McCain Foods · 1 day ago
Innovation Manager - Global Snacking
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Full-time
Onsite
Mid Level
$98K/yr - $130K/yr
3+ years expMcCain Foods is a global family-owned company focused on creating a winning culture. The Innovation Manager will be a key contributor to the Global Snacking Innovation Team, responsible for executing a multi-year platform strategy to drive profitable growth and lead end-to-end commercialization of breakthrough innovation across various channels.
Food and BeverageFood ProcessingSnack Food
Responsibilities
Deliver compelling disruptive innovation platform strategy, based on consumer, customer and category insights, and market trends, grounded in the McCain long range plan objectives (where to play, how to win, growth targets), category, brand, portfolio strategy and demand space framework
Deliver a 3-year disruptive innovation pipeline, inclusive of product and packaging innovation, with a focus on new environments, new occasions and new platform capabilities, with clarity to horizon pathing and pacing of workstreams
Lead global and regional projects from opportunity to insight to proposition development and validation, through to launch readiness, leveraging the Navigator process, liaising with the insights, marketing teams and go to market hub. Manage projects to agreed budgets, timelines and KPI’s
Build innovation commercial propositions with clarity to product mix, pricing, packaging, placement and promotion, with end-to-end oversight from design to deployment, leveraging opportunity framing, concept writing, briefing and launch proposal processes from design to deployment
Accelerate the company’s innovation process and disruptive innovation planning, leading big bet sizing and pipeline sufficiency (reporting into PPGR) to meet our growth objectives and building best practices for how we innovate that unlocks collaboration and feeds desirability, feasibility and viability
Execute innovation process improvement, enhancing process agility while delivering on quality of launch
Act as a hub of communication to ensure stakeholders are fully integrated in key disruptive innovation activities
Engage cross functionally with go to Market hub, externally with customers and cross-functionally to align innovation, pave the way for new products and drive accountability to deliver to launch timelines
Participate in industry events to understand market trends and developments that can be leveraged by the company
Champion innovation by actively learning and sharing best practices, keeping a pulse on the competitive environment and identifying rising trends and capabilities
Champion an insight led and demand centric growth culture, putting insights at the heart of our disruptive innovation plans and strategy
Support global platform innovation strategy & governance, creating strong global partnerships, sharing best practices and leveraging synergies and influencing with global & cross-regional teams
Be a thought leader, bringing fresh ideas forward to drive the business, embracing change, and helping us become more future ready
Lead with strategy and challenge the status quo in pursuit of breakthrough new to company/new to world ideas
Drive product/brand portfolio growth via distinctly positioned innovation targeted to customer/consumer needs
Champion a consumer first mentality and culture, ensuring both innovation strategy and decision making are grounded in compelling insights
Leverage data and analytics to inform strategic decisions and identify opportunities for growth; be comfortable synthesizing data from multiple sources and tolerating ambiguity when systems and information are limited
Demonstrate the ability to collaborate cross-functionally, driving inspiration, setting clear objectives, and ensuring accountability
Inspire trust and followership through influence, charisma, passion, and drive. Be able to manage stakeholders at all organizational levels to gain “buy in” and adoption
Establish and work toward goals while overcoming obstacles and/or planning for contingencies. Demonstrate a strong passion for winning, strong prioritization and project management skills, and an ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment
Promote an entrepreneurial spirit and start-up culture within a multinational environment
Qualification
Required
Bachelor's degree required; MBA preferred
3-5 years of Marketing or brand management, with a minimum of 1-2 years in an innovation role
A proven track record developing new-to-world and new-to-company innovation, white space development, new occasion or new environment penetration
Track record in championing new ideas and initiatives while creating an environment that supports innovation; leveraging fresh perspectives and new paradigms to create value within the market
Strong project management expertise with experience balancing big-picture with day-to-day execution
Strong cross-functional management and leadership skills with high EQ
Strong ability to influence people and build strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders and customers
High degree of tenacity and persistence to get actions completed on schedule with a hands on approach when needed
Proven track record in delivering several complex projects at a time
Preferred
MBA preferred
Benefits
Health coverage (medical, dental, vision, prescription drug)
Retirement savings benefits
Leave support including medical, family and bereavement
Vacation and holidays
Company-supported volunteering time
Mental health resources
Company
McCain Foods
McCain Foods is a family-owned business and manufacturer of frozen potato products and a global leader in prepared appetizers and snacks.
10001+ employees
H1B Sponsorship
McCain Foods has a track record of offering H1B sponsorships. Please note that this does not
guarantee sponsorship for this specific role. Below presents additional info for your
reference. (Data Powered by US Department of Labor)
Distribution of Different Job Fields Receiving Sponsorship
Represents job field similar to this job
Trends of Total Sponsorships
2025 (4)
2024 (7)
2023 (3)
2022 (6)
2020 (2)
Funding
Current Stage
Late StageTotal Funding
$5.6MKey Investors
Australian Renewable Energy Agency
2025-09-30Grant· $5.6M
Leadership Team
Angelo Buscemi
IT Business Partner - Human Resource & Commercial
Kathi Masters- Johnson
Talent Acquisition Partner | Manufacturing - Rice Lake, WI
Recent News
2025-11-25
Food Business News
2025-11-15
Private Capital Journal
2025-11-14
Company data provided by crunchbase