Agile Innovation Manager

This role will be embedded within a tight-knit team of R&D Packaging Supply Chain Marketing Finance and Strategy leads all working together to bring the next big thing on innovation to the marketfaster and smarter.

This role is ideal for a project leader with experience in physical product innovation commercialization manufacturing readiness packaging changes and cross-functional program management within the Food & Beverage industry.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead sprint planning daily stand-ups retrospectives sprint reviews and other agile rituals to keep the team focused aligned and on track.
• Partner with Project Owner and Marketing Lead to manage end-to-end innovation & commercialization process from initial concept to successful market launch.
• Build and manage timeline of the project and product development; Align POD members on their commitments with the timelines to ensure on time delivery
• Coach the pod on agile principles flex when needed and helping the team balance speed and structure while adapting quickly to feedback and new insights.
• Identify and resolve impediments that hinder progresswhether operational organizational or resource-relatedto keep the initiatives moving forward.
• Tracking key agile metrics such as CSat Maturity Capacity of the team reporting progress and making adjustments as needed to ensure project success.
• Maintain clear documentation of sprint goals backlog items decisions and velocity. Ensure the team and stakeholders have visibility into progress risks and timelines.
• Guide the team in retrospectives to continuously improve delivery and collaboration.
• Ensure alignment across all pod members including R&D Supply Chain Finance and Marketing while fostering an environment of shared ownership and rapid iteration.
• Tailor agile workflows to reflect the unique physical product innovation characteristics helping the team move quickly from insight to execution while navigating pack simplification retail constraints and test-and-learn launches.
• Help the team align on the highest-impact initiatives by working closely with the Pod Lead and cross-functional partners to manage and refine the product backlog.

Requirements:

• Bachelors degree in Business Engineering or related.
• MUST HAVE: 5 years of project management agile leadership or scrum master experience within the Food & Beverage industry.
• MUST HAVE: experience with physical product innovation in Food & Beverage with packaging projects aligned with operations & manufacturing side: engineering changing of machines alignment with supply chain etc.
• Strong knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies or proven experience in product development and commercialization
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced ambiguous environment.
• Strong experience in building timelines for projects with uncertainty that demands a lot of changes multiple times throughout the project.
• Excellent communication facilitation and conflict-resolution skills.
• Experience supporting test-and-learn innovation cycles or commercialization processes.
• Passion for team empowerment iterative learning and removing barriers to execution.
• Open to work flexible hours since part of the team is located in AMS start 7am Chicago time when needed.