Trade Marketing and Product Development Director

MacDonald Search Group; British Columbia; On-site; CAD 100,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading company in consumer products is seeking a Director of Product Innovation & Trade Marketing. In this role, you will drive new product development, ensuring retail excellence through strategic trade marketing. You will collaborate with various teams to identify market needs and lead the innovation lifecycle from concept to launch. This position offers competitive compensation and the chance to shape the future of beloved brands.

Benefits

Competitive compensation

Bonus

Benefits package

Qualifications

• 8–12 years of experience in CPG with Innovation, Brand, or Trade Marketing roles.
• Proven track record of launching successful new products.

Responsibilities

• Lead the full product innovation lifecycle from idea generation to commercialization.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure timely execution.
• Build business cases and volume forecasts for new product concepts.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Collaboration

Data-driven decision making

Project management

Communication

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Business

MBA

Job description

Our Vancouver based client has an enviable consumer products brad portfolio and distribution in over 50 countries world wide. With a portfolio of trusted, category-leading brands, they’re committed to delivering fresh thinking, flavour innovation and products that delight consumers and retailers alike. To ensure their position at the forefront of their segment, MacDonald Search Group is seeking a strategic and execution-focused leader to drive an innovation pipeline while bridging the gap between product strategy and in-market activation.

As the Director of Product Innovation & Trade Marketing you will lead the charge on new product development—from whitespace identification through to launch—and ensure retail excellence through powerful trade strategies. You’ll be the connective tissue between R&D, marketing, sales, and retail execution teams, ensuring products not only get developed with purpose, but also win in-market.

Some of what you will do in this role includes :

• Own the full product innovation lifecycle—from idea generation to commercialization.
• Collaborate with Insights, R&D, and Brand teams to identify consumer trends, competitive whitespace, and unmet market needs.
• Lead cross-functional teams through stage-gate processes, ensuring timely, on-budget execution.
• Build business cases, volume forecasts, and ROI projections for new product concepts.
• Act as a champion for innovation in executive meetings and customer presentations.
• Translate product strategy into compelling retail programs, promotions, and merchandising plans.
• Partner with Sales and Category Management to develop retailer-specific launch strategies.
• Create sell-in decks, trade collateral, and in-store materials that drive retailer support.
• Monitor promotional performance and optimize trade spend ROI.
• Align closely with key accounts and field sales teams to ensure flawless retail execution.

You should have the following in your background to apply :

• Strategic thinker with an execution mindset—you know how to go from whiteboard to shelf.
• Deeply collaborative, comfortable leading cross-functional teams.
• Passionate about consumers, curious about the market, and data-driven in your decision-making.
• Equally at home brainstorming new ideas and building spreadsheets for financial analysis.
• 8–12 years of experience in CPG, ideally with a blend of Innovation, Brand, or Trade Marketing roles.
• Proven track record of launching successful new products from concept through retail execution.
• Strong understanding of shopper insights, category management, and promotional levers.
• Exceptional communication, leadership, and project management skills.
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, or a related field; MBA preferred.

What’s in it for you?

• You’ll lead innovation in a company that values creativity, and smart risk-taking.
• Be part of a supportive, collaborative culture that celebrates new ideas and wins together.
• Competitive compensation, bonus, and benefits package with a salary into six figures.
• A chance to shape the future of beloved brands—and build new ones from the ground up.

This role is primarily in-office in Burnaby, BC. If this sounds like a role where you could excel, please apply! MacDonald Search Group works with our clients to build high performing teams reflective of the Canadian employment landscape. All applications are considered.

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