Sr Manager, Innovation & Strategy

Nestlé; Arlington (VA); On-site; USD 170,000 - 230,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401(k) with company match

Healthcare coverage

Performance-based incentives

Job summary

Nestlé USA is seeking a Senior Manager of Commercial Innovation Strategy and Capability to translate innovation priorities into actionable, division-level plans. You will partner across brands, Sales, Finance, R&D, and external partners to build a stronger rolling pipeline and improve governance and performance visibility.

The role combines strategic thought leadership with hands-on execution, driving opportunities from ambition to prioritized concepts and disciplined commercialization.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or Master’s preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in CPG innovation, marketing, strategy, consumer insights, commercialization, or related roles.
• Experience building innovation strategies and pipelines and leading cross-functional work in a large matrix organization.
• Front-end innovation knowledge, portfolio management, stage-gate governance, commercialization, and performance tracking.
• Ability translating inputs into clear recommendations and actions.
• Strong project and partner management skills with multiple priorities and budgets.

Responsibilities

• Translate Nestlé USA innovation priorities into practical, division-level action.
• Lead strategy and rolling three-year pipeline plans across brands and divisions.
• Embed innovation in the Nestlé Way and improve portfolio governance and performance visibility.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Influencing without authority

Consumer & category orientation

Results orientation

Innovation & problem solving

Analytical storytelling

Pipeline & portfolio management

Change leadership

Cross-functional leadership

Collaboration & One-team

Education

Bachelor's degree

MBA or Master’s in Marketing/Business/Innovation/Strategy

Job description

Foods you love. Brands you trust. And a career that empowers you to grow.
At Nestlé USA, we’re all working towards the same goal – to delight and deliver for our consumers. With a rich portfolio of beloved brands, including DiGiorno, Toll House, and Coffee mate, in 97% of U.S. households, we have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to be there for every moment in our consumers’ lives.

Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk-taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive.
This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

POSITION SUMMARY

This role is a commercial innovation strategy and capability leadership position responsible for translating Nestlé USA innovation priorities into practical, division-level action. The Senior Manager partners across brands, categories, Commercial Development, Sales, Finance, Consumer Insights & Foresight, Digital, R&D, TAG (Technical Application Group), and external partners to build innovation strategy, stronger rolling pipelines, embed Innovation the Nestlé Way, improve portfolio governance and performance visibility, and accelerate scalable, consumer-led innovation. The role combines strategic thought leadership with hands‑on execution, helping teams move from ambition to prioritized opportunities, robust concepts, and disciplined commercialization.

PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES

Innovation Strategy and Strategic Pipeline Development

• Partner with division and Product Experience (PX) teams to translate Business Strategy and Brand priorities into long-term innovation strategy with actionable, rolling three-year pipeline plans.
• Lead innovation-needs and opportunity assessments, including Brand Building the Nestle Way alignment, to identify gaps, clarify choices, and strengthen future growth platforms.
• Integrate Consumer Insights & Foresight perspectives into strategy, opportunity framing, concept development, and pipeline decisions.

Innovation Process, Capability Building, and Toolkits

• Lead the practical adoption of Innovation the Nestlé Way, including the FEI process, frameworks, best practices, and connections to commercialization and stage gate governance.
• Diagnose capability and process needs across divisions and develop customized coaching, workshops, playbooks, and toolkits based on business priorities.
• Coach brand and cross-functional teams through opportunity framing, prioritization, concept development, experimentation, and decision-making.
• Partner with Learning & Development and Marketing Transformation teams to embed innovation capability into sustainable ways of working.

Portfolio Governance, Performance, and Accountability

• Support monthly Nestlé USA innovation scorecard routines, consolidating inputs and surfacing trends, risks, recommended actions, and implications for performance, incrementality, and pipeline strength.
• Enable efficient leadership innovation reviews through clear templates, decision-oriented insights, and follow-through on actions and commitments.
• Champion stage gate data quality and reporting routines in partnership with TAG and cross-functional owners, escalating gaps and driving action plans.
• Strengthen portfolio discipline through clear prioritization, lifecycle performance tracking, and transparent governance routines.

Cross-Functional Integration and Commercialization

• Partner with R&D and TAG as technical enablers, connecting commercial opportunity with product experience excellence, sensory, 60/40+, feasibility, and category-specific superiority frameworks.
• Collaborate with Commercial Development, Sales, Finance, and division teams to strengthen retailer-facing innovation strategies and improve the launch and scale of innovation across priority channels, including eCommerce and Club.
• Partner with Digital teams to ensure innovation tools are strategically aligned to business needs, user-friendly, and embedded within divisional ways of working.
• Act as an integrator across functions, clarifying roles, interdependencies, decision points, and ownership needed to move innovation forward with speed and accountability.

Stakeholder Engagement and Team Leadership

• Serve as a trusted innovation advisor to division and functional leaders, providing clear recommendations, constructive challenge, and hands‑on support.
• Build strong relationships across a complex matrix and influence decisions without direct authority.
• Foster collaboration, transparency, knowledge sharing, and continuous improvement across the Innovation Center of Excellence.

REQUIREMENTS

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or Master's degree in Marketing, Business, Innovation, Strategy, or a related field preferred.
• 8+ years of progressive experience in CPG innovation, marketing, strategy, consumer insights, commercialization, or related roles.
• Demonstrated experience building innovation strategies and pipelines and leading cross-functional work in a complex, matrixed organization.
• Working knowledge of front-end innovation, portfolio management, stage-gate governance, commercialization, and performance tracking.
• Experience translating consumer, category, customer, technical, and financial inputs into clear recommendations and action.
• Strong project and partner management experience, including the ability to manage multiple priorities, senior stakeholders, external resources, and budgets.

SKILLS AND COMPETENCIES

Strategic Thinking and Business Acumen

Influencing Without Authority

Consumer and Category Orientation

Results Orientation and Bias for Action

Innovation and Creative Problem Solving

Analytical Storytelling and Executive Communication

Pipeline and Portfolio Management

Change Leadership and Organizational Agility

Capability Building and Coaching

Project, Budget, and Partner Management

Cross-Functional Leadership

Collaboration and One-Team Mindset

Salary:$170,482.10 to$230,330.05 per year

Bonus Eligibility:Yes

Thepay rangeprovided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to knowledge, skills and abilities as well as geographic location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at top of range.

Nestlé offers performance-based incentives and a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k with company match, healthcare coverage and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position. Learn more athttps://www.nestlejobs.com/nestle-in-the-us-benefits

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.
To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are equal employment opportunity employers. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at [e-mail] or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

Job Requisition:422069