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Senior Director, Innovation, will lead the development and execution of the company’s innovation strategy, focusing on identifying, incubating, and scaling new growth platforms and breakthrough products. Partners cross-functionally with marketing, R&D, supply chain, insights, and commercial teams to drive a pipeline of consumer-centric innovation across domestic and international markets. Creates long-term value, increases brand relevance, and accelerates top-line growth through transformational thinking and disciplined execution.

ACCOUNTABILITIES:

1. Strategic Leadership • Develop the North America Ice Cream innovation strategy roadmap based on the Wells and North American Ferrero and Ferrara Brand and Ferrero Global Brands strategies • Proactively identify emerging consumer trends, where category trends are headed, regulatory shifts and white space opportunities that drive incremental growth and unlock category growth/leadership

2. Innovation Pipeline and Portfolio Management • Ideate, prioritize, develop and manage a robust innovation pipeline, ensuring balance between near-term commercial wins and long-term transformative initiatives • Partner with Innovation Engine (cross-functional team including Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering) to test, iterate, and validate new concepts using agile and design thinking methodologies • Manage and foster a strong stage-gate innovation process to accelerate time-to-market while managing risk • Develop and be accountable to KPIs for Innovation Pipeline health and success (top and bottom-line innovation sufficiency)

3. Cross-functional & Global Collaboration • Lead cross-functional Innovation Engine team including Insights, R&D, Operations/Engineering, Finance to conceptualize and develop new platforms and products, enrolling key stakeholders (including Sales and other functions) and aligned to the brand briefs • Manage desirability, (financial) viability, feasibility process and identify CapEx needed • Collaborate with Global Team to ensure global concepts fit local market needs to ensure launch and commercial success • Partner with Insights, Consumer Research, and Analytics to ensure innovation is grounded in data and consumer behavior • Align with Operations and Supply Chain to ensure scalability and manufacturability of innovations across markets

4. Stakeholder Engagement & Organizational Alignment • Collaborate with key stakeholders at Wells and Ferrero to drive alignment, transparency of innovation initiatives • Navigate complex organizational dynamics with strong interpersonal and influence skills to gain internal alignment and cross-functional support for innovation priorities

5. Team Leadership & Capability Building • Lead and foster a strong culture of innovation with the Innovation Engine (cross-functional team) • Lead the vision and development of innovation best practices, setting the gold standard for insights extraction, ideation, concept validation, pipeline development • Develop a team of Innovation Managers, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and high performance • Drive internal capability building in consumer foresight application, innovation thinking, tools, and agile methodologies across the organization

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EDUCATION: Bachelor’s degree in Business, Marketing, Engineering, or related field; MBA or advanced degree preferred. Proven track record of leading successful innovation initiatives from concept to commercialization.

EXPERIENCE: 15+ years of experience in innovation, strategy, or product development within a CPG environment.

Wells Enterprises, Inc. is the largest privately held ice cream manufacturer in the United States. Founded in 1913 by Fred H. Wells and run by the Wells family for generations, the company is an independent operating company of the Ferrero Group, one of the global leaders in sweet, packaged foods.

Wells produces more than 200 million gallons of ice cream per year and distributes products in all 50 states. Wells manufactures its signature brand Blue Bunny®, lower-calorie Halo Top®, the iconic Bomb Pop®, and Blue Ribbon Classics®.

Wells employs nearly 4,000 ice cream aficionados across the country. The company is headquartered in Le Mars, Iowa, where Wells has made Le Mars the “Ice Cream Capital of the World” as the largest manufacturer of ice cream in one location. Wells operates two manufacturing plants in Le Mars, Iowa, a manufacturing plant in Dunkirk, New York, and a manufacturing facility in Henderson, Nevada. Learn more at www.wellsenterprisesinc.com .

What We Offer

At Wells, we’re proud to support our employees with comprehensive benefits that enhance health, financial wellness, and include paid time off (PTO). Eligible employees may also receive an annual incentive bonus based on Company performance. Learn more about our benefits here (https://wellsenterprisesinc.com/news/benefits) .

**Requisition ID** : 2208559