Director, Innovation Marketing

Simple Mills • Chicago, IL

1d • $160,000 - $195,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Director, Innovation Marketing will shape Simple Mills’ growth agenda by identifying emerging consumer needs and market opportunities and translating them into innovation platforms, pipelines, and product launches. The role is responsible for strengthening the portfolio, creating meaningful consumer value, and delivering sustainable growth in the better-for-you food market. Working across the organization, the Director will define where the company should compete and how it can win, align senior leaders and cross-functional teams around an innovation vision, accelerate ideas from concept through commercialization, and build the capabilities, processes, and culture needed for long-term growth and competitive advantage.

The Director will define innovation strategy and growth pipelines, guide portfolio and investment decisions, lead consumer-centered innovation, and oversee cross-functional initiatives from opportunity identification through launch. The position also drives commercialization, business-case development, performance measurement, and resource allocation, while leading, coaching, and developing a high-performing Innovation team. The role reports to the Head of Innovation & Mission. An essential function includes tasting food and working near various food allergens.

This is a hybrid position requiring work from the Simple Mills Chicago, Illinois office at least once per week. Remote work must be performed from the employee’s designated permanent residence in the United States, with internet adequate for video conferencing. The role offers a salary range of $160,000–$195,000 and eligibility for an annual bonus.

Requirements

• 10–12+ years of progressive experience in food, beverage, wellness, or consumer packaged goods innovation, marketing, strategy, or general management, including significant responsibility for developing and commercializing growth-driving innovation.
• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Deep passion for natural foods and the connection between food, human health, and planetary wellness; demonstrated curiosity about emerging food, wellness, and cultural trends.
• Demonstrated experience leading innovation pipelines, portfolio decisions, and cross-functional commercialization efforts at scale.
• Demonstrated success defining innovation strategy, building multi-year growth pipelines, and delivering innovation that drives revenue growth, profitability, and strategic business objectives.
• Experience shaping growth strategies and influencing enterprise-level business decisions.
• Experience working in both large, complex organizations and entrepreneurial, high-growth environments.
• Proven track record leading cross-functional teams to deliver breakthrough, category-shaping, or new-to-the-world innovation from concept through commercialization.
• Deep expertise in opportunity identification, consumer insights, concept and positioning development, product development, commercialization, business-case development, financial analysis, and portfolio management.
• Strong business and financial acumen, including experience evaluating growth opportunities, making investment recommendations, and managing innovation-related investment decisions.
• Strategic and disciplined thinker able to identify opportunities, set direction, and translate ambiguity into focused action, while moving between long-term vision and executional detail.
• Entrepreneurial leader who thrives in ambiguity, makes sound decisions with incomplete information, and drives progress through influence and accountability.
• Exceptional communication, storytelling, and influencing skills, including the ability to build alignment, challenge constructively, and engage confidently with leaders at all levels.
• Proven people leader with experience coaching, developing, and growing high-performing teams.
• Able to taste food and work in the vicinity of various food allergens.

Nice To Haves

• MBA strongly preferred.
• Knowledge of regenerative agriculture and sustainable food systems is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Define innovation strategy and build multi-year growth pipelines across core, adjacent, and emerging categories.
• Identify and prioritize growth opportunities using consumer insights, market trends, competitive intelligence, and whitespace analysis.
• Partner with Brand Marketing, Consumer Insights, R&D, and Commercial teams to align innovation priorities with business objectives.
• Partner with executive leaders to evaluate growth opportunities, investment decisions, and portfolio tradeoffs.
• Establish innovation governance and decision-making frameworks that align resources, priorities, and long-term growth objectives.
• Strengthen innovation capabilities, processes, and ways of working to improve speed, quality, and impact.
• Drive portfolio prioritization and investment decisions to maximize growth potential and resource effectiveness.
• Translate consumer insights into differentiated concepts, products, and platforms that create meaningful consumer value.
• Use research and experimentation to validate opportunities, reduce risk, and strengthen decision-making.
• Synthesize complex information into clear recommendations that influence business strategy and investment decisions.
• Lead cross-functional teams through the end-to-end innovation process, from opportunity identification through commercialization.
• Partner with R&D to develop products that meet consumer expectations, business objectives, and brand standards.
• Ensure initiatives achieve financial, strategic, and operational objectives while proactively managing risk and execution.
• Balance long-term innovation ambitions with near-term business priorities and performance goals.
• Build business cases and innovation plans that support growth and profitability objectives.
• Partner with cross-functional leaders on commercialization, positioning, sales stories, and go-to-market strategies.
• Establish success metrics and post-launch performance tracking for innovation initiatives.
• Monitor innovation portfolio performance and recommend resource allocation adjustments to maximize growth and profitability.
• Lead, coach, and develop a high-performing Innovation team.
• Foster a culture of curiosity, accountability, and critical thinking.
• Develop talent, succession plans, and future innovation leaders.
• Perform other projects as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation with a salary range of $160,000–$195,000.
• Annual bonus opportunity.
• Health, financial, and wellness programs.
• Time-off approach designed to support rest and recharging.
• Lifestyle perks and innovation product shipments.
• Professional development through hands-on training, learning platforms, and career growth opportunities.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director