Director Marketing Innovation

“What could be better than to hold your hand out to people who are less fortunate than you are?” -Paul Newman Newman’s Own is the delicious junk-free food brand that helps kids who face adversity. Newman’s Own, Inc. (NOI) is the for-profit commercial organization that makes this food and gives 100% of its after-tax profits to Newman’s Own Foundation. Newman’s Own Foundation (NOF) is the not-for-profit organization that uses this money to nourish and transform the lives of children who face adversity. We are looking for a Marketing Innovation Director who will be responsible for leading new product development and commercialization across the company's North American product portfolio. This includes diverse categories such as frozen pizza, salad dressings, pasta sauce, salsa, oil & vinegar, cookies, popcorn, lemonade, and dog treats. The Marketing Innovation Director will drive innovation through strategic planning, consumer insights, cross-functional collaboration, and effective project management. This role requires developing and maintaining a 3-year innovation roadmap, testing and qualifying new product concepts, and implementing core innovation processes. In addition, the ideal candidate can adopt our scrappy, consumer-centric approach, is hands-on, and a go-getter with the ability to pivot to where the business needs are. They must be comfortable in ambiguity and able to work in a self-advised environment. Responsibilities Include, but are not limited to: Innovation Roadmap Development Develop and maintain an agile product and packaging 3-year innovation roadmap for strategic growth categories. Ensure alignment with cross-functional teams and senior leadership on the innovation strategy. Consumer Insights and Innovation Ideation Identify emerging consumer needs and insights, to deepen consumer knowledge across core the company’s categories (frozen pizza, cookies, dressings, pasta sauce, lemonade, and dog treats). Translate insights and trends into actionable product growth opportunities across the NOI portfolio. Collaborate with Sales, Amazon Team, R&D, Supply Chain, and external partners to vet and develop robust innovation ideas that win with target consumers. Product Concept Development and Testing Develop, test, and qualify new product concepts with consumers to support the innovation pipeline. Innovation Process Implementation Leverage core innovation processes and procedures such as an innovation stage gate process and internal project management tools to document and steer projects. External Partnership and Trend Identification Partner with external strategic partners to identify trends and inputs for the innovation planning process. Agency Management and Packaging Manage relationships with packaging design and production agencies. Project & Leadership Budget Lead all innovation initiatives with cross-functional teams, ensuring on-time and on-budget delivery Develop and manage the innovation budget. Marketing Planning and Trade Sell-In Participate in the annual marketing planning process. Collaborate with Sales planning to develop trade sell-in materials for all innovations. Proficient in leveraging syndicated databases to extract product, category, and competitive insights for informed assortment, pricing, and distribution decisions. Share insights with the broader marketing team to inform overall marketing strategies and tactics. Skills and Qualifications BA/BS and MBA degrees preferred Minimum of 8 - 10 years of experience in CPG brand management leading new product development. Experience in CPG food is preferred; experience at small to mid-size companies is a plus. Strategic thought leadership and new product development expertise. Ability to balance long-term strategic priorities with short-term business needs. Project management skills with the ability to manage multiple projects concurrently. A change agent with the ability to embrace change and initiate new & improved ways of working Strong analytical and brand management skills, including consumer insight development and concept writing. Experience in qualitative and quantitative consumer research. Effective agency management skills. Ability to work well collaboratively and independently. Highly creative with a passion for food innovation. Self-motivated, a self-starter with problem-solving and can-do attitude. Excellent written and verbal communication skills. Strong proficiency in Microsoft Excel, Project, PowerPoint, and Word. Position Requirements Consumer-Centric : Food quality is paramount. Marketing reflects the consumer's perspective. Speed to Market:

The organization values rapid progress. Failure is an opportunity for quick iteration or adjustment. Major decisions are made within 48 hours rather than several weeks. Simplicity : Adhere to a one-page rule for concise communication. Ensure initial discussion before documentation. The focus is brand and category strategies. Prioritize elements we can control. Accountability : We take responsibility for results.Meetings begin with a purpose and end with clear next steps. Everyone actively participates at Newman’s Own—no passive observers. Professional

and

Organizational

Pride : We take pride in quality work and always stay committed to excellence. We’re connected & invested in our purpose of giving 100% of our profits to help children in need. Travel This position may require overnight travel, and/or occasional local day travel as needed. This is a hybrid position that

requires working from the Westport, CT

office up to 4 days per week.

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