Innovation Manager Optimel

Innovation Manager Optimel

Innovation Manager Optimel

The Innovation Manager Optimel is responsible for the innovation pipeline of Optimel, to deliver short-term growth and to future-proof the brand through innovation in the long term.

Do you have a passion for developing innovation platforms and leading complex innovation projects that have the potential to truly shake up the category and future-proof the CDNL (Consumer Dairy Netherlands) portfolio? Do you want to be part of the team that sets and drives the long-term agenda for Optimel?

In the role of Innovation Manager, you will be responsible for identifying consumer needs and market opportunities and for developing the rolling 3-year innovation funnel with products that serve a specific nutritional role in the life of our consumers for our consumer dairy brand Optimel in the Netherlands.

In addition, you will initiate and drive realization and excellent execution of the resulting innovation projects, working in multi-disciplinary teams with R&D, supply chain, and others. In these projects, you’re marketing responsible, owning the concept and being responsible for crafting the right marketing mix (concept, pack design, etc). You will role model outside-in & consumer-centric thinking to inspire the broader organization.

You will be part of the Optimel marketing team. Optimel is the 2nd biggest A-brand of CDNL and has a mission to make healthy choices enjoyable and accessible for everyone. It offers a portfolio of drinking yoghurt, yoghurt, and quark, mainly in fresh dairy. In 2024 it very successfully introduced Optimel Protein, turning the brand back into growth after years of decline. Recently Optimel Probiotica is launched as the big innovation for 2025. The challenge of the business and marketing team is to continue to deliver growth for Optimel, a brand that has momentum now. Successful innovation will play a crucial role in this.

What we ask

• You are a consumer-centric thinker. You get enthusiastic about consumer trends and new products and are naturally keeping up with what’s happening in and close to the market.
• You have a broader view than just your position and you can identify with our purpose ‘Nourishing by Nature’. Contributing to a healthier NL drives you.
• You take responsibility for your work, you are proactive and are continuously looking for new opportunities to make a change.
• You have extensive experience in the front-end part of innovation, conceptual marketing (i.e. concept writing, innovation, brand development), and basic knowledge of financial management.
• Experience/exposure to food & nutrition.
• You have excellent analytic skills and are able to define, prioritize, and present business opportunities using insights in consumer and market.
• You have an excellent record in innovation (project) management, and have experience in (senior) stakeholder management.
• MSc degree, preferably in a relevant field.
• +10 yrs professional marketing.
• Excellent Dutch speaking and writing skills required.

What we offer

• Unique company culture of Dutch heritage and international presence;
• To ensure a healthy work-life balance, we've implemented a hybrid work model for this role. You'll be required to visit our Amersfoort office no more than twice a week, allowing you flexibility while maintaining collaborative engagement;
• Receive home office essentials, such as an ergonomic chair, desk, monitors, and more, to support your comfort and productivity while working remotely;
• An NS business card, so you can travel to the office by train;
• When you’re not using your NS business card, you’ll receive a travel allowance of €0.23 per km, up to a maximum of 30km (one way);
• Keen on cycling? Take advantage of our bike purchase scheme, offering attractive tax benefits to help you acquire a brand-new bike. Enjoy the ride while saving on costs;
• Enjoy 200 hours of annual leave on a full-time basis, with the flexibility to sell or purchase up to 40 additional hours of holiday time. Your 8% holiday allowance ensures that you can make the most of your well-deserved time off;
• A workweek of (full-time) 40 hours and a bonus scheme;
• Receive a company laptop and mobile phone, enabling seamless communication whether you're on the move or working remotely.
• Free cheese and milk at lunch in the central office, and barista coffee to help you go through your working days with a lot of joy.

Vacancy description

The Innovation Manager Optimel will report to the Brand leader Optimel & Vifit, and will be part of the Optimel & Vifit marketing team, and of the marketing department of the Consumer Dairy fighting unit the Netherlands (CDNL). In this role, you will further develop and execute the brand's innovation platform, including:

• Outside-in analysis, for example identifying trends, consumer needs, and nutritional needs, and translating these insights into potential opportunities for Optimel.
• Based on these opportunities, deliver the integrated innovation strategy and functional nutrition roadmap for Optimel.
• Develop the business opportunities into winning propositions (insight, concept, product, and pack portfolio).
• Act as commercial lead for the delivery of these innovation projects. This implies working in a multidisciplinary team, stakeholder management, ensuring consumer-centricity from insight to in-market delivery.
• Lead relevant innovation deep-dives, for example into the role of new channels in relation to healthy nutrition.
• Work closely with the rest of the business brand team to translate the opportunities into strong propositions and support in the actual execution and preparation for launch.

The role focuses on developing a portfolio that has specific nutritional benefits and contributes directly to our purpose to nourish sustainable growth for a healthier NL.

Staying true to who you really are, that is your starting point at FrieslandCampina. Because it is precisely by embracing our differences that we can grow together. We want to create a working environment that allows all employees to bring their best and authentic selves. If who we are suits you, but you're not sure if you're the best fit for the role, we still encourage you to apply so we can help you find the role that fits you best.

Team Details

This position is part of the Consumer Dairy fighting Unit the Netherlands (CDNL). The Innovation Manager – mainly responsible for Functional Portfolio will report to Brand leader Optimel & Vifit, who is part of the Marketing Management Team.

At FrieslandCampina, we daily work together to produce healthy and sustainable nutrition for all Dutch people. All Dutch people are central to us. Not only as consumers but also as colleagues. We try to reflect the diversity of our consumers in our personnel policy. The world continues to change at a fast pace and becomes more complex every day. We are one of the largest dairy companies in the world. Due to our unique structure, our farmers are owners as well as suppliers of our company. We are successful because we are good at valuing our milk commercially, but also in terms of nutritional value. We are also successful because we create an environment that is focused on equality, inclusion, and respect. Everyone is unique but equally important, despite our differences. We believe that being diverse can make the difference and that an inclusive working environment leads to more acceptance and growth. FrieslandCampina stands for equality and fights for an inclusive and safe working environment for all, in order to reach our full potential. We are active in very competitive markets and must therefore keep innovating and sometimes take risks to remain relevant. Both we and our farmers believe in fair business with a focus on the long term. For us, sustainability is a logical consequence of this.

Contact

Arlette Mulder-Langerak

arlette.langerak@frieslandcampina.com