, and handover for commercialization.

The successful candidate will serve as a key link across Marketing, Commercial, R&D, Production, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, and external partners, ensuring innovation projects are strategically aligned, commercially viable, and delivered effectively.

Key Responsibilites: 

• Lead and continuously improve the organization’s end-to-end innovation process, including stage gates, evaluation criteria, and governance.
• Manage the innovation pipeline, from idea generation and evaluation through concept development, validation, and industrialization.
• Identify and leverage consumer insights, market trends, competitive intelligence, and emerging opportunities to support innovation.
• Develop clear concept briefs and coordinate consumer, technical, operational, and commercial validation.
• Lead cross-functional innovation projects, managing timelines, deliverables, dependencies, risks, and stakeholder accountability.
• Partner with R&D, Production, Supply Chain, Marketing, Commercial, Finance, and other functions to bring new products and brand innovations to market.
• Coordinate external partners, including suppliers, agencies, development partners, and co-manufacturers.
• Support the development of business cases, cost assessments, revenue projections, and commercial evaluations for innovation initiatives.
• Facilitate innovation governance forums and stage-gate reviews while providing regular pipeline and project updates to leadership.
• Ensure effective handover of projects to Brand Teams for commercialization.
• Support the development of internal innovation capabilities through training, coaching, and continuous improvement initiatives.

Qualifications and Experience: 

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Innovation Management, Project Management, or a related discipline.
• An MBA or relevant postgraduate qualification will be considered an asset.
• Minimum seven (7) years’ experience in Brand Management, Marketing, Innovation, Product Development, or Project Management, preferably within the FMCG, CPG, or beverage industry.
• Proven experience managing innovation or product development projects from ideation through commercialization or industrialization.
• Demonstrated experience successfully launching new products, packaging innovations, or brand initiatives.
• Strong experience in cross-functional project management and stakeholder coordination.
• Sound understanding of consumer insights, market trends, commercial evaluation, and product development.
• Strong analytical, organizational, communication, influencing, and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent ability to manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders in a fast-paced environment.