Associate Manager Innovation

Tyson Foods•Springdale, AR

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Manager Innovation is a key contributor to the Innovation Team, leading cross-functional teams through the planning, development, execution, and commercialization of innovation and renovation initiatives. The role supports RVAP (Retail Value Added Poultry) Innovation, RVAP Innovation Project Management, or Retail Fresh and Frozen Poultry Innovation. It helps build and execute innovation pipelines by identifying consumer, customer, and market opportunities and translating insights into commercially viable products and packaging solutions. The position drives projects from concept to launch while building cross-functional relationships and delivering results with speed, agility, and excellence. The role also provides overall project management for assigned projects that contribute to business growth and efficiencies. It requires influencing across business units, coordinating internal and external resources, leading complex projects, and navigating roadblocks and change throughout product development. The position is full-time onsite at the company's World Headquarters in Springdale, Arkansas.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
At least 2 years of relevant experience.
Strong communication and presentation skills.
Strong analytical and strategic thinking skills.
Ability to collaborate and lead cross-functional teams.
Ability to effectively manage multiple projects in a dynamic environment.
Results-oriented mindset focused on execution excellence and ownership.
Ability to identify opportunities, solve complex problems, and drive initiatives from ideation through commercialization.
Customer-focused mindset and understanding of retail and consumer trends within the protein category.
Must reside in the United States to be considered.
Must be willing and able to perform the physical requirements of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation.

Nice To Haves

MBA or BBA.
Formal project management certification from PMI or an equivalent Project Management Association.
Marketing, Sales, or product development experience.

Responsibilities

Support the manager in developing innovation pipelines and strategies for assigned brand categories, channels, and customers, aligned with corporate and business unit goals.
Build, lead, and influence cross-functional partnerships across R&D, Packaging, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, Marketing, Insights, Engineering, Regulatory, and Procurement.
Analyze consumer, operator, and market data and trends to identify insights and translate them into innovation initiatives.
Manage strategic customer- and category-specific initiatives, emphasizing agility, speed to market, and execution excellence.
Lead innovation and renovation projects across retail poultry categories, aligning them with customer needs, business objectives, and operational capabilities.
Lead and participate in product and packaging innovation projects, including concept development, feasibility, validation, product and packaging development, R&D business proposals and approvals, project execution, operator and distributor sell-in, and in-market performance tracking.
Manage the innovation process through launch, including sales-channel forecasting, initial production coordination, test markets, inventory builds, initial shipments, and final product launch coordination.
Use innovation project management, packaging, and specification systems to advance projects with cross-functional teams.
Collaborate with Insights, R&D, Channel Marketing, and the business unit to identify ideas, develop research and development plans, screen ideas and food, and optimize innovation offerings for consumer and operator needs and differentiation from competitors.
Work with Sales and Channel Marketing to understand and incorporate operator and distributor strategies into the innovation pipeline.
Partner with Sales and Channel Marketing to improve forecast accuracy, maximize opportunities, and develop plans that deliver against JBP objectives.
Lead private-label innovation and renovation projects from customer specification through commercialization, helping shape long-range and annual plans for assigned categories.
Apply sound project management techniques and workflow processes; build plans that clearly outline objectives, timing, and risks.
Manage multiple projects, prioritize work, and execute in a fast-paced environment.
Communicate and align key resources at all organizational levels on assigned projects.
Serve as a project management example and subject matter expert, and mentor others who need project management guidance.
Report key project management updates to various functions and organizational levels.