Innovation Manager

Lily’s Toaster Grills is a rapid growth frozen food manufacturer on a mission to make real, delicious, comfort food accessible to everyone. We’re best known for our premium toaster-ready grilled cheese sandwiches, now sold nationally at all major U.S. food retailers. Made with real ingredients and homemade quality, our wholesome sandwiches are golden and crispy outside, gooey and cheesy inside. We give back by donating 1% of our sandwiches to families in need.

Position Summary

We are hiring a hands-on Innovation Manager to drive new product development across existing and new platforms. You will turn consumer insights into scalable products, owning projects end-to-end and leading cross-functional teams spanning Marketing, R&D, Operations, Quality, Finance, Sales, and external partners. You are fluent in frozen product process/packaging realities, and comfortable working both with our plant and co-manufacturing teams.

Primary responsibilities

Innovation Strategy & Pipeline Development

▪ Manage the full stage-gate process for new product and platform development — from opportunity identification through concepting, prototyping, consumer testing, commercialization, scale-up and post-launch optimization.

▪ Draft clear project briefs that define prioritized concepts, project scope, and guardrails for development.

▪ Use primary and secondary research to shape early concepts and identify opportunities for line extensions and new platforms.

▪ Design, run, and interpret consumer research (qualitative and quantitative) to evaluate product concepts, prototypes, and finished goods, summarizing insights and next steps for formulation and positioning.

▪ Maintain and manage to an 18–24-month innovation roadmap.

▪ Lead cross-functional teams to drive project progress — managing briefs, timelines, risks, and dependencies, and facilitating timely, informed decision-making.

R&D and Operations

▪ Partner closely with R&D to evaluate prototypes and validate direction through consumer research.

▪ Support R&D and Operations during pilot runs, plant trials, and spec management to ensure projects meet stage -gate timelines and quality standards.

Commercial Readiness

▪ Partner with Marketing, Sales, and Finance to build business cases for new platforms — including market sizing, velocity and pricing assumptions, margin targets, and Capex/OpEx modeling.

▪ Develop packaging briefs and serve as the main contact with design agencies to ensure on-time delivery of graphics that fit brand hierarchy, photography standards, claims, and regulatory requirements.

▪ Work with Operations and Sales to determine optimal packaging formats and case structures that meet both production and retailer needs.

▪ Support sell-in and launch readiness by creating sales materials and decks, coordinating samples, and providing other tools needed for customer presentations.

Qualifications/Skills/Experience:

▪ 5-10+ years in food/CPG bringing products to market end-to-end.

▪ 3+ years directly in innovation roles; ideally innovation experience with frozen and/or refrigerated products.

▪ Strong Project Management experience and ability to move cross-functional teams through stage-gates and challenges as they arise in during innovation process.

▪ Proven success managing cross-functional teams and delivering on-time, on-budget launches.

▪ Expertise with running market/consumer research for early concept shaping (qual & quant: CLT, screens, ethnography, concept/pricing tests, conjoint/TURF, BASES-style).

▪ Experience with club/mass/grocery launches and retailer sell-in.

▪ Proficiency with syndicated/shopper data and turning insights into action.

▪ Strong analytical skills to pull, analyze, and offer insights on first / second party data.

▪ Financial acumen: P&L building, price-pack architecture optimization, etc.

▪ Effective communication: executive storytelling; crisp briefs/specs for technical teams.

▪ Bachelor’s Degree; MBA a plus.

▪ 5–15% travel.

What we value:

Lily’s Toaster Grills is committed to attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse workforce of entrepreneurs hungry to build an excellent brand and business. Our five core values:

• Never compromise on safety — for people and product.

• Bias to action — strategic and analytical, yet decisive and fast.

• Make each other better — win as one team.

• Have fun building — passion and positivity.

• Spread goodness — wow consumers and serve families in need.

Compensation & Benefits

▪ Competitive compensation dependent upon experience and qualifications

▪ Participation in Lily’s annual performance incentive program

▪ Company sponsored health, dental, and vision programs

▪ 401(k) retirement plan with employer match

▪ Paid PTO and company holidays

▪ Reimbursement for personal technology use

Job Type: Full-time

Pay: $75,000.00 - $120,000.00 per year

Benefits:

• 401(k)
• 401(k) matching
• Dental insurance
• Health insurance
• Paid time off
• Paid training
• Vision insurance

Work Location: In person