The Opportunity Hub UK
Innovation Manager
How your CV stacks up
Upload your CV to see how well it fits this job role
?%
Innovation Manager
The Role
As Innovation Manager, you'll sit at the intersection of consumer insight, product development, commercial strategy, and technical innovation. Working closely with Commercial, Brand, R&D, Procurement, and Supply Chain teams, you'll identify future market opportunities, develop commercially compelling product concepts, and oversee their journey from initial idea through to successful product launch.
You'll also act as a key customer-facing innovation expert, presenting category trends, emerging technologies, and innovation strategies to retailers, brand partners, and prospective customers. This role combines strategic thinking with hands-on project leadership and offers significant exposure across the business.
What You'll Be Doing
Innovation Strategy
- Own and develop the business-wide innovation pipeline across Brand and Private Label categories.
- Monitor global beauty, personal care, and wellbeing trends to identify emerging consumer opportunities.
- Translate market insight into commercially viable product concepts.
- Build future product roadmaps aligned with customer and business objectives.
- Deliver trend presentations and innovation updates to internal stakeholders and customers.
Customer Innovation
- Partner with Commercial and Brand teams to identify growth opportunities.
- Lead customer innovation workshops and concept presentations.
- Develop compelling product solutions that address customer objectives.
- Support new business pitches, innovation showcases, and strategic customer meetings.
- Represent Potter & Moore's innovation capabilities externally.
Product Commercialisation
- Lead innovation projects from concept through feasibility, validation, and market launch.
- Develop robust commercial business cases for new product opportunities.
- Work cross-functionally to ensure products are technically achievable, scalable, and commercially successful.
- Measure innovation performance and identify opportunities for continuous improvement.
Reasons to use Rodeo
Start with a chat, not a search bar
Grad scheme, placement, apprenticeship? Not sure what you want yet — that's fine. Your agent talks it through with you and turns "I have no idea" into a shortlist.
It searches the market for you
Every day your agent scans the market matching roles against what actually matters to you, not just keywords on a CV.
Only hits
No noise. No "maybe this fits." Just roles with a clear explanation of why they're right — and where to focus when applying.
Technical Innovation
- Maintain strong knowledge of cosmetic ingredients, formulation technologies, and emerging product formats.
- Build relationships with ingredient suppliers, packaging partners, and technology providers.
- Identify new technologies that strengthen the innovation pipeline.
- Support technical feasibility through close collaboration with the Innovation Chemist and R&D teams.
- Stay informed on regulatory, sustainability, and ESG developments impacting future innovation.
Team Leadership
- Manage, coach, and develop the Innovation Chemist.
- Foster a collaborative, curious, and commercially focused innovation culture.
- Encourage knowledge sharing across Commercial, Brand, R&D, and Supply Chain teams.
What We're Looking For
Experience
- 5+ years' experience in Innovation, Product Development, R&D, or Technical Innovation within beauty, personal care, or FMCG.
- Proven track record delivering successful products from concept through to commercial launch.
- Experience managing multiple innovation projects simultaneously.
- Previous customer-facing experience presenting innovation concepts or category opportunities is highly desirable.
- Experience leading or mentoring technical teams is advantageous.
Skills & Knowledge
- Strong understanding of product development and innovation stage-gate processes.
- Knowledge of cosmetic chemistry, formulation technologies, and ingredient functionality.
- Ability to translate consumer insight into commercially successful products.
- Strong commercial awareness and strategic thinking.
- Excellent project management and organizational skills.
- Outstanding presentation and stakeholder engagement abilities.
- Confident working across technical, commercial, and creative teams.
Get help with your application
Your very own career expert that helps elevate your application to the next level.
Personal Attributes
We're looking for someone who is:
- Naturally curious with a passion for emerging consumer trends.
- Commercially minded with strong strategic thinking.
- Comfortable balancing creativity with technical feasibility.
- Collaborative and able to influence across multiple departments.
- Proactive, adaptable, and energized by fast-paced environments.
- Passionate about sustainability and continuous innovation.
- Motivated by ownership and delivering measurable business impact.
Why Join Potter & Moore?
Innovation is at the heart of everything we do. You'll have the opportunity to influence future product strategy, collaborate with some of the UK's leading retailers and beauty brands, and help shape products that reach millions of consumers every year.
This is a highly visible role offering genuine autonomy, cross-functional leadership, and significant opportunities for career development within a growing business.
What We Offer
- Competitive salary and comprehensive benefits package.
- Life Assurance.
- Employee Assistance Programme.
- Employee Benefits Platform.
- Opportunities for professional development and career progression.
- Collaborative and supportive working environment.
- Exposure to leading retailers and global beauty brands.
- The opportunity to shape future innovation strategy across multiple product categories.
Our Culture
At Potter & Moore, innovation is driven by collaboration, curiosity, and ownership.
We believe the best ideas can come from anywhere, and we empower our people to take responsibility from concept to launch. We move quickly, solve problems together, and continuously look for better ways of doing things.
If you're excited by creating products that make a real commercial impact and want the freedom to turn ideas into reality, we'd love to hear from you.
“It took my CV and asked me questions relevant to understanding what kind of jobs to suggest for me. Suggestions were almost perfect. Jobs were exactly what I’ve been looking for.”
Jessica, London
Skills
Location