Sr. Specialist, Innovation & Strategy

 

Nestlé’s Research & Development Center is our regional powerhouse driving innovation in food, beverage, and pharmaceutical science. Backed by our global Nestlé R&D organization, we lead breakthrough discoveries that are both good for consumers and the planet. Our team of experts range from product developers to engineers, working across our portfolio of food, beverage, infant nutrition, and health science to create leading-edge products and services. As part of our organization, you will use your entrepreneurial spirit and commitment to excellence to unlock the power of food and provide premium value.   

 

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

 

JOB SUMMARY: 

The role will deliver Innovation Coaching responsibilities for R&D North America, playing a crucial role in driving innovation initiatives in R&D and the R+D Accelerator across Food and Beverage categories. Responsibilities include leading lean project teams and guiding them through rapid data and insights-driven decision-making processes. The position will provide project leadership from ideation to in-market shop-test, pursuing the validation of business ideas driven by new technologies and novel ideas that are of strategic interest to Nestle.

 

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Lead project team from idea-to-launch through consumer problem definition, solution design, manufacturing, and shop test.
• Utilize entrepreneurial mindset, agile innovation tools, and design-thinking principles to develop and test disruptive product concepts.
• Develop project plans including scope, design basis, success criteria, timelines, resource needs, critical assumptions, and risk analysis. 
• Transform an idea into a product test launch within 6 months, through development of a Minimum Viable Product (MVP) that is scalable, and consumer driven.
• Challenge experimental design, test project assumptions and validate hypothesis.
• Effectively manage stakeholders and business partners (innovation agencies, start-ups, external partners, etc.)
• Partner within the R+D Accelerator team for dedicated support for growth hacking, graphic design, and product design expertise; as well as outside of R+D Accelerator team with extended Nestle organization.
• Effectively network within Nestle USA and Global R&D community to support Accelerator teams in accessing all needed knowledge to advance the design, development, and decision-making.
• Up-skill project teams on entrepreneurial behaviors and agile innovation approaches.
• Manage and prioritize as necessary multiple deliverables across multiple projects simultaneously.
• Establish and implement transfer plans for projects post-closure with business stakeholders.
• Stay abreast of innovation trends, techniques, and external capabilities to help evolve ways of working.   
• Be a recognized ambassador of the R+D Accelerator in the organization.
• Ability to travel 10% (mostly within US)

 

JOB QUALIFICATIONS (Education, Experience and Knowledge):  

• Bachelor’s Degree in Science, Engineering, Business, or related field.
• Preferred minimum of 7 years of consumer product goods experience, specifically, developing and commercializing new product concepts.