At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead innovative projects from concept to launch, driving consumer-led propositions.
- Company: Join Kinisla, a leading dairy brand committed to sustainability and innovation.
- Benefits: Enjoy 25 days annual leave, health care, and a matched pension scheme.
- Other info: Be part of a diverse team fostering an inclusive culture and continuous growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in a fast-paced environment with a focus on creativity.
- Qualifications: Experience in brand or innovation roles, strong project management skills required.
The predicted salary is between 45000 - 55000 £ per year.
We're looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Innovation Manager to support the branded innovation agenda across our Dairy Consumer Foods business. Reporting to the Senior Innovation Manager, you will help to deliver a robust pipeline of innovation for some of the UK and Europe's most loved brands, including our iconic Strings & Things brand aligned to our Strategic Growth Pillars and key brand growth objectives.
The Innovation Manager is responsible for supporting the development and driving the delivery of high quality, consumer‑led innovation pipelines that drive short, mid, and long term growth. This will include taking innovation projects through the full innovation funnel, from concept stage through to launch readiness, ensuring a strong pipeline of consumer‑led, commercially viable propositions.
Joining us means stepping into a fast‑paced, agile and ambitious environment where ideas are welcomed, ownership is encouraged, and development is continuous. This is a hybrid role, with 2 days per week in our Staines offices (Tuesday & Wednesday) and requires occasional travel to our partners in London and our sites across Ireland and the UK.
What You'll Be Doing:
- Consumer Led Proposition Development: Lead the project management of specific innovation projects through the stage and gate process ensuring concepts are developed into executable, launch‑ready propositions. Champion the consumer throughout the innovation process ensuring a consumer‑centric mindset throughout. Foster a culture of curiosity, pace, and constructive challenge. Drive innovation capability, mindset, and confidence across the wider organisation.
- Innovation Ownership & Governance: Lead innovation forums ensuring gate discipline, pace, and quality of decision making. Ensure innovation projects progress effectively from concept to launch readiness, balancing ambition, feasibility, and commercial return. Actively manage the innovation pipeline to ensure short‑ and long‑term brand and commercial needs are met. Champion gate process discipline and compliance through regular innovation meetings. Influence cross‑functional stakeholders to support delivery of the innovation agenda and improve the in‑market success rate of branded NPD concepts.
- Innovation Strategy & Pipeline Development: Support development of innovation pipeline and innovation opportunities which support the business strategy and the growth objectives of key power brands. Support development of innovation strategy and innovation funnel across priority brands.
- Commercial & Brand Impact: Ensure innovation supports brand equity growth and delivers against commercial KPIs. Support innovation launch strategies, ensuring clear roles for brand, innovation, and activation. Track in‑market performance and embed learning loops to strengthen future pipelines. Partner closely with Insights, Brand, Category, R&D, Finance, Commercial teams & agency partners to drive propositions from concept to launch.
Success Measures:
- Strengthen the value of the innovation pipeline (short / medium / long term).
- In‑market success rate of innovation launches.
- Delivery of innovation contribution to growth targets.
- Stakeholder confidence and alignment behind the innovation agenda.
- Help build a stronger innovation culture and mindset across the organisation.
What You Can Bring To The Role:
- Previous experience in brand or innovation roles, preferably within FMCG, with knowledge of innovation stage and gate processes from insight to launch readiness.
- Strong project management capability, with the ability to plan, organise and prioritise projects, activities and resources effectively.
- An understanding of concept development, proposition development and the NPD journey, with examples of successful innovation delivery and in‑market launches.
- A solid commercial acumen with experience building and evaluating business cases.
- Consumer focused, insight driven, and commercially grounded.
- Collaborative, decisive, and outcomes focused.
- Curiosity and a hunger to learn, grow and push boundaries.
- Strong influencer across functions, partners and leadership teams.
What We Can Offer:
- 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
- Health Care
- Matched pension scheme
- Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers
In Kinisla we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires food and nourishes life. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.
Innovation Manager employer: Kinisla
Kinisla is an exceptional employer that fosters a dynamic and inclusive work culture, where innovation and collaboration are at the forefront. With a commitment to employee growth, we offer robust development opportunities alongside competitive benefits such as 25 days of annual leave and a matched pension scheme. Located in Staines, our hybrid working model allows for flexibility while being part of a community dedicated to shaping the future of dairy through sustainability and excellence.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Innovation Manager
✨Leverage Innovation Hubs
Tap into local innovation hubs and research centres. These places often host events and workshops where you can meet like-minded people and industry leaders. Plus, they might have job openings that aren't widely advertised, so keep your ears open!
✨Showcase Your Projects
Turn your past innovation projects into compelling stories. Create a portfolio showcasing your creativity and problem-solving skills. This can give hiring managers a real flavour of what you can bring to the table at companies like Kinisla.
✨Connect at Industry Conferences
Make it a point to attend industry conferences and seminars focused on R&D and innovation management. These events are fantastic for networking and often have job boards or career fairs where you can connect directly with firms looking for talent.
✨Use Your University’s Resources
If you're fresh out of university, don't forget to tap into your institution's career services. They often have exclusive partnerships with companies seeking new talent in R&D, especially for full-time roles. It's a good shortcut to landing a gig at places like Kinisla.
We think you need these skills to ace Innovation Manager
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Creative Thinking:In innovation and R&D management, it's all about thinking outside the box. Make sure your CV highlights any projects or experiences that showcase your creative problem-solving skills. Use specific examples to illustrate how you've developed and implemented innovative ideas in previous roles.
Tailor Your Experience to R&D:When you're crafting your CV, focus on your experience in research and development. Highlight any relevant projects you've worked on, including methodologies used and results achieved. This will show us at Kinisla that you understand the R&D process and can contribute meaningfully to our projects.
Let Your Passion Shine in the Cover Letter:For a full-time role like this, your cover letter should reflect your genuine passion for innovation and development. Share your excitement about the opportunity to work at Kinisla and touch on how your goals align with our mission. This helps us see your motivation for wanting to join our team!
Quantify Your Achievements:Numbers speak volumes in R&D! Whenever possible, quantify your achievements in your CV. Whether it’s a percentage improvement in project outcomes, the budget size you’ve managed, or the number of successful products you've launched, these figures will help paint a clearer picture of your impact and capabilities.
How to prepare for a job interview at Kinisla
✨Show Off Your Innovative Thinking
In an Innovation R&D Management role at Kinisla, they're going to want to see how you approach problem-solving. Be ready to discuss previous projects where you introduced a new idea or process. Highlight your ability to think outside the box and provide examples where your innovations drove significant results.
✨Familiarity with Tools and Technologies
Make sure you're clued up on the latest tools and technologies related to innovation management, such as project management software and data analysis platforms. Being able to discuss specific tools you’ve used or have experience with will show Kinisla that you’re ready to hit the ground running.
✨Demonstrate Collaboration Skills
Since this is a full-time gig, emphasising your teamwork skills will be essential. In innovation, collaboration often sparks the best ideas, so be ready to talk about how you've worked effectively within cross-functional teams in your past roles. Have concrete examples at the ready!
✨Prepare for Scenario-Based Questions
Expect some scenario-based questions in your interview that reflect real challenges you might face in the role. £At Kinisla, they might want to see how you handle tight deadlines or manage conflicting ideas within a team. Prepare some responses that demonstrate your critical thinking and decisiveness in high-pressure situations.
