Brand Director - Innovation

THE OPPORTUNITY:

Hint is seeking a Brand Director - Innovation to lead the development and execution of cutting-edge marketing strategies for new product launches. This role is vital to our success; we need a proactive individual with an entrepreneurial drive who can craft and implement a strategic approach to product innovation at Hint. The ideal candidate will have extensive experience in taking new products from concept creation through to market launch.

The Brand Director - Innovation will collaborate with the CMO on ideation, development, and execution of new product initiatives aimed at driving growth for Hint. This position requires close coordination with the Senior Manager of Product Innovation, the SVP of Operations, and the broader Marketing team.

While we are a remote-first organization, for this role we will require the person to live in the greater New York/New Jersey area to be able to meet frequently, in-person, with the Marketing team.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Develop an innovation strategy that balances a consumer-centric, insight-driven approach to innovation with creativity that also addresses customer needs
• Track and summarize cultural, consumer, and industry trends, making recommendations that seize market opportunities and inform innovation.
• Analyze competitive performance by reviewing POS data, pricing, sizing, ingredients and claims, and form product recommendations.
• Develop product concepts in partnership with Product Innovation and Creative. 
• Formulate pricing recommendations working with Finance and Sales.
• Lead consumer research initiatives to validate and improve concepts and product.
• Oversee product development using stage gate process
• Coordinate with Product Development on project timelines.
• Develop product P+Ls partnering with Finance and Operations. Lead team in ensuring Gross Margin hurdles are met for all projects.
• Partner with sales and finance on size of prize assessment and track changes throughout project.
• Manage marketing portion of artwork development and coordinate with Product Development and Creative on the artwork approval process.
• Provide monthly updates to Innovation + Leadership team, championing projects with clear recommendations that foster decision-making.
• Develop marketing plans to successfully launch innovation online and at shelf
• Develop and implement key marketing programs and activations to support new product launches
• Work closely with other functions, including brand, ecommerce, social media, sales, customer service and creative to deliver comprehensive 360-degree launch plans
• Define and monitor key metrics to assess initiatives and drive success
• Build and manage an effective marketing budget, optimizing the use of all internal resources as well as agencies and selected vendors.

ABOUT US:

At Hint, we’re on a mission to help people fall in love with water, because water is fundamental to health and well-being. Hint offers a simple concept: pure water enhanced with true fruit flavors, without any sugar, diet sweeteners, calories, or preservatives—ever. Female founded in 2005, Hint is based in San Francisco with a team that spans across the United States. As an omnichannel company, we offer our delicious water on our direct-to-consumer website, drinkhint.com, as well as on e-retailers like Amazon, Walmart.com, and Instacart. Hint is also available in over 30,000 U.S. grocery, mass merchandise, and club stores, including Target, Walmart, Costco, Sam's Club, Kroger, Albertsons, and many more.

We are #NowHiring talented individuals across the United States to help us make healthier choices more enjoyable. We do not accept agency submissions. All unsolicited resumes will be considered the property of Hint.

Hint is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer committed to diversity in the workplace. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, disability, protected veteran status, gender identity or any other factor protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. We strongly encourage people of color, lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer and non-binary people, veterans, parents, and individuals with disabilities to apply. Hint welcomes everyone to our team. In your application, please feel free to note which pronouns you use (For example – she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs, etc).

Requirements

The ideal candidate for the role of Brand Director - Innovation will have a proven track record of developing and executing innovative brand strategies in the consumer goods industry. They will possess strong leadership skills and the ability to work well in cross-functional teams. The candidate should also have excellent analytical and problem-solving skills, along with a strong understanding of brand strategy and marketing principles.

• 5-8 years of new product development experience for a leading CPG or food/beverage company (CPG is required, food/beverage is a plus)
• Innovative thinker who loves products + great design
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with proven ability to collaborate, present persuasively and lead others to deliver against common goals.
• Strong organizational and project management skills.
• Knowledgeable of the functions of product development, consumer insights, supply chain, packaging design, advertising, and sales.
• Demonstrated track record for high impact and creative activation planning; can translate strategy into tactics and ideas into action
• Ability to set, measure, and analyze KPIs and drive actionable next steps 
• A creative thinker and problem solver who thrives in a fast-paced entrepreneurial environment. 
• You are nimble and can prioritize and oversee multiple projects at once, with attention to detail and the ability to work well with cross-functional teams.
• Experience managing a team – role will have 1 direct report (Senior Manager of Product Innovation)
• Experience with consumer insights and research, and generally resourceful, with strong analytical and problem-solving skills

Benefits

• Base salary range is $135,000-155,000. Actual salary offer may vary based on location and work experience. The base pay range is subject to change and may be modified in the future.
• Bonus Eligible
• Equity
• Starting at 3 weeks PTO
• Sick Days
• Personal Day
• 100% of the employee and dependent healthcare premiums paid for by the company/HSA Contribution
• Life insurance (company-paid and voluntary)
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• 401K (regular and Roth)
• $150/month health and wellness reimbursement
• $100 monthly towards your cell phone
• $50 monthly towards your home internet
• Employee Discount on Hint Water