Join Riverside Natural Foods Ltd., a $300 million+ Canadian-based, family-owned, and globally operating business, committed to leaving the world better than we found it. As a B-Corp certified, Triple-Bottom Line company, we proudly manufacture nutritious, ‘better-for-you’ snacks such as MadeGood and GOOD TO GO. We value teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, grit, and fun.
We’re on an ambitious mission to double our business by 2027, and we need talented individuals like you to help us reach new heights. At Riverside, you’ll have the opportunity to chart your own path to success while contributing to ours. We believe anything worth doing is worth doing right, and our values will guide us through the rugged terrain – and yes, it will get rough. But that’s what makes the journey worthwhile.
So, lace up your boots and let’s tackle the climb together.
You can learn more about us at www.riversidenaturalfoods.com.

POSITION SUMMARY/OBJECTIVE:

We are seeking a dynamic and strategic Brand Manager, Innovation to join our team on a 12-month contract. Reporting to the Senior Brand Manager of the flagship MadeGood brand, this role is pivotal in leading innovation projects and shaping the company’s long-term innovation strategy. The ideal candidate will have a consumer-first mindset, be a creative problem solver with strong analytical skills, and possess a passion for innovation—and delicious snacks!

EDUCATION & QUALIFICATIONS:

• Degree in Business, or related fields.
• 3-5+ years’ experience in CPG/retail or other consumer facing organization working in Brand Management.
• Proven track record of managing innovation development from idea to launch with a consumer-first mindset.
• Collaborative cross-functional partner with experience working with Sales, R&D, Engineering, Supply Chain, Finance and Regulatory teams in the development and commercialization of new product innovations.
• Strong analytic skills - fluent with Nielsen/SPINS and Numerator (a bonus), distilling data into tangible actions and innovation forecasting.
• Strong financial acumen, including P&L understanding
• Excellent oral, verbal and written communication skills.

Skills & Abilities:

• Strong leadership skills and an ownership mentality.
• Team player with the ability to work effectively across functions and cross culturally, interfacing with all levels of management and possessing the strong ability to influence.
• Strong project management skills
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and can leverage both qualitative insights and intuition for informed decision-making.
• Self- starter individual, with an entrepreneurial spirit who enjoys working in a start-up-like work environment and is motivated to create an impact on the organization.
• Demonstrates strong strategic and critical thinking, is creative, and has problem-solving capabilities.
• Embraces, demonstrates, and upholds Riverside’s values of teamwork, humility, respect, ownership, adaptability, passion, and FUN!

• Leadership of Innovation Projects: Lead disruptive and new platform innovation projects from concept to sales ready, collaborating with cross-functional teams including R&D, Engineering, Category, Sales, Supply Chain, Finance and Regulatory. Key responsibilities include:
• Develop product concepts and strategic positioning based on consumer and market data, aligning with brand strategy and vision.
• Brief R&D on innovation concepts, incorporating brand guardrails and consumer trends.
• Conduct risk assessments to mitigate challenges during development.
• Define Go-To-Market strategies considering competitive landscapes, consumer needs, and market dynamics across brand, category, and channels.
• Develop P&L models and forecasts in collaboration with Finance and Sales Planning.
• Prepare gate approval documentation, presenting actionable recommendations to stakeholders to gain alignment.
• Create data-driven sales materials such as sales decks and sell sheets to support innovation launches.
• Manage the end-to-end execution of commercialization plans for new product launches, ensuring seamless implementation across sales, marketing and operations.
• Innovation Pipeline Generation:
• Be the expert on consumer and market trends through in-depth research, category analysis, and competitive insights.
• Collaborate with the Senior Brand Manager in identifying whitespace opportunities for innovation driven by consumer insights.