Vice President NPD & Innovation

As the Innovation Manager, you will play a crucial role in driving new product creation and innovation for your assigned brand(s). Your responsibilities will involve bridging the Category, Channel, and R&D teams to conceptualize, validate, and launch differentiated products that contribute to growth. You will be accountable for new product revenue from recently launched SKUs and share responsibility for product NPS and consumer ratings post-launch. **Key Responsibilities:** - Drive end-to-end ownership of new product concepts, from consumer insight to launch readiness. - Translate brand strategy and whitespace opportunities into actionable innovation briefs. - Partner with R&D to ensure technical feasibility, cost targets, and product superiority. - Collaborate with Category & Channel teams to optimize product-market fit, pricing, and pack architecture. - Deliver annual innovation revenue targets from products launched in the last 12 months. - Co-own Product NPS and consumer ratings, focusing on continuous improvement. - Track and report launch performance metrics such as velocity, repeat rate, ASP, and margin delivery. - Act as Network Manager for ongoing NPDs, ensuring collaboration across various teams. - Manage project timelines, risk logs, and decision gates using innovation frameworks. - Partner with Commercial and eCommerce teams for launch readiness in different channels. - Continuously monitor emerging trends, ingredients, and formats to drive innovation. - Validate product claims, benefits, and user experience with the Consumer Insights team. - Benchmark competitor launches, claims, and packaging for differentiation and speed-to-market advantage. - Maintain documentation of all innovation projects, including stage status and regulatory dossiers. - Ensure a smooth handover to Operations and Brand teams post-commercialization. **Key Metrics of Success:** - Innovation Revenue Contribution (% of total brand sales) - Number of successful SKUs launched and sustained beyond 6 months - Average Product NPS & Consumer Ratings (4.2 stars) - On-time Launch % and Validation Success Rate - Cost and Margin Adherence on NPDs As an ideal candidate for this role, you should have: - 5-8 years of experience in Innovation, Product Development, or Brand Management in relevant sectors. - Strong cross-functional coordination and project management skills. - Deep consumer empathy and data-driven decision-making approach. - Hands-on experience working with R&D, Packaging, or Manufacturing teams. - Exposure to D2C or eCommerce channels is preferred. - Entrepreneurial mindset, ownership bias, and high execution agility.,