Kraft Heinz

As the key strategic business partner and consumer insights lead for the Taste Elevation & Easy meals Made Better innovation platforms, you will have the opportunity to directly impact growth on iconic brands including Heinz, Kraft, Kraft Mac & Cheese and Ore-Ida.  Additionally, you will help the BU define the 10yr destination for growth by identifying brand agnostic whitespace opportunities.  You will be responsible for advising innovation strategy, and influencing innovation decisions across both the Taste Elevation & Easy Meals Made Better platforms.

This role requires a person who can be:

• Strategic: Be a key strategic business partner to the marketing team and a key agent for organizational change. Demonstrate understanding of the consumer, research methodologies/techniques in the innovation, standard processes and experience to drive the business forward

• Influential: Influence at all levels of the organization and work seamlessly with cross-functional teams. Engage with senior management and present insights to senior executive leaders.

• Impactful: Influence "so-what’s" by making concrete recommendations routed in deep understanding of marketing, business, and consumer. Robust communication and interpersonal skills collect disparate pieces of data together into a cohesive and compelling story.

• An Owner: Independent leader with the ability to dig into the details and craft a robust learning plan against key objectives and intended use of results, versus what others might suggest be done, or has been done before.

• Collaborative: Ability to build and maintain partnerships within insights, outside agencies and cross functional partners across the organization.

• Flexible: Be flexible and creative to adjust to changing priorities and business challenges. Ability to thrive in ambiguity, while showing strong drive for results and adaptability.

• Self-Starter: Ability to demonstrate a high degree of independence, resiliency, leadership/ownership, with limited oversight.

Responsibilities within the team include

• Innovation insights lead for TE&EMMB, partnering closely with marketing innovation and brand insights teams

• Participate as part of core team in marketing/agency led ideations

• Develop and lead comprehensive research plans for new products from scoping, concept development, screening, optimization, confirmatory testing and post-launch analysis, packaging graphics and structure etc.

• Help develop innovation research standard methodologies for the organization

• Work with research vendors to provide Best in Class research approaches for agility, speed and breakthrough insights.

Qualifications

• Advanced experience in a strategic insights/consumer research role, preferably within CPG

• Proficient in various market research techniques, including both qualitative and quantitative methods,

• Experience working with both primary and secondary data sources

• Knowledge of syndicated research tools (e.g. Nielsen, Circana, etc)

• Proven experience with agile research tools, methodologies, and applications

• Understanding of marketing processes, innovation planning, marketing strategy

• Strong sense of ownership and commitment to results

• Confidence to adapt to and manage changing priorities

• Strong storytelling skills and ability to influence all levels of an organization

• Ability to lead multiple projects simultaneously

• Excellent communication, organization and presentation skills (written, oral, and across Microsoft Office Suite)

Location(s)

Chicago/Aon Center

Hybrid 3 days a week in office, 2 days remote