Key Responsibilities:
- External Collaboration: Cultivate and maintain relationships with external partners, including suppliers, contract manufacturers, innovation houses, start-ups, and individual inventors in the EU region.
- Innovation Scouting: Proactively identify, evaluate, and integrate breakthrough innovations from external sources in EU that align with 's strategic objectives at the global level.
- Turn-Key Solution Development: Partner with R&D and cross-functional teams to develop and implement turn-key solutions that drive product and process innovation.
- Open Innovation Strategy: Modernize existing OI practices and introduce new OI best practices across all R&D and business functions.
- Portfolio Management: Own and manage the portfolio of OI initiatives, ensuring alignment with the company's broader R&D and strategic goals.
- Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including Quality, GMS, Procurement, Packaging, Product Development and Legal, to streamline the innovation process.
- Partnership Management: Actively manage several high impact partnerships in line with our Global R&D Strategy.
- Program Management: Ensure that the Open Innovation program is implemented in the EU region and ecosystem with consistent principles and best practices.
- Reporting: Regularly update the US-based Senior Director of Open Innovation and Interconnectivity on progress, challenges, and opportunities in the European OI landscape.
Experience Required:
- Bachelor’s/master’s degree in chemical engineering/chemistry/Life Sciences with 10+ years of FMCG industry experience. Advanced degrees, Ph.D. or MBA preferred.
- Extensive experience in R&D management, preferably in the FMCG sector.
- Proven track record in Open Innovation, with a strong network in the European innovation ecosystem.
- Ability to navigate and collaborate with external commercial partners, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
- Strong analytical skills with the ability to evaluate and integrate external innovations seamlessly.
- Strong interpersonal and negotiation skills. Proficient in IP management.
- Exceptional communication skills, with proficiency in multiple European languages being a plus.
- Willingness to travel as needed to engage with innovation partners and stakeholders.