Front-End Innovation Product Researcher (Manager / Sr. Manager)

Newell Brands is a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands like Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, Sharpie® and Yankee Candle® - and 24,000 talented teammates around the world. Our culture is built on values in action: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. We work together to win, grow, and make a real impact—supported by a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative environment where you can be your best, every day. 

The Front-End Innovation (FEI) Product Researcher will play a key role within the FEI team. Working collaboratively with their multi-functional POD partners, this individual will help to envision and deliver winning and invention-complete product experiences, claims, demo and competitive moat strategies and plan, and support that will fuel the sector’s long-term sustainable growth via expanding and/or transforming the market.

They will be responsible for synthesizing insights from various sources, including customer feedback, competitor analysis, market studies, and observational research and translating consumer needs into functional product experiments, prototypes, claims, and demos, acting as the technical–consumer bridge between Insights and R&D. They will also be responsible for developing and executing the claims and demo strategy and collaborating to identify opportunities and the plan to create a competitive moat through IP, supplier relationships, trade secret and more.

Essential Functions & Duties

Functions and duties of this role include, but are not limited to:

• Working with Consumer Shopper Insights to contribute to the landscaping and distill actionable insights to serve as the foundation for ideation for the team.
• Developing technical insights that inspire breakthrough solutions.
• Participate in consumer research to extract insights to craft the POD/POP, Desired Consumer Experience (DCE), and Product/Technical Model.
• Translate WHO understanding to impact on product/package design.
• Collaborating internally and externally to Identify technical solution spaces, emerging/new technologies, etc. to contribute to and participate in the ideation process and help to screen the best comprehensive ideas and solutions based on strategic priorities, competitive opportunities, project KPI’s and constraints.
• Craft Technology Benefit Domain Vision and action plans (lead multi-functional process) and technical success criteria.
• Rapid functional prototyping (digital, physical, chemical, etc.) with iterative testing to translate consumer needs into functional product experiments
• Collaborate with Marketing to create desired benefits, claims, and demos; lead the development of technical experiments and proofs-of-concept to substantiate claims
• Partner with Consumer Shopper Insights for in-use testing and other testing to address criteria.
• Partner with R&D to ensure consumer needs are reflected in early prototypes and technical feasibility is assessed alongside consumer testing.
• Partner with Product Supply on feasibility assessments - and help to problem-solve as needed.
• Partner with Design and Marketing for package needs
• Partner with Marketing, Legal and Regulatory to deliver IP and Regulatory assessments; Lead the process create a vision and execute the plan to create a competitive moat.
• Partner with Marketing, Finance, and Product Supply to help draft TDC assumptions and ranges.
• Influencing key stakeholders with strong communication skills to convey technical aspects in clear way.

Qualifications

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in an Engineering or Science field (Engineering, Biology, or Chemistry, although other similar majors will be considered).
• Manager: 5+ years of experience in consumer-driven R&D or similar products research experience, with 3+ years in innovation in CPG
• Senior Manager: 8+ years of experience in consumer-driven R&D or similar products research experience, with 3+ years in innovation in CPG
• Strong analytical, scientific method, and problem-solving skills to identify research challenges and propose and test practical and efficient solutions.
• Experience with rapid prototyping methods (digital, physical, chemical, etc.) and ability to translate consumer needs into functional product experiments
• Demonstrated ability to act as a translator between consumer insights and technical feasibility, ensuring that consumer benefits are validated with prototypes, claims, and demos.
• Experience working on disruptive or transformative innovation projects.
• Proven track record of working successfully with external partners and cross-functionally across Marketing, Insights, Design and Finance.
• Strong communication skills and comfort presenting ideas – especially technical concepts to senior leadership and cross-functional stakeholders in a way that conveys the most critical information to non-technical experts.
• Experience with navigating ambiguity and adapting plans as new information emerges.
• Experience working in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment, with proven experience with rapid, hypothesis-based iterative learning and testing.
• Has an entrepreneurial, curious and solutions-oriented mindset.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

A collaborative, small, dedicated innovation team comprised of multi-functional experts. Co-located with POD members in Atlanta.

*Note: This position has the ability to be a Manager or a Senior Manager level position, depending on the candidate’s qualifications and experience.

Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Yankee Candle, Paper Mate, FoodSaver, Dymo, EXPO, Elmer’s, Oster, NUK, Spontex and Campingaz. We are focused on delighting consumers by lighting up everyday moments. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.