Join the Team That's Changing the World, One Innovation at a Time
At Kimberly-Clark, we're driven by a bold mission: to create Better Care for a Better World. With a legacy spanning over 150 years, we've established ourselves as a leader in the industry, boasting an impressive portfolio of iconic brands that touch the lives of millions every day. Our commitment to innovation, growth, and impact is unwavering, and we're on the hunt for talented professionals like you to join our dynamic team.
About the Role
We're seeking a visionary Front End Innovation Marketing B2B professional to lead the charge in developing groundbreaking products and solutions that will shape the future of our industry. As a key member of our team, you'll be responsible for spearheading early-stage development, nurturing new ideas, and driving growth and differentiation. This is a unique opportunity to leave your mark on our organization and make a lasting impact on the lives of people around the world.
Key Responsibilities
As a Front End Innovation Marketing B2B professional, your primary responsibilities will include:
- Innovation Strategy Development:
- Define and shape the front-end innovation strategy aligned with the company's overall business goals and market needs.
- Lead the identification of white spaces, market gaps, and new opportunities for innovation through trend analysis, consumer insights, and competitive intelligence.
- Ensure innovation concepts support the long-term vision and sustainability goals of the company.
- Idea Generation & Concept Development:
- Lead brainstorming and ideation sessions with cross-functional teams to generate a robust pipeline of new ideas.
- Utilize creative thinking tools, methods (such as design thinking), and innovation frameworks to foster out-of-the-box ideas.
- Evaluate and prioritize ideas based on feasibility, market potential, alignment with strategic goals, and innovation KPIs.
- Consumer, Customer & Market Insights:
- Utilize consumer insights to guide product development. Engage with focus groups, surveys, and other feedback mechanisms to ensure products meet consumer expectations.
- Oversee consumer research, market trends analysis, and data analytics to uncover unmet needs, behaviors, and emerging trends.
- Translate insights into innovative concepts that solve real consumer problems or enhance customer experiences.
- Prototyping & Concept Testing:
- Collaborate with R&D, design, and engineering teams to rapidly prototype and test new product or service concepts.
- Validate early-stage concepts through consumer testing, feedback loops, and market assessments.
- Iterate on concepts based on feedback, refining ideas to ensure they meet consumer expectations and market requirements.
- Business Case Development:
- Develop compelling business cases for new product concepts, including market potential, cost analysis, and ROI projections.
- Present these cases to senior leadership for approval.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration:
- Work closely with marketing, R&D, product development, and design teams to bring innovative concepts from idea to prototype stage.
- Facilitate collaboration between different departments, ensuring that innovation efforts are supported by the necessary technical, financial, and human resources.
- Build a culture of innovation across the organization by promoting creative thinking and collaboration.
- Innovation Pipeline Management:
- Maintain and manage a dynamic pipeline of innovation projects, ensuring a balanced mix of short-term and long-term initiatives.
- Track progress of ideas from the initial concept stage through to hand-off to product development teams for commercialization.
- Set and track key innovation performance indicators (KPIs) such as time-to-market, concept success rate, and contribution to overall business growth.
- Technology Scouting & Partnerships:
- Identify and explore new technologies, materials, or external partnerships that can fuel innovation and give the company a competitive edge.
- Build relationships with external partners, including startups, research institutions, and technology providers, to support open innovation efforts.
- Evaluate and recommend opportunities for technology integration or acquisitions that could enhance innovation capabilities.
- Risk Management & Feasibility Assessments:
- Conduct feasibility assessments for innovation concepts, evaluating technical, financial, and operational risks.
- Develop risk mitigation strategies to ensure that the most promising innovations move forward without jeopardizing company resources or timelines.
- Ensure the innovation pipeline is balanced, taking into account both incremental improvements and disruptive, high-risk ideas.
- Reporting & Communication:
- Regularly communicate the progress of front-end innovation projects to senior leadership and key stakeholders.
- Prepare reports and presentations that highlight the innovation roadmap, concept successes, and learning from failed or pivoted projects.
- Promote the impact and value of front-end innovation efforts across the company.
- Innovation Culture:
- Foster a culture of creativity, experimentation, and continuous improvement within the team.
- Encourage innovative thinking and the exploration of new ideas.
What We Offer
As a member of our team, you'll enjoy:
- Competitive Compensation: A salary that reflects your value and contributions to our organization.
- Comprehensive Benefits: A range of benefits designed to support your overall well-being, including gym memberships, private medical insurance, dental cover, employee assistance program, cycle to work scheme, critical illness cover, travel insurance, and a market-leading defined contribution pension scheme.
- Flexible Work Schedules: The flexibility to manage your commitments inside and outside of work, including flexible work schedules and parental leave.
- Career Growth Opportunities: A culture that encourages innovation, learning, and growth, with opportunities to develop your skills and advance your career.
- Inclusive Work Environment: A workplace that values diversity, inclusion, and equality, where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.
Who We're Looking For
The ideal candidate is a visionary with strong leadership skills and a deep understanding of market trends and consumer needs. You possess:
- Proven Experience: A background in innovation management, product development, or related fields, with the ability to develop and execute FEI strategies and manage FEI portfolio within B2B environment.
- Expertise in Design Thinking: Proficiency in design thinking, ideation techniques, and innovation frameworks.
- Strong Understanding of Consumer Insights: A deep understanding of consumer insights, market trends, and competitive analysis.
- Excellent Communication Skills: Excellent influencing, communication, and collaboration skills, with the ability to build working relationships across functions, cultures, and geographies.
- Analytical Approach: The ability to manage ambiguity and foster creativity within structured processes and analytical approach.
How to Apply
If you're a motivated and innovative professional looking to make a difference, we encourage you to apply for this exciting opportunity. Please click the "Apply" button and complete the online application process. A member of our recruiting team will review your application and follow up if you seem like a great fit for this role.
We Encourage You to Apply!
Even if you feel you're not a perfect match, we'd still love to hear from you. We're looking for great people to join our friendly team, and we're excited about the possibility of welcoming you on board.
Apply Now
Apply Now