Wells Enterprises
Sr. Director Innovation-Wells, Ferrero, Ferrara Ice Cream Brands
Wells Enterprises, Chicago, Illinois, United States, 60290
Sr. Director Innovation - Wells, Ferrero, Ferrara Ice Cream Brands
Do you have the following skills, experience and drive to succeed in this role Find out below. Overview Senior Director, Innovation, will lead the development and execution of the company’s innovation strategy, focusing on identifying, incubating, and scaling new growth platforms and breakthrough products. Partners cross-functionally with marketing, R&D, supply chain, insights, and commercial teams to drive a pipeline of consumer-centric innovation across domestic and international markets. Creates long-term value, increases brand relevance, and accelerates top-line growth through transformational thinking and disciplined execution.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership: Develop the North America Ice Cream innovation strategy roadmap based on Wells and Ferrero/Ferrara Brand and Global Brand strategies.
Innovation Pipeline and Portfolio Management: Ideate, prioritize, develop and manage a robust innovation pipeline, balancing near-term wins with long-term transformative initiatives.
Test, iterate, and validate new concepts with agile and design thinking in collaboration with Innovation Engine (Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering).
Manage a strong stage-gate process to accelerate time-to-market while managing risk; develop and be accountable for KPIs for pipeline health and success.
Cross-functional & Global Collaboration: Lead cross-functional Innovation Engine team (Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering, Finance) to conceptualize and develop new platforms and products; ensure alignment with brand briefs and stakeholder needs.
Desirability, Viability, Feasibility: Manage processes and identify CapEx needs; ensure global concepts fit local market needs for launch and commercial success.
Insights and Analytics: Partner with Insights, Consumer Research, and Analytics to ground innovation in data and consumer behavior; ensure scalability with Operations and Supply Chain.
Stakeholder Engagement & Organizational Alignment: Drive alignment and transparency with Wells and Ferrero stakeholders; navigate complex organizational dynamics.
Team Leadership & Capability Building: Lead the Innovation Engine team, develop Innovation Managers, foster creativity, accountability, and high performance; drive capability building in foresight, innovation thinking, tools, and agile methodologies.
Drive internal capability building in consumer foresight application and agile methodologies across the organization.
Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. Proven track record of leading successful innovation initiatives from concept to commercialization.
Experience:
15+ years of experience in innovation, strategy, or product development within a CPG environment.
Knowledge:
Deep understanding of the end-to-end innovation lifecycle, Stage-Gate process, consumer insights, behavioral research, and market intelligence tools. Familiarity with emerging technologies, sustainability trends, and digital transformation in CPG. Knowledge of financial modeling and business case development for ROI.
Skills:
Strategic thinking, business planning, project/program management, and strong communication to influence executives; stakeholder management and coalition-building; leading diverse teams; change leadership and driving adoption of new ideas.
Abilities:
Thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments; build credibility with senior leaders; balance creativity with commercial pragmatism; foster curiosity, experimentation, and learning; translate trends and data into actionable strategies; willing to travel internationally.
Supervisory Scope
Reports to – Chief Marketing Officer
Direct Reports – Innovation Director, Innovation Senior Manager and Managers, Innovation PMO
Indirect Reports – N/A
Compensation The base pay for this position is $180,731 to $296,399 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.
About Us Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913, Wells is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group.
Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states. Brands include Blue Bunny, Halo Top, Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics. Wells employs nearly 4,000 people and is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa.
What We Offer Comprehensive benefits that enhance health and financial wellness, plus paid time off (PTO). Eligible employees may receive an annual incentive bonus based on company performance.
Learn more about our benefits here.
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Do you have the following skills, experience and drive to succeed in this role Find out below. Overview Senior Director, Innovation, will lead the development and execution of the company’s innovation strategy, focusing on identifying, incubating, and scaling new growth platforms and breakthrough products. Partners cross-functionally with marketing, R&D, supply chain, insights, and commercial teams to drive a pipeline of consumer-centric innovation across domestic and international markets. Creates long-term value, increases brand relevance, and accelerates top-line growth through transformational thinking and disciplined execution.
Responsibilities
Strategic Leadership: Develop the North America Ice Cream innovation strategy roadmap based on Wells and Ferrero/Ferrara Brand and Global Brand strategies.
Innovation Pipeline and Portfolio Management: Ideate, prioritize, develop and manage a robust innovation pipeline, balancing near-term wins with long-term transformative initiatives.
Test, iterate, and validate new concepts with agile and design thinking in collaboration with Innovation Engine (Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering).
Manage a strong stage-gate process to accelerate time-to-market while managing risk; develop and be accountable for KPIs for pipeline health and success.
Cross-functional & Global Collaboration: Lead cross-functional Innovation Engine team (Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering, Finance) to conceptualize and develop new platforms and products; ensure alignment with brand briefs and stakeholder needs.
Desirability, Viability, Feasibility: Manage processes and identify CapEx needs; ensure global concepts fit local market needs for launch and commercial success.
Insights and Analytics: Partner with Insights, Consumer Research, and Analytics to ground innovation in data and consumer behavior; ensure scalability with Operations and Supply Chain.
Stakeholder Engagement & Organizational Alignment: Drive alignment and transparency with Wells and Ferrero stakeholders; navigate complex organizational dynamics.
Team Leadership & Capability Building: Lead the Innovation Engine team, develop Innovation Managers, foster creativity, accountability, and high performance; drive capability building in foresight, innovation thinking, tools, and agile methodologies.
Drive internal capability building in consumer foresight application and agile methodologies across the organization.
Qualifications
Education:
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. Proven track record of leading successful innovation initiatives from concept to commercialization.
Experience:
15+ years of experience in innovation, strategy, or product development within a CPG environment.
Knowledge:
Deep understanding of the end-to-end innovation lifecycle, Stage-Gate process, consumer insights, behavioral research, and market intelligence tools. Familiarity with emerging technologies, sustainability trends, and digital transformation in CPG. Knowledge of financial modeling and business case development for ROI.
Skills:
Strategic thinking, business planning, project/program management, and strong communication to influence executives; stakeholder management and coalition-building; leading diverse teams; change leadership and driving adoption of new ideas.
Abilities:
Thrive in fast-paced, ambiguous environments; build credibility with senior leaders; balance creativity with commercial pragmatism; foster curiosity, experimentation, and learning; translate trends and data into actionable strategies; willing to travel internationally.
Supervisory Scope
Reports to – Chief Marketing Officer
Direct Reports – Innovation Director, Innovation Senior Manager and Managers, Innovation PMO
Indirect Reports – N/A
Compensation The base pay for this position is $180,731 to $296,399 annually. Actual compensation will be determined based on experience and other factors permitted by law. This range represents the anticipated salary for this position at this time.
About Us Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913, Wells is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group.
Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states. Brands include Blue Bunny, Halo Top, Bomb Pop, and Blue Ribbon Classics. Wells employs nearly 4,000 people and is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa.
What We Offer Comprehensive benefits that enhance health and financial wellness, plus paid time off (PTO). Eligible employees may receive an annual incentive bonus based on company performance.
Learn more about our benefits here.
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