Product Innovation Manager (Energy Drinks & Sports Nutrition)

1) ROLE OVERVIEW The Product Innovation Manager is responsible for the end-to-end innovation process across Energy Drinks and Sports Nutrition, from concept to commercialisation. This role combines strategy, product development, and technical coordination to drive a strong, relevant, and profitable product portfolio. The position works cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and external partners (flavour houses, co-packers) to ensure all innovation projects are feasible, scalable, and market-driven. 2) KEY RESPONSIBILITIES A) STRATEGY & PIPELINE MANAGEMENT * Define and execute the innovation roadmap aligned with overall business objectives * Manage the full innovation pipeline (idea ¿ evaluation ¿ prioritisation ¿ execution ¿ launch ¿ discontinuation) * Continuously review the product portfolio based on margin, sales performance, and market relevance (keep/improve/kill), with the help of Tableau/Sales/Finance * Identify market trends, emerging ingredients, and competitive developments * Establish and track KPIs (e.g., margin, time-to-market, success rate of launches) B) INNOVATION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT * Lead development of new products and reformulation of existing SKUs (flavours, recipes, formats) * Define product concepts, positioning, and specifications based on market insights and customer needs * Manage the full NPD process: Discovery ¿ Scoping ¿ Business Case ¿ Development ¿ Validation ¿ Launch ¿ Post-Launch * Oversee product testing, tastings, and iterations * Ensure all product specifications, regulatory requirements, and documentation are accurate and up to date C) TECHNICAL LEAD & SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT * Manage relationships with flavour houses, co-packers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging providers * Identify and evaluate new manufacturers and production capabilities * Communicate detailed product specifications to suppliers * Monitor and approve samples, pre-production batches, and production trials * Maintain and develop supplier and co-packer portfolios D) PROJECT MANAGEMENT & EXECUTION * Lead cross-functional execution of innovation projects across all departments * Build and manage project timelines, milestones, and Gantt charts (e.g., Asana, Notion) and share with the involved stakeholders (involve the Project Manager, if needed) * Run stage-gate processes, including progress tracking and management updates * Ensure clear communication and alignment between stakeholders * Identify risks, resolve issues, and escalate when required E) FINANCIAL & COMMERCIAL OWNERSHIP * Develop business cases, including cost structure/target pricing, margin, and volume forecasts, together with the Sales and Finance Team * Determine product pricing based on market data, cost analysis, and positioning * Conduct annual margin reviews and optimise underperforming SKUs with Finance F) MARKET & CUSTOMER INSIGHTS * Conduct market analysis (trends, channels, competitors, consumer behaviour) * Identify customer needs through feedback, surveys, and distributor input * Perform regular competitive benchmarking (products, flavours, positioning) * Translate insights into actionable innovation opportunities G) GO-TO-MARKET & LAUNCH * Coordinate with Marketing and Sales on product launches and commercial plans * Support development of product catalogues, launch programs, and materials * Monitor post-launch performance and collect feedback from distributors * Lead project close-out and lessons learned to improve future processes