Innovation Manager - RTD & Beer

Gallo•Chicago, NY

3d•$137,300 - $205,900•Hybrid

About The Position

The Innovation Manager, RTD & Beer, turns consumer and market opportunities into new-to-world brands, leading ideas from early concept and testing through commercialization, launch, and in-market growth. The role combines creativity, consumer insight, commercial thinking, and execution to build brands in the RTD and beer categories. The position owns introduction strategies and go-to-market plans, and partners with Sales, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, and other cross-functional teams. It leads test-and-learn initiatives, translates consumer and market insights into differentiated propositions, and uses results to decide whether to iterate, scale, or change direction. The role also helps shape positioning, packaging, pricing, creative development, consumer activation, and channel execution. The Innovation Manager contributes to GALLO’s innovation pipeline while managing A&P investments, P&L considerations, KPIs, and measurement plans. The role collaborates with agency and distributor partners, spends time in market learning from customers and consumers, and presents innovation strategies and results to senior leadership. The position is based in Dallas, TX (four days onsite per week), Modesto, CA (three days onsite per week), or remotely from Chicago, IL or New York City, NY. Travel of up to 50% is required for in-market work and team collaboration weeks, in addition to possible travel of up to 5% to company offices, sites, or meeting locations.

Requirements

Experience in the Beer or RTD industry.
Knowledge of retail and on-premise channels.
Experience managing multiple external agencies.
Strong analytical and financial acumen.
Ability to influence management, lead cross-functional teams, and work through others.
Ability to manage competing priorities and operate with a sense of urgency.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Willingness and ability to travel up to 50% of the time in-market and for team collaboration weeks.
Willingness to travel to company offices, sites, and/or meeting locations up to 5% of the time for onboarding, training, meetings, and events.
Must be 18 years or older.
One of the following education and experience combinations: a master’s degree plus 4 years of progressively responsible brand marketing or new brand development experience; a bachelor’s degree plus 6 years of such experience; or a high school diploma or state-issued certificate plus 10 years of such experience.

Nice To Haves

A master’s degree plus 6 years of progressively responsible brand marketing or new brand development experience, or a bachelor’s degree plus 8 years of such experience.
Experience developing and launching new-to-world brands or concepts from concept through commercialization.
Experience designing and leading concept, market, or consumer tests and using results to make scale, iterate, or stop decisions.
Experience optimizing and building brands post-launch using in-market performance, sales, and consumer data.
Experience translating consumer insights and data into brand positioning, propositions, and creative briefs.
Experience partnering with R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, and Sales to take innovation from brief to market.
Experience managing a P&L.
Experience presenting strategy and results to senior leadership.
Experience working in an agile environment, including roadmap planning.
Solid understanding of the three-tier distribution system.

Responsibilities

Lead new brand ideas from early concept and testing through commercialization, launch, and in-market growth.
Own introduction strategies and go-to-market plans.
Lead test-and-learn initiatives and use results to determine whether to iterate, scale, or change direction.
Translate consumer and market insights into differentiated brand propositions.
Help shape brand positioning, packaging, pricing, creative development, consumer activation, and channel execution.
Manage A&P investments, P&L considerations, KPIs, and measurement plans.
Partner with Sales, R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, agency partners, and distributor partners.
Learn from customers and consumers through in-market work.
Present innovation strategies and results to senior leadership.