Innovation Brand Manager

SUMMARY

The Innovation Brand Manager will play a critical role in advancing Sartori’s platform innovation pipeline, turning enterprise strategy into actionable growth across Ingredient & Foodservice (I&FS), Global, and Retail channels. This role is responsible for the front end of innovation—identifying whitespace, shaping scalable platforms, and advancing concepts with pace, rigor, and clear commercial outcomes aligned to Sartori’s strategic and financial priorities.

Grounded in consumer, customer, and category insight, the role translates unmet needs into differentiated innovation platforms. The role requires creativity and a strong business acumen to build and pressure-test business cases, evaluate revenue and margin potential, and ensure ideas create long-term value.

The position instills discipline within the innovation funnel, managing the explore phase through clear scope definition, decision frameworks, and stage-gate rigor. Working closely with cross-functional teams to connect strategy and insights through creativity, clear storytelling, influence, and alignment.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

· Translates enterprise strategy into omni-channel innovation platforms by partnering with Marketing and Sales leaders across I&FS, Global, and Retail to develop multi-year platform roadmaps that deliver against revenue and profit targets.

· Drives platform development from insight to proof of concept, leading ideations and creative exploration, as well as writing concepts and creating images for research.

· Partners with R&D and cross-functional experts to define learning objectives, success criteria, and decision inputs for early concepts.

· Responsible for early-stage incubation and decision-making rigor, leading cross-functional incubation teams to create and rapidly vet opportunities, assess risk and feasibility, and provide clear recommendations on how and where ideas should advance with stage-gate rigor.

· Identifies and prioritizes whitespace opportunities by synthesizing portfolio needs, market trends, customer dynamics, and consumer segmentation to shape scalable, high-impact innovation platforms.

· Builds sound business cases for innovation platforms and concepts, modeling revenue, margin, and long-term strategic value to inform prioritization, investment decisions, and go/hold/kill recommendations.

· Acts as a cross-functional integrator and communicator, translating insights and strategy into clear, compelling narratives that align cross-functional partners and drive confident decisions and coordinated execution.

· Transforms the voice of the customer and consumer into action, working closely with Sales and Marketing to build a deep understanding of customer situations, challenges, and motivations that inform platform strategy and concept development.

· Works closely with cross-functional partners, seeks to improve innovation discipline through tools, methods, and processes, seeking best-in-class approaches to elevate how Sartori identifies, evaluates, and develops new opportunities.

· Leverages knowledge of Sartori’s end-to-end capabilities, from milk through cheesemaking and converting, as well as technical sales and supplier networks, to develop differentiated and scalable solutions.

DIRECT REPORTS

This position is not responsible for leading team members.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE

· Bachelor’s degree in business, marketing, or a related field required; MBA preferred

· Minimum of 8 years of experience in marketing or brand management with increasing scope and impact is required

· Minimum of 3 years of experience in marketing innovation and new product commercialization is preferred

· Experience with syndicated data & research insights, R&D, packaging, and operations is strongly preferred

OTHER KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

· Alignment with Company Values: Demonstrates behaviors that reflect the company’s culture and values of family, commitment, authenticity, ingenuity, integrity, and humility

· Strategy-to-Action Leadership: Translates enterprise strategy into prioritized innovation platforms and actionable concepts, driving ideas forward with clear ownership, pace, and measurable outcomes.

· Whitespace Discovery & Platform Creation: Leverages consumer, customer, and category insights to identify unmet needs and develop scalable innovation platforms with long-term growth potential.

· Business Acumen & Value Creation: Builds and pressure-tests robust business cases, modeling revenue, margin, and strategic value to inform investment decisions and portfolio prioritization.

· Cross-Functional Integration & Communication: Synthesizes insights and strategy into clear, compelling narratives that align cross-functional teams, enabling confident decision-making and execution.

· Innovation Funnel Ownership & Discipline: Oversees the front end of the innovation process, applying disciplined project management, scope definition, decision frameworks, and stage-gate rigor to advance the right opportunities.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

WORK LOCATION

This is a hybrid position based at our Pleasant View corporate office located in Plymouth, WI. Candidates must reside within a reasonable commuting distance.

TRAVEL REQUIREMENTS

Frequent travel is required to meet the needs of the business (estimated 10%). A valid driver's license is required.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

While performing the duties of this job, the Team Member is regularly required to sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; and talk or hear. The Team Member is occasionally required to stand; walk; reach with hands and arms; and stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The Team Member must occasionally lift and/or move up to 20 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, and ability to adjust focus.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

When entering the production facility, the Team Member is occasionally exposed to cold working conditions and/or moving mechanical parts. The noise level is moderate while in the plant. This position requires occasional off shift work.

The above statements are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by Team Members assigned to this work. This is not an exhaustive list of all duties and responsibilities. Sartori Company reserves the right to amend and change responsibilities to meet organizational and business needs as necessary.