Marketing Associate - Innovation Execution Excellence Job Alerts Link Job Description
Established in 1806 as a small soap and candle business in New York City, Colgate-Palmolive is now a truly global company with products sold in over 200 countries and territories under such internationally recognised brand names as Colgate, Palmolive, Softsoap, Irish Spring, Protex, Sorriso, Kolynos, elmex, Tom's of Maine, Sanex, Ajax, Axion, Soupline, Haci Sakir, Suavitel, PCA SKIN, EltaMD, Filorga and Hello as well as Hill's Science Diet and Hill's Prescription Diet.
Colgate-Palmolive is a leading consumer products company that serves hundreds of millions of consumers worldwide with brands and products across four core businesses – Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care and Pet Nutrition. We are committed to offering products that make lives healthier and more enjoyable, and programmes that enrich communities around the world.
Every day millions of people trust our products to care for themselves and the ones they love. Our goal is to use our technology to create products that will continue to improve the quality of life for our consumers wherever they live.
A career at Colgate-Palmolive is an excellent opportunity if you seek a global experience, constant challenge, and development opportunities in an environment that respects work/life effectiveness.
Information at a Glance
Job Title: Marketing Associate - Innovation Execution Excellence
Travel Required: 25% of time
Posting Start Date: 17/09/2026
On-site
No Relocation Assistance Offered
Job Number#176060 - Surrey, England, United Kingdom
Who We Are
Colgate-Palmolive Company is a global consumer products company operating in over 200 countries specialising in Oral Care, Personal Care, Home Care, Skin Care, and Pet Nutrition. Our products are trusted in more households than any other brand in the world, making us a household name! Join Colgate-Palmolive, a caring, innovative growth company reimagining a healthier future for people, their pets, and our planet. Guided by our core values—Caring, Inclusive, and Courageous—we foster a culture that inspires our people to achieve common goals. Together, let’s build a brighter, healthier future for all.
Job Title: Innovation Execution Excellence Specialist
Reporting to: Senior Manager, Innovation Execution Excellence
Location: Woking, UK
Salary: £45,500 - £50,000
The strategic guardian of execution for the hub, maximising innovation success. This role owns the end-to-end commercialisation process, translating strategic visions into market reality by orchestrating the cross-functional ecosystem and ensuring profitable delivery of the innovation pipeline (The Last Mile of Innovation). You provide the critical technical mastery that grounds all brand strategy in operational and commercial feasibility.
Key Responsibilities
1. Launch Orchestration (The "Project Lead")
- End-to-End Project Management: Serve as the central project manager for all innovation and renovation projects. Own the timeline from "Product Lock" to "On-Shelf," ensuring no slippage in critical path milestones.
- Cross-Functional Alignment: Act as the primary connector between the Hub and the Division/Global Supply Chain, R&D, and Legal teams, translating commercial needs into operational actions.
- Process Guardianship: Act as the expert on the "Gateway Process" (the stage-gate innovation process), ensuring all stakeholders adhere to the discipline required for a successful launch.
2. Go to Market Execution
- GTM Process: Lead cross-functional GtM meetings and communication to track project timeline and review any risks/solutions.
- GTM Toolkit Execution: Deliver impactful GtM and innovation storytelling (leveraging Innovation playbook). Create the toolkit (GTM story, samples, e-content assets etc) and engagement internally, and ready for CD execution.
- Artwork (AW) Execution: Manage the end-to-end packaging and artwork workflows, ensuring regulatory compliance, translations, with timely release.
3. Technical Commercialization Mastery
- The "SKU Architect": Own the technical backbone of the brand. You are responsible for SKU creation, country pairings (determining which markets get which packs), and volume consolidation.
- Complexity Management: Manage the simplification agenda by identifying low-performing SKUs for delisting and ensuring the portfolio remains efficient and profitable.
Required Skills & Competencies
- Operational Discipline: Execution Excellence mindset with an obsession for timelines, critical paths, and details.
- Agility & Project Leadership: Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously (e.g., major NPD launches alongside packaging renovations) and lead cross-functional teams without direct authority.
- Commercial Architecture Mastery: Deep, practical expertise in SKU logic, technical commercialization, and understanding exactly how a product physically reaches the market in multi-market clusters.
- Collaborative Influence: Proven ability to drive progress across key support teams (Supply Chain, Regulatory, Legal) through influence rather than direct reporting authority.
Our Commitment to Inclusion
Our journey begins with our people—developing strong talent with diverse backgrounds and perspectives to best serve our consumers around the world and fostering an inclusive environment where everyone feels a true sense of belonging. We are dedicated to ensuring that each individual can be their authentic self, is treated with respect, and is empowered by leadership to contribute meaningfully to our business.
Equal Opportunity Employer
Colgate is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, colour, religion, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, national origin, ethnicity, age, disability, marital status, veteran status (United States positions), or any other characteristic protected by law.
Reasonable accommodation during the application process is available for persons with disabilities. Please complete this request form should you require accommodation.
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Marketing Associate - Innovation Execution Excellence in Woking employer: Colgate
Hill’s Pet Nutrition is an outstanding employer, offering a vibrant work culture in Woking, Surrey, where employees are valued as key brand ambassadors. With a strong focus on professional development and employee growth opportunities, the company fosters a supportive environment that encourages collaboration and innovation. Additionally, the commitment to exceptional customer service ensures that every team member plays a vital role in making a positive impact on pet health and well-being.
