Associate Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization – Knorr US

Join us as Associate Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization – Knorr US

Location: Hoboken, NJ (HQ)

Terms & Conditions: Full time, International assignment is not available for this role and relocation for local and international candidates is not provided

ABOUT UNILEVER

With 3.4 billion people in over 190 countries using our products every day, Unilever is a business that makes a real impact on the world. Work on brands that are loved and improve the lives of our consumers and the communities around us. We are driven by our purpose: to make sustainable living commonplace, and it is our belief that doing business the right way drives superior performance. At the heart of what we do is our people – we believe that when our people work with purpose, we will create a better business and a better world. 

About Knorr

Knorr is one of Unilever’s most iconic global brands, delivering delicious, nutritious, and accessible flavor solutions to millions of households. In the US, Knorr is undergoing a significant transformation, expanding into new categories, modernizing its portfolio, and driving market‑making innovations that create step‑change growth. Innovation is at the heart of this journey. We are building a best‑in‑class innovation engine that is grounded in consumer demand, connected globally, and built to deliver consistent, high‑quality launches that win in market.

JOB PURPOSE:

The Director, Innovation Strategy & Commercialization is the senior leader responsible for setting the US innovation agenda, shaping and steering the innovation pipeline, and ensuring Knorr delivers its growth ambition through successful on‑time, in‑full (OTIF) launches.

This role is accountable for both opportunity identification (front‑end strategy, white space mapping, global lifts & shifts) and commercial delivery (project readiness, sell‑in, launch excellence, innovation P&L contribution). It requires a leader with strong strategic muscle, exceptional cross-functional influence, and the ability to collaborate deeply with global brand teams, R&D, Supply Chain, Customer Strategy & Planning, and Customer Marketing. This role leads a team focused on consumer demand spaces, innovation process excellence, and high-quality commercialization.

Key Responsibilities

1. Set the Innovation Strategy & Agenda for Knorr US

• Define the long-term US innovation ambition anchored in consumer demand, market dynamics, and flavor-forward growth opportunities.
• Translate consumer signals into clear strategic territories, white spaces, and opportunity platforms.
• Build and champion a US innovation strategy that expands Knorr beyond existing categories.

2. Own the Innovation Pipeline End-to-End

• Lead and manage the full US innovation pipeline, from ideation to launch readiness, ensuring a balanced, strategically sound funnel.
• Prioritize initiatives across resources, consumer impact, commercial potential, and brand-building value.
• Partner with global teams to align on funnel priorities, share insights, and adopt lift‑and‑shift innovations where relevant.

3. Drive Commercial Delivery & OTIF Launch Execution

• Be accountable for delivering innovation growth contribution to the business annually.
• Ensure projects hit key milestones, meet OTIF standards, and are commercially viable at each stage gate.
• Work with Customer Strategy & Planning and Sales on sell‑in, financial modeling, and operational readiness.
• Collaborate with the Demand Generation Brand Team to ensure robust US launch plans that scale.

4. Lead Global Collaboration & Influence

• Serve as the primary interface with global Knorr teams for portfolio strategy, technology transfer, product platforms, and innovation sharing.
• Build strong global partnerships to exchange learnings, accelerate development, and ensure US needs are represented and prioritized.
• Embed global insights, product platforms, and common technologies into the US pipeline.

5. Build Innovation Process Excellence

• Own the innovation governance model (stage gate, decision forums, readiness reviews).
• Drive process clarity, speed, and disciplined tracking across the organization.
• Elevate best practices in forecasting, business casing, resource prioritization, and risk mitigation.

6. Lead and Develop a High-Performing Team

• Manage and coach a team supporting innovation and pipeline operations.
• Build a culture of consumer obsession, strategic rigor, and commercial accountability.
• Develop future leaders and ensure strong collaboration across functions.

Who You Are

• A strategic, commercially minded leader who thrives at the intersection of insight, innovation, and business results.
• An exceptional collaborator able to build alignment across global teams, cross-functional partners, and senior leadership.
• A disciplined operator with the ability to simplify complexity and drive consistent OTIF delivery.
• A strong storyteller who can translate consumer and market signals into a compelling agenda for growth.
• A people leader who inspires, empowers, and develops talent.
• A builder of pipelines, processes, and cross-functional ways of working.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Bachelor’s degree required; MBA preferred.
• 10-15+ years experience in CPG innovation, brand management, strategy, or related fields.
• Proven experience leading innovation from concept to commercialization with measurable business impact.
• Strong track record of delivering innovation-driven sales growth.
• Experience influencing global teams and operating in a matrixed organization.
• Exceptional strategic thinking, communication, and leadership presence.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and develop high-performing teams.
• Strong financial acumen and comfort with P&Ls, forecasting, and business casing.

Pay: The pay range for this position is $146,200 to $219,400. Unilever takes into consideration a wide range of factors that are utilized in making compensation decisions including, but not limited to, skill sets, experience and training, licensure and certifications, qualifications and education, and other business and organizational needs.  

Bonus: This position is bonus eligible.  

Long-Term Incentive (LTI): This position is LTI eligible.  

Benefits: Unilever employees are eligible to participate in our benefits plan. Should the employee choose to participate, they can choose from a range of benefits to include, but is not limited to, health insurance (including prescription drug, dental, and vision coverage), retirement savings benefits, life insurance and disability benefits, parental leave, sick leave, paid vacation and holidays, as well as access to numerous voluntary benefits. Any coverages for health insurance and retirement benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents.  

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At Unilever, inclusion is at the heart of everything we do. We welcome applicants from all walks of life and are committed to creating an environment where everyone can thrive/succeed. All applicants will receive fair and respectful consideration, and we actively support the growth and development of every employee.

Unilever is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Persons with Disabilities.

For more information on your federal rights, please seeKnow Your Rights: Workplace Discrimination is Illegal

Employment is subject to verification of pre-screening tests, which may include drug screening, background check, credit check and DMV check.

If you are an individual with a disability in need of assistance at any time during our recruitment process, please contact us at NA.Accommodations@unilever.com. Please note: This email is reserved for individuals with disabilities in need of assistance and is not a means of inquiry about positions or application statuses. The Protected Veterans or Individuals with Disabilities AAP narratives are available for inspection by any employee or applicant for employment Monday through Friday during normal business hours at establishment.