Innovation Insights Mgr/Sr. Mgr
The National Food Lab, Inc.

Innovation Insights Mgr/Sr.Mgr

Position is full time, Monday-Friday, 7:30AM - 4:15PM, with extra hours as needed

Candidates currently living within a commutable distance of Plymouth, MN are encouraged to apply

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Partner deeply with National Food Lab's product development team to accelerate the NFL's front-end innovation business by strengthening capabilities and client solutions.
• Listen to and understand our client's innovation challenges and develop consumer learning plans that will deliver actionable insights and feasible ideas.
• Act as an expert voice in designing and executing agile innovation learning programs, promoting growth of the front-end, qualitative, consumer-led design research function within the NFL.
• Lead the development and pricing of compelling proposals to secure new and repeat client business, partnering with Moderators and Project Management teams.
• Innovate and/improve existing approaches to add value and incremental research capabilities
• Delight clients with superior research experience by collaborating with business partners and team members in research design and execution.
• Write customized and effective reports including compelling storytelling.

The ideal candidate would possess:

Interaction and Personal Skills

• Communication: Strong oral and written communication; clear & concise; persuasive; on-the-fly; able to manage to win-win outcomes; mature.
• Agility, Flexibility, and Adaptability: Consider multiple approaches; deal with ambiguity; manage complexity; deal with changing information and priorities; leverage support teams and ideas.
• Organization, planning and management: Able to plan work, multi-task, manage priorities, provide strong attention to detail, meet deadlines, and manage costs.

Business Skills

• Business Acumen: Ability to help client identify their business needs and craft The NFL's solutions to meet client budgets and The NFL's financial targets.
• Client Project Sales: Influence clients by use of good planning, strong client support, innovative solutions, effective proposals, and thoughtful consultation to increase The NFL's role and revenue.
• Responsibility, Accountability, Reliability: Own the results, delight the client, and collaborate well with clients and team members.
• Knowledge of process, systems and functions: Appreciates the value of internal processes and functions and effectively uses them to create and communicate cost effective solutions.

Research skills

• Research Design: Ability to identify high level client needs and use creativity and the power of the team to develop appropriate research options, address client concerns, and problem-solve issues.
• Research Interpretation and Insight: Integrate diverse findings into a clear story per the client goals, identifying themes and resolving inconsistencies. Tailor results to appropriate audience levels.

Basic minimum qualifications:

• Experience in qualitative and design thinking research methods and their application to product development, with expertise in at least one of the following areas: food, consumer package goods, beverages, health and beauty.
• 4 year degree in MS in Anthropology, Social Science, Design Research, Consumer Research, Psychology or related field. Some industry experience with a market research vendor or Consumer Insights function in a CPG company would be ideal
• Experience working across disciplines of product development, strategy, innovation and design
• Experience moderating a broad range of qualitative research events (online and in person) and facilitating ideation and creativity workshops
• Fluency in design research methods and approaches
• Compelling, persuasive oral and written communication skills
• Proven ability to build strong cross-functional relationships in a highly dynamic environment
• Exhibits a bias for action
• Proficient in PowerPoint, Outlook, Word and other MS Office software and possibly video editing programs
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects(both small and large) and adjust to changing priorities and ambiguity

Who we are:

The National Food Lab is a fast-growing division of Eurofins Scientific with a vision to be the destination for tailored solutions in consumer, sensory and product research for the food, beverage and beauty industry - beginning to end.

Our mission is to provide services that help the top food, beverage, beauty and supplement companies in the world deliver safe, healthy and successful products.

Working as a seamless extension of their teams, we implement innovative science, methods and thinking to help ensure our clients' success.

We seek to make a positive impact in the advancement of food safety, quality and nutrition, fulfilling our corporate promise - to improve health and improve lives.

Our best-in-class consumer and sensory research capabilities are the result of the acquisition and combination of two long-standing and respected organizations, the former Food Perspectives, Inc. and National Food Lab. Using a variety of quantitative, qualitative consumer and sensory research techniques we help our clients make products consumers love. We help our clients:

• Develop new product ideas
• Optimize an existing product
• Re-energize a well-established product
• Assess product-concept fit or packaging effectiveness
• Understand the product, brand and category competitive landscapes
• Support capital investment and product formulation decisions thru gauging consumer interest
• Present objective results to management

What we offer:

As a Eurofins employee, you will become part of a company that has received national recognition as a great place to work! We offer excellent full-time benefits including comprehensive medical coverage, life and disability insurance, 401(k) with company match, paid holidays, vacation, personal days, and dental and vision options.

To learn more about Eurofins, please explore our website www.eurofinsus.com

Eurofins is a M/F, Diabled, and Veteran Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer.

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