Beer Innovation Architect & Incubation Leader

Constellation Brands; United States; On-site; USD 173,000 - 288,000; Full time

Job summary

Constellation Brands in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Director of Beer Innovation & Incubation to drive future growth by identifying opportunities and leading cross-functional teams. You will oversee end-to-end product development, manage whitespace opportunities, and partner with Marketing, Sales, and R&D to translate consumer insights into new beverages.

The role requires a visionary leader with 15+ years of experience, exceptional communication, and strong strategic thinking to shape a

Qualifications

• 15+ years of related experience.
• Bachelor’s degree in marketing/business, psychology, or sociology.
• Excellent communication skills; articulate with strong public speaking and writing abilities.
• Strong interpersonal skills and cross-functional collaboration capabilities.
• Deep understanding of category dynamics and brand/product landscape.

Responsibilities

• Develop and implement a comprehensive innovation strategy aligned with the company’s overall business objectives and growth targets.
• Lead all strategic and tactical innovation workstreams for the existing beer portfolio, supported by direct reports.
• Identify whitespace opportunities based on consumer and category trends and develop new-to-world product concepts, liquids, and brands to evolve the portfolio and drive growth.
• Provide direction to cross-functional teams in development and launch of new products, ensuring alignment with consumer insights, market trends, and technology advancements.
• Direct end-to-end product development through the Stage Gate process from idea generation to scale-up.
• Utilize market research and competitive analysis to identify market whitespace and innovation opportunities.
• Collaborate with Marketing, Sales, and R&D to translate consumer needs into innovative concepts.
• Partner with Brand and Consumer Insights to develop brand strategy and positioning of new products/platforms.
• Collaborate with brand teams and lead marketing plans and commercialization of new products/platforms.
• Stay abreast of industry trends, technologies, and regulatory changes impacting innovation.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and experimentation within the team.
• Anticipate future business trends to stay ahead of the competition.
• Represent innovation in strategic discussions and decision-making forums.
• Build relationships with executives and stakeholders to gain alignment and support for initiatives.
• Communicate with internal and external leaders, including senior leadership and the Executive Management Committee.
• Initiate and maintain external agency partnerships for developing new products and services.
• Partner with external suppliers and industry experts to leverage resources.
• Develop and own the innovation budget and allocate resources effectively.
• Monitor timelines, milestones, and budgets to ensure on-time delivery.
• Define KPIs to measure success of initiatives.
• Prepare progress reports for senior management highlighting achievements and challenges.
• Lead and mentor direct reports and their teams.

Skills

Public speaking

Writing

Interpersonal skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Strategic thinking

Education

Bachelor’s degree in marketing/business/psychology/sociology

Job description

Constellation Brands in Chicago, IL seeks a Senior Director of Beer Innovation & Incubation to drive future growth by identifying opportunities and leading cross-functional teams. You will oversee end-to-end product development, manage whitespace opportunities, and partner with Marketing, Sales, and R&D to translate consumer insights into new beverages.

The role requires a visionary leader with 15+ years of experience, exceptional communication, and strong strategic thinking to shape a