Sr Manager Innovation, NA Foodservice

McCain Foods•Oakbrook Terrace, IL

3d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Brand Manager, Innovation, Foodservice North America leads the innovation agenda for McCain’s potato category across Foodservice North America. Reporting to the Director of Innovation, this role owns development and execution of a three-year innovation pipeline, translating consumer, operator, distributor, and category insights into commercially successful product, packaging, and occasion-based innovations. The role calls for strategic thinking, commercial acumen, and cross-functional leadership to deliver sustainable growth and shape McCain’s foodservice portfolio. The position works closely with partners across R&D, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Insights, Marketing, and Commercial teams, and directly manages and develops a Brand Manager. It is part of the Foodservice North America Innovation team, which identifies growth opportunities, delivers breakthrough innovation, and builds the next generation of category-leading products and solutions. McCain describes most office-based roles as hybrid, with the option to work remotely two days per week, while noting that exceptions may depend on the role and location. Compensation is $107,600–$143,500 USD annually, plus bonus eligibility. This is an existing vacancy.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree required.
Minimum of 7 years of marketing or brand management experience.
At least 3 years of experience leading innovation initiatives within consumer packaged goods, foodservice, or a related environment.
Proven success developing new-to-world or new-to-company innovations, identifying whitespace opportunities, and creating new occasions or environments for growth.
Strong strategic thinking, including the ability to challenge conventional thinking and generate breakthrough ideas.
Expertise translating consumer, customer, and category insights into commercially viable innovations.
Strong analytical skills, including synthesizing data from multiple sources and making decisions in ambiguous environments.
Demonstrated project management capabilities and experience leading multiple complex initiatives simultaneously.
Strong leadership and people management skills, including experience coaching and developing team members.
Exceptional stakeholder management, communication, and influencing abilities across organizational levels.
Resilience, ownership, tenacity, and a hands-on, results-oriented approach.
Experience in fast-paced, dynamic environments and driving outcomes through cross-functional collaboration.

Nice To Haves

MBA preferred.

Responsibilities

Develop and execute an innovation strategy aligned with McCain’s long-range growth objectives, category priorities, portfolio strategy, and demand space framework.
Build and manage a three-year innovation pipeline covering product, packaging, occasion, and channel innovations.
Lead innovation projects from opportunity identification through insight generation, proposition development, validation, and launch readiness.
Partner with R&D, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Insights, Marketing, and the Go to Market Hub to bring innovation initiatives to market.
Drive innovation pipeline sufficiency, big-bet prioritization, and portfolio planning in support of growth objectives and S&OP processes.
Define innovation’s role within the broader portfolio and P&L, including product mix, positioning, pricing, and profitability considerations.
Translate consumer, guest, operator, distributor, and marketplace insights into actionable growth opportunities and differentiated concepts.
Build relationships with internal stakeholders and external customers to align on innovation and accelerate adoption.
Champion a demand-centric, insight-led culture that puts consumers and customers at the center of strategic decision-making.
Coach and develop a Brand Manager through performance management, development planning, feedback, and mentorship.