Innovation Portfolio Program Leader (Sr. Director)

Job ID: 5440 

Location: Atlanta, GA 

Newell Brands is a leading consumer products company with a portfolio of iconic brands like Graco®, Coleman®, Oster®, Rubbermaid®, Sharpie® and Yankee Candle® - and 24,000 talented teammates around the world. Our culture is built on values in action: Integrity, Teamwork, Passion for Winning, Ownership, and Leadership. We work together to win, grow, and make a real impact—supported by a high-performing, inclusive, and collaborative environment where you can be your best, every day. 

The Front-End Innovation Innovation Portfolio Program Leader is responsible for creating and sustaining FEI capability that delivers the required business growth results. They act as a trusted advisor to the FEI Leader(s) and Segment CEO(s). The work within the FEI teams to inspire, orchestrate and unleash outstanding innovation. They role model for the organization with a healthy blend of creativity and discipline. They must be outstanding collaborators and integrators across functions, levels, and work processes. They build the capability of the organization through best-in-class work processes and developing people’s expertise.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & DUTIES

Responsible for the operational excellence, integrity, and integration of the FEI agile processes:

Innovation Strategy

• In support of the Business Leaders, enables Innovation strategy development according to best practices, built on excellent strategy choices and specific goals for mix of innovation and innovation pacing. Participates in bringing the innovation strategy to life in all FEI processes, which will ensure the strategy is clear, comprehensive, timely and actionable.
• Works with all functional leaders to ensure that sufficient and capable resources are engaged in all FEI sprints.
• Ensures the business planning cycle calendar includes annual renewal of all the elements of FEI.

FEI Portfolio Planning   

FEI Portfolio Planning is a critical business activity conducted quarterly to ensure a balance of ideas are moving through the FEI process in support of the Innovation Strategy:

• Portfolio: The IDL in conjunction with the functions (especially Marketing, R&D and Finance), leads the Global FEI Portfolio process to prioritize and sequence innovation plans to deliver portfolio sufficiency
• Governance: The FEI IDL is responsible for the FEI governance process. This includes working with the FEI PODs to prepare the phase review agendas and ensure readiness for ideas for review.
• FEI Plans: The PMO leader ensures that decisions are fully communicated, and that all project assumptions (critical issues, assumptions) are clear.

Agile Processes

• The FEI IDL is responsible for best-in-class use of Agile Sprints.
• The coach the sprint leaders to ensure a focus on critical issues and reinforce a learning culture.
• They ensure the needed functions are active at the right phase on the right projects.

QUALIFICATIONS

The successful candidate will have the following qualifications:   

• Proven success launching CPG innovations and managing cross-functional teams.
• Deep expertise in front-end innovation frameworks (e.g., Stage-Gate, Design Thinking, Agile)
• Strong knowledge of the CPG product lifecycle, including regulatory and quality compliance.
• Experience embedding agile or hybrid PMO models in matrixed organizations.
• Skilled in innovation strategy development, portfolio planning, and governance
• Data fluency and ability to define and track early-stage innovation KPIs.
• Strong communication, stakeholder alignment, and decision-making facilitation skills
• Strong cross-functional leadership and partnership skills 
• Ability to think strategically and creatively while managing multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously.   
• Bringing disruptive thinking and consumer insight to drive long term growth
• Has an entrepreneurial, curious, and solutions-oriented mindset.   

WORK ENVIRONMENT

A collaborative, small, dedicated innovation team comprised of multi-functional experts. Co-located with POD members in Atlanta.

Newell Brands (NASDAQ: NWL) is a leading global consumer goods company with a strong portfolio of well-known brands, including Rubbermaid, Sharpie, Graco, Coleman, Rubbermaid Commercial Products, Yankee Candle, Paper Mate, FoodSaver, Dymo, EXPO, Elmer’s, Oster, NUK, Spontex and Campingaz. We are focused on delighting consumers by lighting up everyday moments. Newell Brands and its subsidiaries are Equal Opportunity Employers and comply with applicable employment laws. EOE/M/F/Vet/Disabled are encouraged to apply.