Director of Innovation

Novolex • Charlotte, NC

3d

About The Position

The Director of Innovation leads new product development and innovation programs supporting Novolex's Distribution, International Industrial, and Beverage businesses. This role translates customer needs, market insights, technology opportunities, and business priorities into a focused innovation pipeline and drives programs from concept through commercialization. The position is designed for a high-impact innovation leader with the capability and potential to progress into a Senior Director role with broader portfolio, organizational, and strategic leadership responsibility.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Packaging Science/Engineering, Materials or Polymer Science, Chemical or Mechanical Engineering, or related technical discipline required
• 10+ years of progressive packaging, product development, engineering, innovation, or related manufacturing experience, with demonstrated leadership of complex commercialization programs.
• Strong project and program management experience
• Strong manufacturing orientation with experience translating product concepts into scalable, commercially viable production solutions.
• Strong executive communication, cross-functional influence, analytical thinking, business acumen, and ability to lead across multiple priorities without direct authority.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree strongly preferred
• PMP or formal program management training is a plus
• Experience in flexible packaging and food packaging strongly preferred
• Beverage, industrial, distribution, or international market experience is a plus
• Experience using market insights, customer research, competitive intelligence, and industry trends to shape innovation strategy is highly desirable

Responsibilities

• Lead the innovation and new product development portfolio across assigned business units, aligning priorities with growth strategies, customer needs, and commercial opportunities.
• Own complex NPD programs from opportunity identification and business case through development, validation, scale-up, launch, and post-launch review.
• Drive disciplined project and program management, including scope, milestones, resources, risks, financial targets, and executive-level portfolio reporting.
• Partner across Product Management, Sales, R&D, Engineering, Operations, Quality, Procurement, Sustainability, and suppliers to accelerate commercialization, acting as a connector across departments to surface innovative thinking and enable execution.
• Translate voice of customer, competitive intelligence, market trends, sustainability requirements, and emerging technologies into actionable product and technology roadmaps.
• Provide technical leadership in flexible and food packaging, materials, converting processes, product performance, and design for manufacturability.
• Engage directly with customers and commercial teams to identify unmet needs, facilitate innovation sessions, and develop differentiated solutions and value propositions.
• Drive awareness and adoption of innovation programs across the organization.
• Define KPIs, track impact, and report on outcomes of innovation initiatives.
• Build organizational capability by improving innovation processes, mentoring cross-functional teams, and establishing scalable practices that support future portfolio growth.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Variety of other well-being resources focused on mental, physical and financial health
• Training and development programs
• Support for formal education through the Tuition Reimbursement Program (Non-Union)

What This Job Offers

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