Innovation Manager

About the role

About the role We're looking for an ambitious and commercially minded Innovation Manager to support the branded innovation agenda across our Dairy Consumer Foods business. Reporting to the Senior Innovation Manager, you will help to deliver a robust pipeline of innovation for some of the UK and Europe's most loved brands, including our iconic Strings & Things brand aligned to our Strategic Growth Pillars and key brand growth objectives The Innovation Manager is responsible for supporting the development and driving the delivery of high quality, consumer led innovation pipelines that drives short, mid, and long term growth. This will include taking innovation projects through the full innovation funnel, from concept stage through to launch readiness, ensuring a strong pipeline of consumer-led, commercially viable propositions. Joining us means stepping into a fast-paced, agile and ambitious environment where ideas are welcomed, ownership is encouraged, and development is continuous. This is a hybrid role, with 2 days per week in our Staines offices (Tuesday & Wednesday) and requires occasional travel to our partners in London and our sites across Ireland and the UK. About Kinisla Kinisla is a vertically integrated farm-to-fork business with a very substantial consumer foods presence and a leading nutritional and dairy ingredients division, delivering high-quality dairy solutions with a focus on sustainability and innovation. From partnering with local family farms to producing world-class dairy products, we ensure every step of our value chain reflects our commitment to excellence. With over 50 years' experience in milk processing, dairy and nutritional technology advancement, and product innovation, we are a key stakeholder in the global food industry and creators of a strong portfolio of market leading dairy brands including Cheestrings, Charleville and Coleraine Cheese, Dairygold, Golden Cow and our new SMUG range. Our from food, for food culture and deep-rooted connection to our 2,800 milk suppliers differentiates our business and offers captivating opportunities for our customers and consumers. Our dairy comes from some of the world's richest grazing land and is produced by a network of Irish family farms that have one of the lowest carbon footprints in the world. Through a combination of expertise, innovation, and sustainability, Kinisla is proud to shape the future of dairy while meeting the diverse needs of our farmers, customers, and communities. Headquartered in Tralee, Co. Kerry, we operate multiple manufacturing facilities in the southwest of Ireland, including Listowel, Charleville, Newmarket, and Farranfore. Additionally, we manage 29 Farm & Home stores throughout the region, ensuring comprehensive coverage and service. In Northern Ireland and the United Kingdom, our presence extends to key locations in Portadown, Coleraine, and Ossett. Globally, Kinisla employs over 1,600 dedicated professionals across Ireland, Northern Ireland, the UK, USA, Netherlands, Spain, Germany, and China. In 2024, we achieved a turnover of approximately €1.3 billion, reflecting our commitment to excellence and growth. What you'll be doing Consumer Led Proposition Development Lead the project management of specific innovation projects through the stage and gate process ensuring concepts are developed into executable, launch-ready propositions. Champion the consumer throughout the innovation process ensuring a consumer-centric mindset throughout. Foster a culture of curiosity, pace, and constructive challenge. Drive innovation capability, mindset, and confidence across the wider organisation. Innovation Ownership & Governance Lead innovation forums ensuring gate discipline, pace, and quality of decision making. Ensure innovation projects progress effectively from concept to launch readiness, balancing ambition, feasibility, and commercial return. Actively manage the innovation pipeline to ensure short- and long-term brand and commercial needs are met. Champion gate process discipline and compliance through regular innovation meetings. Influence cross-functional stakeholders to support delivery of the innovation agenda and improve the in-market success rate of branded NPD concepts. Innovation Strategy & Pipeline Development Support development of innovation pipeline and innovation opportunities which support the business strategy and the growth objectives of key power brands. Support development of innovation strategy and innovation funnel across priority brands. Commercial & Brand Impact Ensure innovation supports brand equity growth and delivers against commercial KPIs. Support innovation launch strategies, ensuring clear roles for brand, innovation, and activation. Track in market performance and embed learning loops to strengthen future pipelines. Partner closely with Insights, Brand, Category, R&D, Finance, Commercial teams & agency partners to drive propositions from concept to launch. Success Measures Strengthen t

Your Match

How well this role fits your profile.

Company Intel

What employees say

Worked at Kinisla? Share your experience