Wetalentia

Manage product lifecycle and key account relationships to drive growth and innovation in North America. | Requires 5+ years product management or innovation experience in the food industry with strong commercial and cross-functional leadership skills. | Key Account & Product Innovation Manager – North America Our client is a well-established international food company recognized for its expertise in premium plant-based ingredients and branded consumer products. With a strong commitment to quality, innovation, and sustainability, the company partners with leading retailers, distributors, foodservice operators, and food manufacturers across North America, delivering value-added products that meet evolving consumer trends. As part of its continued expansion in the North American market, the company is seeking a Key Account & Product Innovation Manager to drive both commercial growth and product development initiatives. Position Summary The Key Account & Product Innovation Manager is a strategic role responsible for accelerating business growth by combining Product Management, Innovation, and Key Account Development. This individual will manage the entire product lifecycle—from identifying market opportunities and developing new product concepts to commercialization and portfolio optimization—while building strong partnerships with key customers. The ideal candidate is an experienced Product Manager within the food industry who also possesses strong commercial skills and enjoys working directly with customers. They will collaborate closely with Sales, Marketing, R&D, Operations, Packaging, Quality, Regulatory, and Supply Chain to ensure successful product launches and profitable business growth. Key Responsibilities • Manage and grow strategic customer relationships across North America. • Serve as the Product Manager for assigned product categories, owning the full product lifecycle from ideation through commercialization. • Identify new business and product opportunities by analyzing consumer trends, customer needs, competitive activity, and market insights. • Develop product roadmaps, positioning strategies, pricing recommendations, and profitability analyses. • Lead new product development projects in collaboration with R&D, Packaging, Quality, Regulatory, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Operations. • Coordinate product launches, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with customer expectations. • Present innovative product concepts and business proposals to customers and internal stakeholders. • Support customer meetings by providing technical and commercial product expertise. • Manage product portfolios, monitor product performance, and recommend improvements or rationalization initiatives. • Coordinate customer tenders, quotations, product samples, specifications, and commercialization activities. • Work closely with external manufacturing partners and co-packers to support new product implementation and continuous improvement. • Collaborate with Marketing on promotional initiatives, trade shows, product presentations, and customer events. • Maintain close communication with cross-functional teams to ensure operational excellence and customer satisfaction Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, Food Technology, or a related discipline. • Minimum 5 years of experience as a Product Manager, Innovation Manager, Category Manager, or Product Marketing Manager within the food industry. • Proven experience managing the full product lifecycle, including product strategy, innovation, product development, commercialization, portfolio management, pricing, and product launches. • Experience working directly with key accounts, retailers, private label customers, distributors, or food manufacturers. • Strong understanding of consumer packaged goods (CPG), branded products, and private label environments. • Demonstrated experience leading cross-functional projects involving R&D, Operations, Marketing, Packaging, Regulatory, Quality, and Supply Chain. • Strong analytical, commercial, and project management skills. • Ability to translate market insights into successful product strategies and business opportunities. • Excellent communication, presentation, and relationship-building skills. • Highly organized with the ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously. • Proficiency in Microsoft Office; experience with ERP and Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems is considered a plus. • Willingness to travel throughout North America as required.