Innovation Director

JR United Kingdom; Derby; Remote; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A design and innovation agency in the UK is seeking an experienced innovation strategist. You will lead workshops, develop innovative strategies, and manage client relationships. The ideal candidate has over 10 years in agency-side innovation, particularly in FMCG. This position is largely remote with collaborative opportunities throughout the year.

Qualifications

• 10+ years’ experience in innovation, ideally agency-side, focusing on FMCG.
• Experience facilitating discussions with senior stakeholders.
• Ability to develop product ideas and bring them to market.

Responsibilities

• Lead workshops to generate new product ideas.
• Shape and implement innovation strategies.
• Develop project proposals and coordinate with teams.

Skills

Innovation strategy development

Stakeholder management

Market analysis

Client relationship management

Job description

Overview

Our client is a specialist design and innovation agency with a strong reputation in the FMCG space. Their team works across food, drink, personal care, and pet care, delivering everything from long-term product pipelines to go-to-market strategies. They’re experts at finding the sweet spot between strategic rigour and creative thinking, partnering closely with clients to act as an extension of their team. The culture is collaborative, respectful, and flexible, with most people working remotely but coming together for key moments. No two weeks look the same, but you’ll likely:

• Lead workshops to unlock fresh thinking and new product ideas
• Shape and deliver innovation strategies that drive commercial growth
• Develop proposals, write briefs, and work closely with cross-functional teams
• Translate trends and insights into actionable, future-proofed concepts
• Build and nurture strong, long-term client relationships

Qualifications

• Have 10+ years’ experience in innovation, ideally agency-side, with a focus on FMCG.
• Be comfortable facilitating a room full of senior stakeholders as you are crafting a concept that nails the brief.
• Understand how to spot and frame opportunities, develop product ideas, and see them through to launch.