Downeast Cider House
Overview
Innovation Brand Manager
– Reports To: VP, Commercial | Location: Hybrid, East Boston
Interested in learning more about this job Scroll down and find out what skills, experience and educational qualifications are needed. The Mission We’re looking for an Innovation Brand Manager to help lead the next wave of growth at Downeast. You will own the development, testing, and launch of new beverage brands, from early concept through in-market pilots. This is a cross-functional, fast-moving role that blends creativity and business acumen. You’ll thrive here if you love building from scratch, thinking strategically, and aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty to make big ideas real.
Responsibilities
Identify Opportunities
Monitor trends, consumer behavior shifts, and competitor activity
Identify whitespace opportunities and translate them into actionable ideas for new products or brands
Develop Concepts
Turn insights into compelling brand and product concepts
Collaborate with creative and R&D teams to shape the core idea, flavor direction, and brand identity
Build Testable Products
Lead the development of new products, including creative direction, packaging design, pricing, and go to market strategy
Partner with R&D and Ops to turn concepts into real, shelf-ready products
Test in Market
Design in-market pilot strategies
Launch tests quickly and efficiently, balancing speed with actionable learning
Track Performance
Use both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate product and brand performance
Monitor consumer feedback, velocity, and trade response
Make Recommendations
Deliver clear, data-backed recommendations on each test (kill, adjust, or scale)
Qualifications Must have
1-3 years of experience in either consulting or sales
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively across functions and organizations
Ability to effectively manage projects from start to finish
Good judgment and taste (ability to identify good ideas and know what looks / sounds good and what doesn’t)
Nice to have…
Proficient with consumer research and syndicated data
Product development experience (including creative design)
What we offer
Unlimited paid time off
Paid holidays
401k with 4% company match
Health and dental insurance
Company provided short term disability insurance
Computer stipend
Company-wide celebrations, including a summer offsite and holiday party
Cider allowance (how big is your fridge)
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, conducted after a conditional job offer has been made. Candidates will have the opportunity to review and respond to any findings.
About Downeast Cider We aspire to build an enduring company with a world-class brand, known as an extraordinary place to work. It’s been 15 years since our first batches of unfiltered cider were fermented in the dorms of Bates College, Maine, and while we’ve gained 115 new teammates and 1.6 million cases of tasty drinks - with a growing assortment beyond cider - we remain 100% founder-owned. We’re a scrappy team that enjoys the hard work of creating a company because we get to work on fun things with people we like. We like to hire the way we like our cider, unfiltered. With the understanding that we can learn and grow from each other’s differences, we are proud to hire regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, or anything else that makes us who we are.
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Innovation Brand Manager
– Reports To: VP, Commercial | Location: Hybrid, East Boston
Interested in learning more about this job Scroll down and find out what skills, experience and educational qualifications are needed. The Mission We’re looking for an Innovation Brand Manager to help lead the next wave of growth at Downeast. You will own the development, testing, and launch of new beverage brands, from early concept through in-market pilots. This is a cross-functional, fast-moving role that blends creativity and business acumen. You’ll thrive here if you love building from scratch, thinking strategically, and aren’t afraid to get your hands dirty to make big ideas real.
Responsibilities
Identify Opportunities
Monitor trends, consumer behavior shifts, and competitor activity
Identify whitespace opportunities and translate them into actionable ideas for new products or brands
Develop Concepts
Turn insights into compelling brand and product concepts
Collaborate with creative and R&D teams to shape the core idea, flavor direction, and brand identity
Build Testable Products
Lead the development of new products, including creative direction, packaging design, pricing, and go to market strategy
Partner with R&D and Ops to turn concepts into real, shelf-ready products
Test in Market
Design in-market pilot strategies
Launch tests quickly and efficiently, balancing speed with actionable learning
Track Performance
Use both qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate product and brand performance
Monitor consumer feedback, velocity, and trade response
Make Recommendations
Deliver clear, data-backed recommendations on each test (kill, adjust, or scale)
Qualifications Must have
1-3 years of experience in either consulting or sales
Comfortable working in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment
Exceptional interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively across functions and organizations
Ability to effectively manage projects from start to finish
Good judgment and taste (ability to identify good ideas and know what looks / sounds good and what doesn’t)
Nice to have…
Proficient with consumer research and syndicated data
Product development experience (including creative design)
What we offer
Unlimited paid time off
Paid holidays
401k with 4% company match
Health and dental insurance
Company provided short term disability insurance
Computer stipend
Company-wide celebrations, including a summer offsite and holiday party
Cider allowance (how big is your fridge)
All offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion of a background check, conducted after a conditional job offer has been made. Candidates will have the opportunity to review and respond to any findings.
About Downeast Cider We aspire to build an enduring company with a world-class brand, known as an extraordinary place to work. It’s been 15 years since our first batches of unfiltered cider were fermented in the dorms of Bates College, Maine, and while we’ve gained 115 new teammates and 1.6 million cases of tasty drinks - with a growing assortment beyond cider - we remain 100% founder-owned. We’re a scrappy team that enjoys the hard work of creating a company because we get to work on fun things with people we like. We like to hire the way we like our cider, unfiltered. With the understanding that we can learn and grow from each other’s differences, we are proud to hire regardless of gender, race, nationality, religion, sexual orientation, disability, age, or anything else that makes us who we are.
#J-18808-Ljbffr