Product Innovation Manager

• Competitive salary
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Vision insurance
• Bonus based on performance
• Free food & snacks

Snack Innovations is a fast-growing consumer packaged goods company with a passion for better-for-you snacking and the parent brand behind Drizzilicious, Natural Endurance, Smart Fries, and Sunday Snacks. Operating as both a private label manufacturer and direct-to-consumer snack brand innovator, we’re rapidly expanding and looking for driven, entrepreneurial people to grow with us.

We are looking for builders and doers who thrive in agile, entrepreneurial environments and are comfortable creating structure where it does not yet exist. The ideal candidate has seen best-in-class operations and knows how to adapt that experience in a fast-moving setting.

The Innovation Manager leads the development and execution of new and existing product initiatives from early concept and bench development through plant scale-up, commercialization, and launch. This position manages the innovation and product development pipeline, provides technical leadership in formulation, process, materials, and quality, and works cross-functionally to keep projects on schedule and ready for production.

The role is primarily office based, with hands-on involvement, or presence, in manufacturing areas during product trials, scale-up, troubleshooting, and commercialization activities. The Innovation Manager will primarily support the Drizzilicious product line and will lead a team of approximately three to four employees.

• Own and manage assigned new product development and product enhancement projects from concept through commercialization and launch.
• Manage packaging of new products to determine options for new sizes artwork and displays.
• Manage the new and existing product development pipeline from concept and bench development through commercialization and launch.
• Formulate and enhance products, conduct bench development and testing, and resolve formulation, process, material, and quality issues.
• Plan, execute, and document product trials and support scale-up from bench development through commercial production.
• Establish product requirements, process parameters, and technical specifications needed to support successful production and regulatory compliance.
• Manage project timelines, stage gates, deliverables, and readiness, identifying issues and driving timely resolution.
• Lead and coordinate the product development team and cross-functional partners to achieve project and department goals.
• Work with suppliers and vendors to source, evaluate, and improve ingredients, raw materials, coatings, seasonings, packaging, and other product components.
• Partner with Quality, Operations, Production, Purchasing, Marketing, and Creative to support product quality, packaging, regulatory considerations, and successful product launches.
• Troubleshoot product and production issues and support Drizzilicious and select private-label projects, including vendor and supplier support as needed.

• Product development experience required, preferably within food, snacks, consumer packaged goods, or a related manufacturing environment.
• Food Science, Food Technology, Culinary Science, or a related degree preferred, but not required.
• Experience with product formulation, bench development, trials, scale-up, and commercialization preferred.
• Strong quality orientation and ability to identify, troubleshoot, and resolve product and process issues.
• Working familiarity with food quality and regulatory considerations, including product specifications, ingredients, allergens, labeling, and shelf-life requirements.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities while maintaining accountability for timelines and deliverables.
• Strong leadership, communication, organization, and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to work effectively across departments and with suppliers, vendors, and production teams.
• Hands-on, self-directed approach with the ability to work in both office and manufacturing environments.
• Experience with Stage-Gate highly desirable.