Senior Product Innovation Manager

The Senior Product Innovation Manager at The Farmer’s Dog will be responsible for defining and executing the innovation roadmap for the New Products portfolio. This includes identifying market opportunities, developing new product concepts, collaborating with cross-functional teams, and ensuring alignment with customer needs. The role requires strong project management skills to drive initiatives from idea through to launch.

Candidates for the Senior Product Innovation Manager role at The Farmer’s Dog should have 8+ years of experience in physical product innovation and development, preferably in the food industry. A strong analytical background, excellent communication skills, and a proven track record of translating consumer insights into successful products are essential. Familiarity with product development processes is also helpful.

The Farmer's Dog emphasizes customer engagement in the Senior Product Innovation Manager role by involving team members in regular customer conversations and conducting thorough market research. This approach helps identify customer pain points and ensures that innovation aligns with both market demand and the company's mission of enhancing pet health and well-being.

As a Senior Product Innovation Manager at The Farmer’s Dog, you will work closely with various teams, including R&D, finance, operations, and marketing. This cross-functional collaboration is crucial for product development, ensuring that all perspectives are considered before launching new products, thus maximizing their impact in the market.

The Farmer’s Dog stands out as an employer because of its commitment to innovation and holistic pet care. The culture encourages collaboration over departmental silos, fostering an environment where ideas can come from anywhere. Plus, their dedication to providing healthier food options for pets creates a fulfilling mission for employees passionate about animal welfare.

When answering this question, focus on specific projects you've worked on in the food sector, detailing your role in bringing products from concept to market. Highlight how you collaborated with different teams and utilized data to make informed decisions.

Discuss your approach to prioritization, emphasizing your use of market research, customer feedback, and data analysis to evaluate which ideas align best with the company's goals and customer needs.

Explain your communication and collaboration strategies, such as organizing workshops or brainstorming sessions that include diverse team members to gather insights and foster a shared vision for new products.

Talk about the key performance indicators (KPIs) you track, such as sales figures, customer satisfaction scores, and market share. Share examples of how you've adapted strategies based on performance data.

Share a specific example where you received feedback that led to re-evaluating a product concept. Explain your assessment process and how you implemented changes to better meet customer needs.

Discuss the methods you use to gather market insights, including surveys, focus groups, and competitor analysis. Highlight how these findings inform your product strategy.

Explain your familiarity with regulatory standards within the food industry and how you work closely with legal and compliance teams during product development to ensure all claims and standards are met.

Emphasize the importance of data-driven decision-making and discuss how you leverage both quantitative and qualitative data to validate hypotheses and guide innovation.

Provide a detailed response that outlines the challenge, your thought process in addressing it, and the outcome. Focus on your problem-solving abilities and the lessons learned.

Share your passion for pet health and well-being, and how The Farmer’s Dog's mission resonates with you. Discuss your alignment with the company's values and your eagerness to contribute to their innovative approach.