Job Title: Agile Innovation Manager
Location: Chicago, IL 60601 – Hybrid
Duration: 12 Months (Possibility of extension)
Shift Hours: 9 AM to 5 PM CST (Mon- Fri)
Pay rate: $77.21/hr. on W2
Note:
- Open to work flexible hours since part of the team is located in AMS – start 7am Chicago time when needed.
Job Summary:
- We’re seeking a highly collaborative and proactive Agile Innovation Manager to join our cross-functional agile pod focused on driving innovation and growth in the Disruptive Innovation team.
- In this role, you’ll be responsible for enabling fit-for-purpose agile ways of working, removing barriers to progress, building timelines, and ensuring continuous delivery of high-impact solutions that are right-sized for our global innovation team.
- This role will be embedded within a tight-knit team of R&D, Packaging, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, and Strategy leads, all working together to bring the next big thing on innovation to the market—faster and smarter.
- This role is ideal for a project leader with experience in physical product innovation, commercialization, manufacturing readiness, packaging changes, and cross-functional program management within the Food & Beverage industry.
Roles & Responsibilities:
- Lead sprint planning, daily stand-ups, retrospectives, sprint reviews, and other agile rituals to keep the team focused, aligned, and on track.
- Partner with Project Owner and Marketing Lead to manage end-to-end innovation & commercialization process, from initial concept to successful market launch.
- Build and manage timeline of the project and product development; Align POD members on their commitments with the timelines to ensure on time delivery
- Coach the pod on agile principles, flex when needed and helping the team balance speed and structure while adapting quickly to feedback and new insights.
- Identify and resolve impediments that hinder progress—whether operational, organizational, or resource-related—to keep the initiatives moving forward.
- Tracking key agile metrics such as CSat, Maturity, Capacity of the team, reporting progress, and making adjustments as needed to ensure project success.
- Maintain clear documentation of sprint goals, backlog items, decisions, and velocity. Ensure the team and stakeholders have visibility into progress, risks, and timelines.
- Guide the team in retrospectives to continuously improve delivery and collaboration.
- Ensure alignment across all pod members, including R&D, Supply Chain, Finance, and Marketing, while fostering an environment of shared ownership and rapid iteration.
- Tailor agile workflows to reflect the unique physical product innovation characteristics —helping the team move quickly from insight to execution while navigating pack simplification, retail constraints, and test-and-learn launches.
- Help the team align on the highest-impact initiatives by working closely with the Pod Lead and cross-functional partners to manage and refine the product backlog.
Qualifications/Skills:
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, or related.
- 5+ years of project management, agile leadership, or scrum master experience within the Food & Beverage industry.
- Experience with physical product innovation in Food & Beverage with packaging projects, aligned with operations & manufacturing side: engineering, changing of machines, alignment with supply chain, etc.
- Strong knowledge of Agile/Scrum methodologies or proven experience in product development and commercialization.
- Food industry experience (non-negotiable) – NOT DIGITAL, physical product commercialization.
- Physical Product Development focused innovation project management background.
- Experience in supply chain development, factory engineering, or packaging related innovation delivery.
- Physical Product Commercialization process knowledge
- Understand packaging changes, formula changes, feasibility constraints, machinery timelines.
- Agile project management experience (emphasis)
- 2-3+ years of experience leading agile ceremonies and managing projects through sprint-based delivery models.
- Comfortable facilitating sprint events and creating review materials.
- Self-driven, proactive working style
- Able to identify stakeholders, processes, and solutions independently.
- Strong communication & relationship building skills
- Must navigate between technical and non-technical teams, translating needs in both directions.
- Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in a fast-paced, ambiguous environment.
- Strong experience in building timelines for projects with uncertainty, that demands a lot of changes multiple times throughout the project.
- Excellent communication, facilitation, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Experience supporting test-and-learn innovation cycles or commercialization processes.
- Passion for team empowerment, iterative learning, and removing barriers to execution.