Innovation Commercialisation Manager

Date: Oct 31, 2024

Location: London, ENG, GB

Company: Suntory Global Spirits

At Suntory Global Spirits, we craft spirits of the highest quality and deliver brilliant experiences to people around the world. Suntory Global Spirits has evolved into the world's third largest leading premium spirits company ... where each employee is treated like family and trusted with legacy. With our greatest assets - our premium spirits and our people - we're driving growth through impactful marketing, innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. Suntory Global Spirits is a place where you can come Unleash your Spirit by making an impact each and every day.

What makes this a great opportunity?

As Suntory Global Spirits accelerates its global footprint, we are establishing our own commercial business in the UK. As one of the largest, most sophisticated spirits markets in the world, the UK offers significant potential for our portfolio of premium brands. We’re building a world-class team to create a new and exciting business that is rooted in strong foundations, led by our values and long-term commercial ambition.

•    Be part of the establishment & set-up of direct route-to-market project to elevate UK market to the next level.
•    Exposure to a wide range of stakeholders, including senior leaders.
•    Opportunity to contribute to driving commercial results and process improvement within a newly set up company.

As the Innovation Commercialisaiton Manager you will be responsible for utilising NPD and innovation to grow our presence and performance across all commercial channels. 
 
You will play a key role in ensuring new offerings from our brands are brought to life for consumers, act as a connector between commercial, marketing and operations, always ensuring our activations build our brands and brand equity while delivering commercially for the organisation. 


 

Role Responsibilities

  • As Innovation lead, coordinate and deliver innovation projects (e.g. NPD, pack changes, LTO’s etc.) for the UK&I  
  • Act as the key contact for Innovation and the innovation process in market working with varied key stakeholders (procurement, marketing, commercial, global teams key supporters etc.) providing regular progress updates ensuring confidence, momentum and progress 
  • Work across multi-departments with varied stakeholders to devise and deliver innovation work streams for the market ensuring Brand Experience and Innovation guardrails / pillars are being achieved 
  • Act as project manager for taking innovation from approved concept to successful launch, ensuring all stakeholders are aligned and brought along the journey 
  • Work collaboratively with Global Brand House teams on aligning innovation launches with total brands and our premium portfolio 
  • Support in-market launch plans and how we translate these successfully with an omni-channel lens 
  • Develop and deliver success criteria around innovation projects, ensuring rigorous and effective post launch analysis is utilised to drive ongoing success in market 
  • Support Commercial teams to excite and engage with customers utilising innovation opportunities, using your innovation expertise to contribute to key moments e.g. range review, customer brand days etc. 
  • Be an engine for sustainable innovation, working cross functionally to identify key opportunities to deliver / exceed our sustainability goals 
  • Work with Commercial Marketing leads to ensure all innovation plans account for and are informed by category, consumer trend and insight data 
  • Identify opportunities to create a more efficient and timely development cycle for all innovation workstreams 

 

Qualifications


•    Minimum 5 years marketing experience in FMCG, Spirits/Drinks industry preferred  
•    Significant and demonstrable experience of working with Innovation from concept to successful launch, preferable in the BWS industry 
•    Demonstrable understanding of the role of innovation in growing brand equity and achieving commercial goals 
•    Experience of project management, including working NPD through multiple stages of approval to ensure successful launch 
•    Strong knowledge of UK On/Off trade landscape and how to activate innovation successfully 

 

Key skills and behaviours 


•    Experience in working cross-functionally, with strong communication skills and able to influence across all levels  
•    High level of strategic, conceptual and data analytics skills 
•    Action-biased and output-oriented approach towards ambitious targets 
•    Team oriented and collaborative outlook  
•    Demonstrates leadership presence  
•    Demonstrates experience in driving change management and business performance 
•    Demonstrates high levels of adaptability, flexibility with regard to new challenges and the use of new networks and entrepreneurial skills

At Suntory Global Spirits, people are our number one priority, and we believe our people grow together in diverse and inclusive environments where their unique insights, experiences and backgrounds are valued and respected. Suntory Global Spirits is committed to equal employment opportunity regardless of race, color, ancestry, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, age, citizenship, marital status, disability, gender identity, military veteran status and all other characteristics, attributes or choices protected by law. All recruitment and hiring decisions are based on an applicant’s skills and experience.


Job Segment: Marketing Manager, Business Process, Procurement, Project Manager, Manager, Marketing, Management, Operations, Technology