Innovation Project Lead

Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc.•Glen Allen, VA

8d•$100,170 - $121,635•Hybrid

About The Position

We are seeking qualified candidates for the position of Innovation Project Lead at our Richmond, VA headquarters. This is a salaried, exempt, hybrid role, working in a collaborative and creative environment. The Innovation Project Lead plays a critical role in identifying and shaping the future of our product portfolio by uncovering consumer needs and guiding cross-functional teams through the earliest phases of innovation.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Marketing, Innovation, or a related field.
4+ years of relevant experience in the consumer-packaged goods or durable goods industry.
Curious and creative problem solver who is positive, passionate, and enthusiastic about crafting highly usable and relevant products
Excels in visualizing and articulating ideas with clarity and impact
Demonstrated success leading innovation or design projects within cross-functional teams.
Empathic listener who is comfortable with ambiguity and experimentation and takes a hands-on approach
Strategic mindset with a strong understanding of consumer behavior and market dynamics.
Comfortable fostering collaboration and aligning diverse stakeholders at all levels.
Passionate about driving change and continuous improvement.

Nice To Haves

A passion for cooking, baking, beverage making, cleaning, and home goods is a plus

Responsibilities

Lead, direct and inspire cross-functional teams through all phases of early-stage innovation, from discovery to proof of concept.
Collaborate with Product Managers to develop strategic project briefs and define project timelines.
Identify unmet consumer needs through observations, interviews, and other human-centered research techniques.
Translate user insights into compelling, viable, and breakthrough product opportunities that resonate with target audiences.
Facilitate collaborative brainstorming sessions to generate a range of meaningfully unique ideas aligned with business goals.
Oversee the development of proof-of-concept prototypes to validate technical feasibility and consumer desirability.
Mitigate risks, resolve issues, and ensure team alignment to drive projects to successful, on-time delivery
Champion a culture of innovation by supporting training and the adoption of best practices across teams.
Deliver clear, engaging project updates and findings to leadership and executive stakeholders.
Maintain thorough documentation of project learnings, reports, and outcomes for future reference.