Ice Cream Innovation Planning Associate Manager

The Magnum Ice Cream Company•Englewood Cliffs, NJ

7d•$88,600 - $133,000•Hybrid

About The Position

The Magnum Ice Cream Company is seeking an Associate Innovation Planning Manager for its Ice Cream US team. This role is crucial for launching key innovations to market on time and in full. The Innovation Planner will act as the project manager and supply chain lead, collaborating closely with Marketing, R&D, Sales, Finance, Category Management, and other Supply Chain Functional teams. The company is a standalone, independent, publicly listed entity focused on creating the ultimate snacking company with a culture that cultivates and rewards growth, innovation, ownership mentality, and performance. They aim to craft extraordinary ice cream experiences and transform ordinary moments into lasting memories. The company operates with a fast-paced, simple, and collaborative approach, encouraging individuals to take ownership and work as one team. They embrace digital tools, data-driven decisions, and continuous learning, including the use of AI to enhance operations and consumer service.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree (Business, Supply chain, R&D, Engineering preferred)
5 years’ experience in Supply Chain (Project Management, Planning, Procurement, Manufacturing, Engineering or Logistics) or in R&D with experience on new product development
Project management skills (working knowledge of MS Project, MS Office)
Basic appreciation level of how manufacturing works
Strong leadership and business partnering skills with the ability to influence decisions

Responsibilities

Manage the innovation project plans from Pre-start/Kick-off, through to implementation and post-launch evaluation by helping to scope the project, defining activities and timings required to ensure capability is in place, and then following up on these timings throughout the project.
Manage the overall project networks, via MS Project, coordinate inputs from all functions and hold individuals accountable for the delivery of their activities to ensure the project remains on time.
Ensure that the Supply Chain has the necessary capacities and capabilities to produce the innovations for all assigned sourcing sites.
Manage communication with all key project stakeholders and with global and regional innovation planners.
Coordinate required inputs to the business case for the innovation projects in terms of capital expenditure and SCC drivers, working closely with the global Procurement, Finance, Planning and Engineering teams.
Prepare all gate documents and decision papers as inputs into the Unilever Innovation Project Management process for all assigned innovation projects.
Ensure delivered Quality for the innovations; maintaining Unilever safety standards.
Own and maintain the overall project networks for new variants and new hardware projects, as required to ensure “on time in full” delivery; by working closely with R&D, Marketing, Finance, Procurement, T&E, Quality and factories.
Co-lead risk assessments, and make sure action plans are embedded in the project timeline.
Support complexity reduction activities and sourcing analysis for the innovation projects, by working closely with Strategic Planning and Finance.
Lead meetings with cross-functional team members and drive decisions to achieve one common goal.
Work with cross-functional partners to develop timelines; understanding when key actions are needed and how the project team will navigate to successfully meet launch ambition.
Work collaboratively with cross-functional teams to overcome challenges and successfully deliver innovations to market.
Influence team members to develop creative solutions when things go off-course, resulting in a different way to execute the project.