Innovation Manager

Who We Are:

Nature's Touch is a global leader in the frozen fruits industry, supplying the retail and industrial sectors in North America, Australia, Taiwan, and Japan. We provide a full range of products and support multiple private-label programs in addition to our own brands. We are also one of the largest buyers of fruit globally each year, and continue to enjoy strong growth in this emerging category in retail.

The Role:

Reporting to the Director of Innovation, the Innovation Manager is responsible for leading end-to-end innovation and industrialization projects within the food production industry, from concept to commercialization. This includes developing strategic project plans, overseeing execution, managing risks, and driving product development through ideation, prototyping, and production trials. The position plays a key role in shaping innovation roadmaps, benchmarking against industry leaders, and scaling up products for full industrial implementation. It involves optimizing processes, integrating new technologies, and using root cause analysis to proactively solve operational issues. The role also ensures regulatory compliance, establishes and monitors KPIs, and fosters cross-functional collaboration. A strong emphasis is placed on leadership, creativity, and promoting a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Leadership

• Project Planning: Develop comprehensive project plans that outline objectives, timelines, resources, and milestones. Ensure alignment with industry standards for food production and industrialization, including regulatory requirements and best practices.
• Execution: Oversee the implementation of innovation projects, ensuring adherence to quality standards and efficient use of resources. Regularly review progress and make adjustments as needed to stay on track.
• Risk Management: Identify potential risks and develop mitigation strategies to ensure project success.

Product Development

• Ideation: Stay up to date on market trends and developments to perform benchmarks and suggest innovative products. Coordinate with suppliers for innovative developments and products.
• Prototyping: Create prototypes, new products, and recipes for internal and external customers. Perform physico-chemical analyses of developed products and their components.
• Trials: Conduct production trials using semi-industrial pilot equipment and collaborate with co-manufacturers for external trials. Ensure detailed and accurate results from these trials.
• Specifications: Establish raw material specifications and finished product specifications. Create appropriate control processes, such as procedures and working tools (forms, etc.).

Innovation Strategy

• Roadmaps: Feed core and transformative innovation roadmaps by building briefs and concept decks. Bring new innovative projects to the feasibility phase, executing with a 360-degree scope of the selected ideas.
• Benchmarking: Benchmark against industry leaders and best practices to identify areas for improvement and adopt successful strategies.

Industrialization

• Scale-Up: Lead the scale-up of new products from pilot to full-scale production, ensuring processes are optimized for efficiency and quality.
• Process Optimization: Continuously improve industrial processes to enhance productivity, reduce costs, and maintain high-quality standards.
• Technology Integration: Integrate new technologies to extend capabilities and competitiveness.

Problem-Solving

• Root Cause Analysis (RCA): Utilize industry-standard RCA techniques such as the 5 Whys, Fishbone diagrams, and Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) to identify underlying causes of issues. Develop effective solutions that prevent recurrence.
• Proactive Problem-Solving: Implement strategies that address identified root causes, using data-driven approaches to ensure solutions are sustainable and effective.

Collaboration

• Team Collaboration: Foster a collaborative environment where cross-functional teams can share insights and expertise. Establish clear communication norms and roles to ensure effective teamwork.
• Brainstorming Sessions: Lead brainstorming sessions to identify potential causes of operational issues, leveraging diverse perspectives from different departments.

Regulatory Compliance

• Compliance: Remain up to date on pertinent laws and regulations. Respect and follow food safety and environmental programs in place (HACCP, SQF, etc.) as well as other certifications (Organic, Kosher, non-GMO, etc.).

Monitoring and Measurement

• KPIs: Establish KPIs that align with industry standards for food production and industrialization, such as yield rates, defect rates, and production efficiency. Regularly track and analyze KPIs to measure the effectiveness of the implemented solutions.
• Continuous Improvement: Use KPI data to make informed decisions and drive continuous improvement.

Leadership and Creativity

• Idea Screening: Lead the process of screening innovative ideas, using criteria such as feasibility, market potential, and alignment with strategic goals. Demonstrate leadership and creativity in idea screening and benchmarking.
• Culture of Innovation: Promote and foster a culture of innovation and creativity within the team.

What Will You Bring:

Education

• Must have: Bachelor's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, or a related field.
• Nice to have: Master's Degree in Food Science, Food Technology, Industrial Engineering, or Business Administration (MBA) with a focus on innovation.

Experience

• 10+ years of experience in food manufacturing or equivalent.
• Extensive experience in launching successful innovative projects.
• Experience in private label product development management is an asset.

Skills

• Preference will be given to candidates with Lean Six Sigma training (Green Belt or higher preferred).
• Strong analytical skills and respect for confidentiality.
• Customer service obsessed.
• Experience using Smartsheet for project management is an asset.
• Skilled with MS Office tools.
• Ability to act as a transformational agent within the organization.
• Excellent communication skills in English and French (written and spoken).