Sr. Director, Innovations-Rigids

Company Overview

Why Choose Us?

Novolex is a leading manufacturer of food, beverage, and specialty packaging that supports multiple industries including foodservice, restaurant delivery and carryout, food processing, grocery and retail, and industrial sectors. Novolex manufacturing and sourcing expertise spans a diverse range of substrates including resin, paper, molded fiber, aluminum and more. We provide customers a broad array of stock and customized solutions with 120 product categories, 250 brands and over 39,000 SKUs.

Our Sustainability Commitment

The Novolex sustainability vision is built upon three pillars: our products, our operations and our people. Each is critically important to our growth and future as a business. These pillars form the foundation of our company-wide commitment to sustainability, helping us achieve our ambitious goals through our wide-ranging initiatives.

Job Description

Position Summary:

Reporting to the Chief Innovation & Sustainability Officer (CISO), the Sr. Director, Innovation-Rigids will lead the development and execution of our product roadmap, while driving a culture of innovation across the organization. Sr. Director, Innovation-Rigids is critical in shaping the future of our product portfolio, identifying emerging market opportunities, and aligning cross-functional teams to deliver transformative customer experiences.

 

Essential Functions & Key Responsibilities:

Innovation & New Product Leadership

• Own enterprise innovation pipeline across foodservice and specialty packaging
• Deliver new platforms from concept → commercialization using stage-gate discipline
• Translate Voice of Customer, market trends, and legislation into winning products
• Accelerate time-to-market through external partnerships and new technologies

Sustainable Materials & Technology

• Lead transition to recyclable, compostable, and low-carbon materials
• Develop next-gen fiber, hybrid, and polymer solutions
• Build strategic supplier and technology partnerships
• Align portfolio with EPR, regulatory, and retailer sustainability requirements

Product Strategy & Portfolio Management

• Set product line strategy, roadmaps, and lifecycle management
• Drive SKU consolidation, design-to-value, and cost optimization
• Analyze competitive set, pricing power, and market capacity
• Establish platform architecture across materials and formats

Growth, Capital & Business Case Development

• Identify whitespace growth opportunities and capacity needs
• Build investment cases for new platforms, equipment, and expansions
• Prioritize capital based on ROI, strategic fit, and customer demand
• Support M&A and capability expansion as required

Leadership & Organizational Excellence

• Lead and develop Innovation Directors, R&D and Product Management teams
• Guide near- and long-term strategy across product platforms
• Establish KPIs for innovation, cost savings, and portfolio performance
• Foster a high-performance, customer-centric culture

Customer & Market Engagement

• Partner with key customers on co-innovation initiatives
• Engage Sales, Operations, Procurement, Sustainability, and Finance
• Represent company with strategic suppliers and industry partners
• Monitor global trends and competitive moves

Candidate Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Design, or a related field; MBA or Master’s preferred
• 10+ years of product management, innovation, or strategy roles, including 3+ years in a senior leadership capacity
• Proven success launching market-leading products and scaling product organizations
• Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills with a bias for execution
• Strong leadership and communication skills with the ability to influence and inspire at all levels
• Strong project management, budgeting, and strategic planning skills

A reasonable estimate of the current range is $215-270K + bonus + benefits. The range displayed on each job posting reflects the minimum and maximum target salaries for the position across all US locations. Within the range, individual pay is determined by job-related skills, experience, and relevant education or training. At Novolex, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at the top of the range for their role and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case.

 

The benefits for this role include 401(k) plan with company match, comprehensive medical, dental, and vision insurance, flexible