SunOpta Overview:
SunOpta Inc. is a leader in the plant-based foods and beverages, fruit-based foods and beverages, and organic ingredient sourcing industries. SunOpta is focused on sustainability and specializes in the sourcing, processing, and packaging of organic, conventional, non-GMO food products.
SunOpta is looking for talented individuals that demonstrate our most valued behaviors: Passion, Dedication, Speed, Entrepreneurship, Customer-Centricity, and Problem-Solver, to help create a brighter, healthier, and sustainable future of food!

Job Summary:
SunOpta is a sustainability driven growth company, focused on building a multi-billion dollar, value-added, sustainable, plant-based company. Central to that mission, SunOpta is focused on driving TAMA expansion and innovation through a multi-pronged go-to -market approach.

The Vice President Growth and Innovation is a highly driven and passionate leader that plays a key role in strategic growth planning and driving the ideation, advancement, and execution of the business unit’s growth agenda through product and packaging platform innovation. This position has the responsibility of driving long term growth by leveraging consumer, channel, and customer insights to drive innovation into the marketplace to deliver the strategic plan.

This position will report to the Senior Vice President and General Manager of the Plant-Based Food and Beverage business unit and will work closely with leaders in R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Marketing, and Sales to champion growth initiatives across go-to-market channels.

Essential Functions of the Job:

• Develop an in-depth understanding of the consumer, category, and competition as well as the company’s capabilities and go-to-market effectiveness.
• Lead the development and execution of the innovation pipeline in support of the strategic plan including identification, ideation, prioritization, and management.
• Develop hypotheses and then deliver deep and actionable strategic and tactical recommendations and plans to drive action across cross-functional teams, agencies, and senior management.
• Lead and coach direct reports which may include Brand Director, Innovation Director, and/or Growth and Innovation Managers.
• Lead multiple cross-functional project teams through the accelerated stage gate process to deliver key new product initiatives, with a blend of disciplined management practices and an entrepreneurial mindset to drive sales through accelerated commercialization.
• Drive for results while leading cross-functional teams collaboratively.
• Collaborate with R&D, Quality, Procurement and External Supply Chain to activate best fit external partners against the business strategies, consumer needs, technical and business objectives.
• Provide critical support in the tracking and reporting against innovation goals and objectives (Key Performance Indicators) back into the broader organization.
• Excellent strategic thinking, communication, collaboration, problem solving, teaming and project execution skills.
• Comfortable operating with ambiguity and making decision without complete information; using “gut” supported by market data / observations and trends.
• All other duties, as assigned.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

• None.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A bachelor’s or advanced degree in Marketing, Business Administration, or related field.

Preferred Qualifications:

• MBA.

Knowledge and Skills:

• 10+ years of Marketing or Brand Management experience in a leading Foodservice or Consumer Packaged Goods company, with focused time on Innovation; Food, Beverage, and/or Food Service experience a plus.
• Proven track record of successfully leading innovation platform initiatives and project teams, through the innovation process, from white space identification and idea generation to delivering products in market (ideally beyond close-in line extensions).
• Solid understanding of food manufacturing, organic and natural foods; strong passion for food and new food products.
• Familiarity with multiple go-to-market strategies including consumer brands, contract manufacturing, private label, and ingredient solutions.
• Direct experience leading the end-to-end commercialization of new product or packaging platforms.
• Successful development of business cases that drive investment and/or a pivot in strategic direction to pursue and deliver incremental revenue.
• Strong project management skills; demonstrated success in commercializing new product and packaging innovation.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to lead effectively through change, eliminate barriers to change and make decisions quickly without complete information

Additional Considerations:

• Location: This position will be at the SunOpta Corporate Office in Eden Prairie, MN.
• Work Environment: Approximately 90% of this role will be performed in an office environment; approximately 10% of this position will occur in a manufacturing / production environment.
• Travel Requirements: This role will require 20%+ travel.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

EOE M/W/VET/DISABLED


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