Senior Manager, Product Development

AG1 • Chicago, IL

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

AG1 is seeking a Senior Manager, Product Development to join its growing Product Development team and build new product platforms. Reporting to the VP, Product Development, this role leads formulation, innovation, and continuous improvement from concept through commercialization. The role owns platform innovation strategy and the frameworks that guide development, and independently represents the platform with cross-functional and executive stakeholders. It is a hands-on, lab-close role based in the greater Chicago area, with an average expectation of working onsite at the lab outside Chicago two days per week, or more often as business needs require. The position partners closely with Manufacturing, contract manufacturers, flavor houses, and other platform leads to bring products to commercial scale and share best practices.

Requirements

• At least 7 years of product development experience in the beverage or CPG industry, including substantial hands-on formulation experience.
• At least 5 years as a food scientist with Ready to Drink (RTD) or beverage processing experience.
• Based in the greater Chicago area.
• BA/BS in Food Science or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to make strategic decisions, own formula direction and prioritization, and manage resourcing trade-offs.
• Track record of representing a function independently to senior leadership or executive stakeholders.
• Experience partnering with contract manufacturers and flavor houses to take products from concept to commercial scale.
• Strong grounding in sensory evaluation and stability testing methodologies.
• Experience building or owning innovation frameworks and processes, such as Stagegate systems or prioritization frameworks.
• Comfort working hands-on in a lab-based environment.
• Strong cross-functional leadership skills and credibility operating as a peer with functional directors.
• Builder’s mindset, comfort with ambiguity, and willingness to define processes where none exist.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.

Responsibilities

• Lead product development and innovation for new platforms, from formulation through commercialization, and own platform decisions as a business owner would.
• Own and evolve the platform’s Innovation Brief system, ensuring briefs are accurate and complete.
• Lead desirability, viability, and feasibility evaluations of product concepts and shape how concepts are assessed and prioritized.
• Own readiness at key phases and milestones within the company’s Stagegate process.
• Drive material and formulation modifications to improve quality, stability, and cost, and to create new product opportunities.
• Partner with flavor houses and internal flavor experts to develop and refine platform-specific flavor systems.
• Support contract manufacturer relationships and ensure formulations translate to production scale and manufacturing partners can execute to specification.
• Own sensory and stability validation for platform formulations and ensure quality and shelf-life standards are met before launch.
• Drive the development and continuous improvement of platform innovation processes, including Stagegate, Innovation Brief, and DVF systems.
• Partner with Manufacturing to align development, pilot production, and scale-up.
• Share best practices, tools, and learnings with leads of other platforms across Product Development.
• Represent the platform independently in front of cross-functional and executive stakeholders.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation and performance-based incentive plans.
• Paid holidays and company-wide reset and reflect days.
• Unlimited PTO, based on country of residence.
• In-person team meetups.
• Access to AG1 products and branded swag.
• Monthly telecom stipend for eligible team members to offset some home internet or Wi-Fi costs.
• Benefits and insurance as required by law based on country of residence.
• Performance bonus and stock option allocation for eligible roles.

What This Job Offers

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