Senior Innovation Manager

Kinisla; Staines-upon-Thames; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 95,000; Full time

Job summary

Kinisla is seeking a Senior Innovation Manager to drive consumer-led innovation across our Dairy Consumer Foods portfolio, including major brands like Dairygold and Strings & Things. You will shape roadmaps, govern projects from insight to launch, and lead a direct report in a fast-paced, agile environment.

You will partner with Insights, Brand, Category, R&D, Finance, Commercial teams and agencies to deliver winning propositions that grow brand equity and business results.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in innovation, brand or marketing roles, preferably within FMCG.
• Proven track record of leading complex innovation projects or pipelines from insight through to launch.
• Strong understanding of consumer insight, concept and proposition development, business-case creation and commercialisation.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience evaluating opportunities, investment choices and commercial returns.
• Experience coaching or managing others.
• Strong portfolio and project-management capability, with the ability to prioritise competing opportunities and resources.

Responsibilities

• Develop and own an ambitious long-term innovation strategy and pipeline aligned to brand and commercial goals.
• Lead governance of projects from insight to launch readiness, coordinating cross-functional teams and ensuring disciplined execution.
• Drive consumer-led proposition development with robust business cases and practical go-to-market plans.
• Partner with Insights, Brand, Category, R&D, Finance and Commercial teams to translate ideas into winning propositions.
• Lead, coach and develop a direct report, setting clear priorities and development objectives.
• Build an innovation culture and capability across the organisation, with measurable impact on growth targets.

Skills

Innovation

Brand management

Marketing

Cross-functional leadership

Consumer insight

People leadership

Portfolio management

Job description

About the Role:

We’re looking for an ambitious, commercially minded Senior Innovation Manager to drive consumer-led innovation across our Dairy Consumer Foods portfolio, which includes household name brands such as Dairygold and Strings & Things. Reporting to the Innovation Marketing Manager, you’ll shape brand and portfolio roadmaps, taking commercially viable ideas from consumer insight through to launch readiness. This role combines innovation strategy, project governance and people leadership, including coaching a direct report. Joining an expanding function at Kinisla, you’ll help unlock new growth opportunities in an agile environment where ideas and ownership are encouraged.

What will I be doing?

Innovation Strategy & Pipeline Development Across Key Areas of Responsibility

• Ensure there is a clear, long term innovation strategy in place across brands within remit, with strong alignment to short and long-term commercial goals.
• Use consumer insight to drive a pipeline of innovation opportunities which support the brand, innovation strategy and growth objectives.

Innovation Ownership & Governance

• Ensure innovation projects progress effectively from insight to launch readiness, leading cross functional partners, balancing ambition, feasibility, and commercial return.
• Actively manage the innovation pipeline to ensure short and long-term brand and business needs are met.
• Lead and maintain stage and gate process discipline and compliance across projects within your remit.
• Influence cross-functional stakeholders to support delivery of the innovation agenda and improve the in-market success rate of NPD propositions.

Consumer Led Proposition Development

• Lead the development of strong consumer concepts and propositions, validated through insight and translated into winning commercial opportunities through robust business cases.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, pace, and constructive challenge.
• Build innovation capability, mindset, and confidence across the wider organisation.

Commercial & Brand Impact

• Ensure innovation supports brand equity growth and delivers against commercial KPIs.
• Partner closely with Insights, Brand, Category, R&D, Finance, Commercial teams & agency partners to translate ideas into winning, executable propositions.

People Leadership & Capability Building

• Lead, coach and develop a direct report, setting clear priorities, expectations and development objectives.
• Provide high-quality direction, coaching and constructive feedback.
• Create clarity of ownership and accountability across projects and workstreams.
• Build innovation capability, confidence and consumer-led thinking across cross-functional teams.

Success Measures

• Strength and value of the innovation pipeline (short / medium / long term).
• In market success rate of innovation launches.
• Delivery of innovation contribution to growth targets.
• Performance, engagement and development of direct report.
• Stakeholder confidence and alignment behind the innovation agenda.
• Helps build a stronger innovation culture and mindset across the organisation.

What do I need to be successful?

At Kinisla, we understand that people have very different career trajectories and experiences. In order to be successful in this role we would be looking for the right competencies and aptitudes as well as your proven track record of success in a similar role and environment.

These include:

Experience & Skills

• Significant experience in innovation, brand or marketing roles, preferably within FMCG.
• Proven track record of leading complex innovation projects or pipelines from insight through to launch.
• Strong understanding of consumer insight, concept and proposition development, business-case creation and commercialisation.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
• Strong commercial acumen, with experience evaluating opportunities, investment choices and commercial returns.
• Experience coaching or managing others.
• Strong portfolio and project-management capability, with the ability to prioritise competing opportunities and resources.

Mindset & Behaviours

• Strong team player with the ability to work collaboratively as well as with autonomy.
• Consumer focused, insight driven, and commercially grounded.
• Comfortable leading cross functional teams, decisive, and outcomes focused.
• Curiosity and a hunger to learn, grow and push for better, bringing the outside in.
• Strong influencer across functions, partners and leadership teams.

What will I get in return?

At Kinisla, we believe in giving talented, curious people the opportunity to make a difference. We work as a team, searching for ways to inspire and lead the evolution of dairy, food and nutrition. We are a community of innovators, working across disciplines to solve global food challenges with a fresh approach. We want you to achieve whatever you put your mind to.

We also offer:

• 25 days annual leave (excluding bank holidays)
• Hybrid working (2 days per week)
• Matched pension scheme
• Benefits platform offering discounts and cashback on major retailers.

About Kinisla

Kinisla is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence.

With over 50 years’ experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our from food, for food culture and deep-rooted connection to our 2,800 milk suppliers differentiates our business and offers captivating opportunities for our customers and consumers.

Our dairy comes from some of the world’s richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kinisla is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities.

Headquartered in Tralee, Co. Kerry, we operate multiple manufacturing facilities in the southwest of Ireland, including Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, and Farranfore. Additionally, we manage 29 Farm & Home stores throughout the region, ensuring comprehensive coverage and service. In Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, our presence extends to key locations in Portadown, Coleraine, and Ossett.

Globally, Kinisla employs over 1,700 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth.

At Kinisla, we benefit from the knowledge of our colleagues who bring a diverse range of cultures, backgrounds, lifestyles and experiences. One team fostering an inclusive culture that, above all, inspires and leads the evolution of dairy, food and nutrition. One culture where everyone brings their unique perspectives and experiences to help make us better, together. We are committed to nurturing an environment of positivity and inclusiveness, where everyone can be at their best, both personally and professionally.

Our recruitment, selection and assessment process are based on the skills and competencies of the specific roles and based entirely on merit. We are committed to and value Diversity and Inclusion in all recruitment processes within Kinisla and do not discriminate based on gender, race, class, economic status, ethnic background, sexual orientation, age, political beliefs, veteran status, marital status or any other protected characteristic.

Please note: We do not accept CVs or candidate profiles from recruitment agencies where Kinisla terms of business have not been signed. Additionally, we will not consider or agree to payment of any recruiter fee under these circumstances. This also applies to CVs or candidate profiles sent directly to any Kinisla Hiring Managers.