Foods people love. Brands people trust. And a career that nourishes your future like no other.

If you're driven by the passion to do something meaningful that changes lives, Nestlé is the place for you. Nestlé USA is one of seven operating companies that make up Nestlé’s presence in the United States. We're in 97% of American homes, and as the leading food and beverage company, our goals are to continue to deliver quality food and beverage products, strengthen our local communities, and reduce our environmental and climate impact.

We’re determined to challenge the status quo and be better tomorrow than we are today. As individuals and teams, we embrace our entrepreneurial culture and have created a workplace where collaboration is essential, courage is rewarded, speed is expected, and agility is the norm to delight our consumers every single day. Here, you will find limitless opportunities to learn and advance your career and feel empowered to succeed in the workplace and beyond. Because our focus is not only on nourishing our customers, but also about enriching you.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

POSITION SUMMARY:

Do you want to be a key driver in leading new product innovation initiatives with the world’s largest Food and Beverage Company and 3-time Fast Company award-winner as the Best Workplaces for Innovators?

Nestle USA is seeking a Senior Manager of Innovation to build incremental and sustainable growth, drive future capabilities and unlock a culture of innovation that supports Nestlé USA’s overall growth strategy. You will need to “think big and act small” by supporting transformational innovation initiatives in a lean environment. This role is accountable for two key pillars of the New Business Ventures team:

This individual will demonstrate a very high aptitude in leading through influence, working closely with functions and divisions in gaining alignment and support.

CROWDSOURCING

Strategy

• Design & lead a multi-year pipeline of challenges that support strategic and divisional business objectives. Pipeline will include a balance of breakthrough innovation challenges, non-product ideation, problem solving, eliminating cost/waste and optimize ways of working.
• Further embed the crowdsourcing practice into divisional and functional ways of working.

Execution

• Design & refine execution process of the crowdsourcing challenges from kick-off through pitch day AND from selection to launch.
• Coach, support, and mentor “founders” in best driving commercially and financially viable innovation ideas and prototypes in collaboration with cross functional teams, division leaders, and external experts. Ensure ideas are framed to drive greatest impact & ROI.
• Design and develop “playbooks” to embed crowdsourcing into organizational processes

Change Management / Communications

• Manage governance, resourcing, and budget/funding to execute green-lit ideas.
• Lead breakthrough communications in collaboration with the internal communications team to drive greatest impact within organization
• Drive enrollment of executive leadership team in support of crowdsourcing & execution of greenlit ideas.
• Leads by example to motivate and inspire functions by creating a company-wide culture of speed, experimentation, and risk taking.

PLATFORM INNOVATION

Strategy

• Define & frame transversal innovation opportunities in collaboration with businesses, Corporate Strategy, CMI, and Nestle globally in support of Nestle USAs growth strategy
• Lead analysis and presentation of platform opportunities and whitespace innovation areas to leadership team and R&D for alignment
• Within defined platform opportunities, identify opportunity areas that have both consumer appeal and leverage capabilities (i.e. brands, manufacturing, R&D, etc.)

Execution

• Optimize & refine the front-end innovation sprint process by which we initiate the project to fully financially and technical feasible, consumer-validated concepts & prototypes.
• Collaborate with x-functional teams, including Culinary, divisional marketers, CMI, R&D and agency partners to drive a successful end-to-end front-end approach
• Craft tight briefs for Idea to Launch to embed validated innovation platforms within divisional I&R pipelines to set up divisions to successfully execute

Change Management

• Manage governance, resourcing, and budget/funding.
• Drive enrollment of cross-functional and executive leadership team in support of Platform Innovation

REQUIREMENTS:

• Bachelor’s degree and 10+ Years’ Experience
• 4+ years proven experience in innovation roles at a matrix organization
• Travel Requirements – 10-20%
• Location requirement – Arlington, Virginia or Solon, Ohio

• Has minimum of 4+ years’ experience in Corporate Innovation role, leading front-end of strategic innovation projects
• Demonstrated strong collaboration with x-functional teams in support of a common goal & mission
• Proven record on building a culture of innovation across different teams/ functions
• Proven results track record (High performer)

• Strong General Management acumen
• Project management experience of 5+ years
• Instills confidence and competence in others through coaching and inspirational leadership
• Seeking to promote teams and individuals to think and act as an entrepreneur.
• Ability to influence others at the highest levels
• Strong bias for action and results
• Possesses excellent creative problem-solving skills
• Collaborative – an innate ability to connect and work with others in driving action with a “ONE TEAM” mentality
• Agile – an ability to adapt to change and quickly pivot
• Courage – be brave to challenge the status quo and be decisive with limited information
• Speed – focuses exclusively on value-added work, always looking to cut inefficiencies to drive speed
• Consumer-Obsessed – always brings question back to “how does this add value for our consumer?”
• Resourceful – ability to think and act as an entrepreneur
• Strong communications skills, both oral and written.
• Strong financial acumen

#LI-hybrid

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.

To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteran status, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at accommodations@nestle.com or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.