Manager, Innovation Insights

About the role

The Manager, Innovation Insights will report to the Director of Innovation Insights and is responsible for identifying and applying consumer insights that shape a compelling, consumer‑led innovation pipeline. The role partners closely with Innovation, Brand, R&D, Strategy and cross‑functional teams to uncover unmet needs, emerging behaviors and whitespace opportunities that can be translated into growth platforms, concepts and actionable recommendations.

Key responsibilities

• Lead innovation‑focused learning plans grounded in business priorities, portfolio strategy and brand ambitions.
• Design, manage and synthesize qualitative and quantitative research to support early‑stage exploration, concept development, product optimization, packaging and go‑to‑market decisions.
• Identify unmet consumer needs, tensions, motivations and emerging behaviors that can unlock new product, format, flavor, occasion and experience opportunities.
• Translate insights from primary research, syndicated data, cultural and category trends, and internal learning into clear, story‑driven recommendations.
• Partner with Innovation, Brand Marketing, R&D, Strategy and cross‑functional teams to shape innovation territories, briefs, concepts and prioritization decisions.
• Help define and evaluate whitespace opportunities and future‑forward platforms that support long‑term portfolio growth.
• Stay current on category trends, consumer shifts, culture and innovation best practices.
• Influence stakeholders by clearly articulating what the business should do, not just what the research says.
• Ensure insights work is connected across projects and shared to build organizational learning and stronger decision‑making.
• Manage multiple projects and external vendor partners with attention to quality, timing, budgets and business impact.
• Contribute to research best practices and advance the use of AI‑enabled tools and approaches.

Required profile

• Bachelor’s degree in marketing, business, psychology, sociology or a related field.
• 6+ years of consumer insights, innovation insights, market research or strategy experience, preferably within CPG or beverage alcohol.
• Experience with a broad set of qualitative and quantitative research methodologies.

Required skills

• Qualitative research methodologies
• Quantitative research methodologies
• Use of AI‑enabled research tools