Innovation Manager
Manuka Health
- Auckland
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Full Time
- Application Closes 13 Sep 2025
- Auckland - Auckland
- Market Research Managers
- New Product Development Strategy Development: Lead the development and execution of innovation strategies in alignment with business objectives and market opportunities.
- New Product Development Pipeline Management: Establish and manage comprehensive innovation pipelines, overseeing the progression of ideas from concept through to market launch.
- Consumer Insights and Market Research: Conduct analysis of consumer behavior, market trends, and competitive landscape to identify innovation opportunities and validate concepts.
- Process Development: Design, implement, and optimize processes, methodologies, and frameworks to maximize efficiency and effectiveness.
- Cross-functional Leadership: Build, lead, and mentor teams while collaborating effectively with Sales, Marketing, Operations, R&D, and Supply Chain functions.
- Portfolio Management: Maintain and optimize new product portfolios, balancing short-term and long-term opportunities to deliver sustainable value.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Establish and maintain relationships with internal stakeholders and external partners to enhance innovation capabilities.
- Culture Development: Promote an innovation-friendly organizational culture that supports creativity, experimentation, and continuous improvement.
- Performance Measurement: Develop and track key performance indicators for innovation effectiveness and commercial impact.
- Reporting and Communication: Prepare regular reports and presentations on innovation initiatives, progress, and outcomes for senior management and stakeholders.
- Project Management: Oversee innovation projects from inception to completion, ensuring timely delivery within budget and quality parameters.
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, Engineering, or related field. Postgraduate qualification in Innovation Management, MBA, or similar advanced qualification preferred but not essential.
- 7-10 years of relevant innovation management experience, with a proven track record of successfully bringing innovative products or services to market.
- Experience in consumer goods, food and beverage, health & wellness, or related industries preferred.
- Innovation Leadership: Demonstrated experience in leading innovation initiatives from concept to commercialization with measurable business impact.
- Strategic Thinking: Strong strategic insight and business acumen with the ability to identify market opportunities and translate them into actionable strategies.
- Process Management: Experience in developing, implementing, and managing innovation processes and methodologies.
- Consumer Insights: Understanding of consumer research methodologies, market analysis, and translating insights into innovation concepts.
- Project Management: Strong project management skills with experience using methodologies such as Agile, Design Thinking, and Lean approaches.
- Data Analysis: Proficiency in data analysis tools and techniques to evaluate innovation performance and market opportunities.
- Leadership Skills: Proven ability to lead and inspire cross-functional teams with strong emotional intelligence and change management capabilities.
- Communication: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present complex concepts to diverse audiences including senior executives.
- Collaboration: Outstanding ability to work effectively across organizational functions, building consensus and driving alignment.
- Entrepreneurial Mindset: Self-motivated with an entrepreneurial spirit, comfortable with ambiguity and calculated risk-taking.
- Adaptability: Ability to learn from challenges, adapt to changing circumstances, and maintain focus on delivering results.