Associate Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization – Knorr US

Join us as Associate Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization – Knorr US

Location: Hoboken, NJ (HQ)

Terms & Conditions: Full time, International assignment is not available for this role and relocation for local and international candidates is not provided

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

About Knorr

Knorr is one of Unilever’s most iconic global brands, delivering delicious, nutritious, and accessible flavor solutions to millions of households. In the US, Knorr is undergoing a significant transformation, expanding into new categories, modernizing its portfolio, and driving market‑making innovations that create step‑change growth. Innovation is at the heart of this journey. We are building a best‑in‑class innovation engine that is grounded in consumer demand, connected globally, and built to deliver consistent, high‑quality launches that win in market.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization is the senior leader responsible for setting the US innovation agenda, shaping and steering the innovation pipeline, and ensuring Knorr delivers its growth ambition through successful on‑time, in‑full (OTIF) launches.

This role is accountable for both opportunity identification (front‑end strategy, white space mapping, global lifts & shifts) and commercial delivery (project readiness, sell‑in, launch excellence, innovation P&L contribution). It requires a leader with strong strategic muscle, exceptional cross-functional influence, and the ability to collaborate deeply with global brand teams, R&D, Supply Chain, Customer Strategy & Planning, and Customer Marketing. This role leads a team focused on consumer demand spaces, innovation process excellence, and high-quality commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Set the Innovation Strategy & Agenda for Knorr US

• Define the long-term US innovation ambition anchored in consumer demand, market dynamics, and flavor-forward growth opportunities.
• Translate consumer signals into clear strategic territories, white spaces, and opportunity platforms.
• Build and champion a US innovation strategy that expands Knorr beyond existing categories.

2. Own the Innovation Pipeline End-to-End

• Lead and manage the full US innovation pipeline, from ideation to launch readiness, ensuring a balanced, strategically sound funnel.
• Prioritize initiatives across resources, consumer impact, commercial potential, and brand-building value.
• Partner with global teams to align on funnel priorities, share insights, and adopt lift‑and‑shift innovations where relevant.

3. Drive Commercial Delivery & OTIF Launch Execution

• Be accountable for delivering innovation growth contribution to the business annually.
• Ensure projects hit key milestones, meet OTIF standards, and are commercially viable at each stage gate.
• Work with Customer Strategy & Planning and Sales on sell‑in, financial modeling, and operational readiness.
• Collaborate with the Demand Generation Brand Team to ensure robust US launch plans that scale.

4. Lead Global Collaboration & Influence

• Serve as the primary interface with global Knorr teams for portfolio strategy, technology transfer, product platforms, and innovation sharing.
• Build strong global partnerships to exchange learnings, accelerate development, and ensure US needs are represented and prioritized.
• Embed global insights, product platforms, and common technologies into the US pipeline.

5. Build Innovation Process Excellence

• Own the innovation governance model (stage gate, decision forums, readiness reviews).
• Drive process clarity, speed, and disciplined tracking across the organization.
• Elevate best practices in forecasting, business casing, resource prioritization, and risk mitigation.

6. Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team

• Manage and coach a team supporting innovation and pipeline operations.
• Build a culture of consumer obsession, strategic rigor, and commercial accountability.
• Develop future leaders and ensure strong collaboration across functions.

Who