Jobs › Kraft Heinz

Brand Manager - Innovation (Multiple Positions)

Kraft Heinz · Chicago, IL · $120,800–$151,000 a year · Full time

Posted Aug 31, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about an innovation you worked on that failed or was stopped. What did you learn?

What they are checking: Whether they can learn from failure honestly, which matters for teams asked to take bigger, bolder bets.

Tell me about a time you brought senior leaders bad news about an innovation project.

What they are checking: Whether they give honest visibility on risks through the stage gate process, as the posting requires.

Tell me about leading a cross-functional team from concept to launch.

What they are checking: Whether they can keep R&D, insights, quality, operations, sales and finance moving together.

What would you do

Packaging design from the agency looks great, but consumers in testing are confused about what the product is. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they put consumer clarity first and can redirect an agency without losing time.

R&D says the product you want can't be made at your target cost. How do you respond?

What they are checking: Whether they can work through tradeoffs with R&D and operations instead of forcing an unrealistic plan.

How would you convince a retailer that your new item will grow their category, not just steal from other items?

What they are checking: Whether they understand incrementality and can speak to the retailer's category goals.

About the work

Walk me through how you'd build a Now, Near, Next innovation pipeline for a brand.

What they are checking: Whether they can balance quick wins with longer-term bets rooted in real consumer pain points.

How do you test desirability, feasibility and viability for a new product idea, and in what order?

What they are checking: Whether they know how to kill weak ideas early and cheaply before investing heavily.

How would you find white space in a category using syndicated data?

What they are checking: Whether they can read category data to spot unmet needs and gaps competitors are not filling.

How do you build a business case for a new product that leaders will believe?

What they are checking: Whether they can ground volume and margin assumptions in evidence and show the risks openly.

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The full job description

As published by Kraft Heinz.

Job Description We are hiring Brand Managers into multiple Innovation Marketing teams. As a Brand Manager focusing on innovation, your responsibilities will span from consumer insight generation and concept ideation to product development, packaging design, and business case development. You’ll manage cross-functional teams to bring the brand’s innovation plan to life for consumers and drive overall category growth for retailers by focusing on bigger and bolder bets. What you’ll do: • Manage the creation and validation of a multi-year innovation strategy and Now, Near, Next pipeline that is rooted in meaningful consumer pain points and white space in the category. • Execute the innovation strategy by collaborating with cross-functional team (R&D, consumer insights, quality, operations, sales and finance) to take ideas from concepts to reality by validating or invalidating critical desirability, feasibility & viability assumptions. • Manage agency relationships for packaging design of new products, and lead validation with consumers in partnership with the consumer insights team. • Own innovation through the stage gate process, providing visibility to senior leaderships on risks & opportunities, and aligning next steps/tradeoffs. • Leverage syndicated data sources to understand own and competitor category performance, bringing forth insights and recommendations that drive business impact. • Bring forth a consumer-first mindset to day-to-day decisions, ensuring the integrity of the brand remains protected while balancing financial and operational considerations. • Be a champion of an innovation culture across the Marketing team, bringing the outside in, challenging the status quo and driving continuous improvement in how we innovate. What we’re looking for: • Experience managing the full lifecycle of CPG product commercialization through the stage gate process, from idea generation to product launch and retail distribution. • Innovative and consumer first mindset – is inherently innovative & collaborative and prioritizes resourcefulness over resources. Has a natural ability to put the consumer first, understand their pain & pleasure points and iterate quickly based on consumer learning • Experience with syndicated sources such as Nielsen or Circana/IRI • Strong project management skills with ability to successfully handle multiple projects simultaneously and deliver on timelines (experience in cross-functional team management preferred) Our Total Rewards philosophy is to provide a meaningful and flexible spectrum of programs that equitably support our diverse workforce and their families and complement Kraft Heinz’ strategy and values. New Hire Base Salary Range: $120,800.00 - $151,000.00 Bonus: This position is eligible for a performance-based bonus as provided by the plan terms and governing documents. The compensation offered will take into account internal equity and may vary depending on the candidate's geographic region, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience among other factors Benefits: Coverage for employees (and their eligible dependents) through affordable access to healthcare, protection, and saving for the future, we offer plans tailored to meet you and your family’s needs. Coverage for benefits will be in accordance with the terms and conditions of the applicable plans and associated governing plan documents. Wellbeing: We offer events, resources, and learning opportunities that inspire a physical, social, emotional, and financial well-being lifestyle for our employees and their families. You’ll be able to participate in a variety of benefits and wellbeing programs that may vary by role, country, region, union status, and other employment status factors, for example: • Physical - Medical, Prescription Drug, Dental, Vision, Screenings/Assessments • Social - Paid Time Off, Company Holidays, Leave of Absence, Flexible Work Arrangements, Recognition, Training • Emotional – Employee Assistance Program , Wellbeing Programs, Family Support Programs • Financial – 401k, Life, Accidental Death & Dismemberment, Disability Location(s) Chicago/Aon Center Kraft Heinz is an Equal Opportunity Employer – Underrepresented Ethnic Minority Groups/Women/Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities/Sexual Orientation/Gender Identity and other protected classes. In order to ensure reasonable accommodation for protected individuals, applicants that require accommodation in the job application process may contact NAZTAOps@kraftheinz.com for assistance.

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