Innovation Manager

Job Title: Innovation Manager 

Location: Cumbernauld/ Bolton/ Milton Keynes

Are you ready to Be Your Best Barr None?

We are all about Being Your Best Barr None and having a career with real Moments that Matter! 

AG Barr has been quenching the nation’s thirst for over 145 years and is home to some of the UK’s most loved drinks brands.

Employing around 850 people across four business units and seven UK locations, we are proud to be a responsible business that takes care of our people, values diversity, gives something back to our communities and works to minimise our environmental impact.

At our core is Barr Soft Drinks, home to some of the UK’s most loved soft drinks. Whether it’s the iconic IRN-BRU, launched in 1901 and still going strong today, the vibrant RUBICON fruit based brand or the unique range of BARR flavours, we brighten people’s lives with refreshingly different drinks.

We also have a number of exciting owned brands within our portfolio, including the functional drinks brand Boost, FUNKIN which operates in the exciting and growing cocktail market and MOMA, which crafts quality oats into great tasting oat drinks and porridges.

There's never been a better time to join us!

What we’re looking for…

As the business looks for growth, innovation has been identified as a key strategic pillar. 

This is a role that combines both Consumer Marketing & Commercial skills, with success being measured on the business value delivered by the innovations developed.

At the heart of this role is the ability to create, manage and execute innovation from end to end.  Starting with the generation of compelling insights from multiple data sources, developing and refining concepts and taking validated concepts from ideas into reality, including the development of launch plans.  This is a full end to end role from strategy to execution. 

In delivering successful innovation you will lead and inspire cross-functional teams, with strong levels of collaboration, strategic thinking and creativity.

Your responsibilities will include...

• As an Innovation Manager your responsibilities will include;
  Concept Development and Consumer Insight Generation: Leading workshops and engaging agency partners to create concepts for validation - undertaking qualitative and quantitative research in order to identify those concepts that provide consumer appeal at scale. 
• Project Management: Management of innovation projects through AG Barr’s innovation process.  This requires excellence in cross functional working and the ability to bring teams together to drive solutions towards a common goal. This role also supports the process across the business, providing training and support for project managers and project team members as well as identifying continuous improvement opportunities.
• Brand & Product Development:  Development of the proposition for each new launch and excellence in briefing agencies to deliver brand/product identity and positioning that delivers against these propositions.  Working closely with R&D, packaging and design agencies to create products that deliver against the proposition.  
• Marketing Planning & Execution: Creation and execution of marketing plans to support the launch of new brands and products across the full marketing mix. 
• Commercial: In conjunction with the commercial team, develop robust business cases for new launches, based on clear and well-founded assumptions, to deliver a 3 year P&L that will provide the business with the targets for all innovation launches.

What you’ll bring...

The successful candidate will have;

• Strong brand management experience within FMCG.
• Strong ability to create compelling consumer insights from diverse sources.
• Creative thinker with experience in a branded goods marketing role – including branded New Product Development 
• Strong FMCG innovation and ideation experience. Evidence of having worked at the front end of innovation, with a proven track record of creating winning ideas grounded in consumer insight
• Evidence of managing multiple and often complex projects / priorities in a fast-paced environment.
• Sufficient process & research knowledge to generate & validate new concepts & turn these into workable business solutions.
• Strong leadership, communication skills & influencing skills.
• Commercially astute and able to effectively analyse large volumes of data into insights and actionable recommendations
• Previous experience managing internal and external partners.

What we offer…

We believe in creating a diverse and inclusive culture where your voice can be heard.  Our skilled, loyal and committed people are critical to the future success of AG Barr which is why we are continually investing in our employees to develop their talent.

We look after our employees by offering a competitive salary and benefits package which includes;

• Up to 33 days holiday (depending on shift pattern)
• Flexible holiday trading
• Living Wage Employer
• Healthcare Cash Plan
• Flexible benefits e.g. discounts & cashbacks, gym memberships, technology purchases etc
• Life assurance
• Save as you earn scheme
• Staff sales discount
• Free AG Barr products throughout your working day
• Pension
• Annual salary review 
• Ongoing professional development

And much more! 

To find out more about what it is like to work for AG Barr, please visit our careers platform here.

We are an equal opportunities employer and happy to discuss any reasonable adjustments that may be needed for successful candidates with a disability, health or mental health condition.

While we have highlighted our ideal requirements for this role, we are realistic that the successful candidate probably won't meet every single requirement in this advert, but we are big advocates of people growing in role. So even if you don’t meet every single requirement, we encourage you to submit an application - you may be just what we are looking for! Apply now!

Speculative CVs from agencies will not be accepted.

Latest closing date for applications is Monday 28th October 2024

Please note, we may close vacancies early where we receive significant numbers of applications, so apply now!