Beam Suntory is Crafting the Spirits that Stir the World. Rooted in two centuries of family heritage, Beam Suntory has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Beam Suntory is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.
Innovation Manager - OTR (On the Rocks)
The following position is open in Illinois, United States.
What makes this a great opportunity?
- Beam Suntory (BSI), the top spirits Ready-to-Drink player (RTD) worldwide, has set its sights on becoming a top player in the dynamic, fast-growing US RTD market.
- BSI has made bold moves this year to accelerate its US market position through its acquisition of spirits based On The Rocks, alongside additional new-to-world opportunities in partnership with Suntory Global RTD team
- This people-leader will serve as an integral part of the North American's RTD innovation team, managing one direct report, and building exciting product pipelines that power the P&L for BSI's RTD portfolio
- Opportunity to shape Beam Suntory's long-term growth ambitions in the US -- to set and implement brand strategies in partnership with Suntory, collaborate with internal cross-functionals (R&D, Finance, Consumer Insights, etc.), and partner with sales / commercial teams to ensure products deliver upon commercial needs
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- Lead the innovation agenda and platform pipeline development for OTR (On The Rocks), including planning and prioritizing resources to execute agreed upon timelines.
- Manage a cross-functional team to deliver innovation & renovation workstreams efficiently and effectively, from ideation to launch including concept development, liquid and pack design, manufacturing commercialization and retail commercialization.
- Partner with OTR brand house and consumer insights partners to inspire and facilitate development of products that build brand equity, recruit drinkers and target emerging and unmet consumer needs.
- Direct and influence the R&D product and packaging teams to develop excellence in taste delivery and pack presentation against an aligned set of KPIs.
- Monitor competitive, product usage and consumer trends in needs, occasions, flavors, and drink experiences using both internal and external data sources.
- Identify and implement best practices within innovation, to develop even better ideas and a more efficient development cycle
- 6-8 years Consumer Marketing or Brand innovation experience
- MBA preferred; BA required
- Experience with beverage alcohol industry and/or three-tiered distribution system a plus (soft drinks, beer, and other wholesale-distributed products)
- Proven curiosity and experience with development and commercialization of new innovations
- A passion for understanding consumer behavior and an ability to translate trends and insights into product ideas that uniquely satisfy unmet needs
- Self-starter, flexible and comfortable working in unstructured environment, and able to manage multiple priorities effortlessly.
- Demonstrated experience in working across and up, within the organization, gaining credibility amongst peers, managers, and other commercial leadership.
- Resourceful, with a problem-solving attitude and willingness to think creatively to reach resolutions
- Collaborative and able to build bridges across partnerships, cross-functional teams and geographies; more specifically strong communicator, active listening skills, ability to listen for feedback and validate and address concerns; and excellent influencing and presentation skills
- Knowledge of financial planning, forecasting, and inventory management
- Travel 10-15%, mainly domestic
Nearest Major Market: Chicago