Director, Brand Innovation Platforms - FSOP

The Coca-Cola Company•Atlanta, GA

About The Position

The Director, Brand Innovation Platforms, leads the development and commercialization of innovation platforms for key brands and food service programs within the North America Operating Unit (NAOU). This role is responsible for shaping and executing the innovation agenda, ensuring new products and platforms deliver against brand vision, consumer needs, food service customers, and business objectives. The Director partners across internal and external stakeholders to shepherd ideas from concept through launch, driving step-change growth and ensuring alignment with global strategies.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred.
4+ years of experience in brand management and/or marketing in consumer-packaged goods; beverage experience ideal.
1-2 years of direct experience in developing innovation pipelines and launching new products into the market.
Proven track record of developing and launching step-change innovations.
Experience leading cross-functional teams and influencing senior stakeholders.
Advanced program and project management skills, including synthesizing multiple initiatives and establishing management routines.
Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to tailor communications to diverse audiences.
Ability to prioritize short- and long-term priorities, manage key tradeoffs, and communicate implications.
Knowledge of syndicated sources (e.g., AC Nielsen, IRI, CCT+, Home Scan) and procedures to drive increases in volume and brand equity.
Experience preparing executive-level presentations and briefing materials.
High degree of professionalism, discretion, and executive presence.

Responsibilities

Support the development of innovation platforms that deliver against overall brand visions, strategies, and objectives across all categories and brands, including food service priorities
Manage a multi-year innovation pipeline, translating consumer foresight and market trends into strategic bets and breakthrough concepts.
Partner with Human Insights, R&D, Supply Chain, Commercial, and external stakeholders (customers, bottlers, suppliers) to develop new and improved products that meet consumer needs and drive system value.
Shepherd ideas through concept development, testing, product and packaging development, and commercialization.
Work closely with global innovation and base leads to spearhead scaling innovation
Manage a transversal innovation portfolio, consolidating bets across categories and ensuring each platform is revenue and margin accretive.
Develop and communicate written briefs for use by internal partners, agencies, and suppliers to direct work activities and generate concepts for effective execution.
Collaborate cross-functionally across R&D, Supply Chain, Commercial, Finance, Food Service and Franchise teams to accelerate innovation and bring new claims, formats, and technologies into the system.
Track and report clear KPIs for innovation success, including pipeline health, launch velocity, and commercial impact.
Report regularly to senior leadership on innovation progress, risks, and opportunities.
Ensure innovation platforms are grounded in consumer co-creation, early-stage testing, and iterative refinement.
Foster a culture of bold experimentation, outside-in thinking, and ownership mindset.
Champion AI literacy and tech-enabled ways of working across the innovation function.
Lead communications with internal and external partners, sharing innovation plans, influencing support, and negotiating to enable desired outcomes.
Interact frequently with constituents who may have differing interests, ensuring alignment and effective execution.