Innovation Manager

About Us:

At Nature’s Way, our purpose is simple yet powerful: it’s in our nature to help people live healthier. We are guided by values that shape everything we do, being trustworthy through honesty, transparency, and respect; being resourceful by thinking outside the box and finding creative solutions; and being responsible by caring for each other, our community, and the environment. Our purpose and values guide how we deliver high‑quality natural health products that support healthier lives for people in Canada and around the world.

Nature’s Way Canada has been recognized as one of Atlantic Canada’s and Nova Scotia’s Top Employers for 2026, making it a great place to work. As a certified B Corp, we balance profit with purpose by meeting high standards for social and environmental impact, transparency, and accountability. We are committed to creating positive outcomes for our people, communities, and the planet.

Join us and be part of a team that truly makes a difference.

Position Overview:

We are looking for an experienced and ambitious Innovation Manager to lead projects through our stage-gate process with an emphasis on idea validation and business case development. This role requires building and maintaining collaborative relationships with cross-functional team members and invested audiences. The Innovation Manager is a key role for our organization to achieve our objectives.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Contribute to the development of a multi‑year innovation pipeline aligned with organizational priorities.
• Identify opportunities by analyzing performance data, consumer insights, competitive activity, and supplier capabilities.
• Integrate brand and retailer needs into pipeline planning.
• Ensure consistent application of the innovation process across assigned projects.
• Build business cases and manage projects through commercialization in partnership with cross‑functional teams.
• Present clear recommendations to senior leadership.
• Lead cross‑functional meetings to maintain alignment and momentum.
• Anticipate risks and develop contingency plans to meet project objectives.
• Support product testing, including concept and sensory evaluation.
• Partner with the Director of Innovation on ideation and early‑stage concept validation.

Environmental And Social Responsibility:

• Support with the development, implementation and monitoring of the organization’s environmental and social goals as they relate to your team. This includes establishing your team’s performance metrics in alignment with the organization’s sustainability strategy.
• Identify opportunities for innovation or continuous improvement to enhance the organization’s sustainability goals (such as waste reduction/ diversion, circularity/ plastic reduction, emissions reduction, sustainable procurement, local sourcing, etc.).
• Foster a culture of sustainability within the organization by encouraging your team’s participation in sustainability initiatives and committees (such as volunteering at community events, Sustainability Committee/ DEI Committee participation, 1% for the Planet employee nomination contest, etc.).

Required Qualifications:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Required Education:

• Required: Undergraduate college degree in marketing, business or a related science field. 7+ years of related experience in consumer-packaged-goods (CPG) innovation.
• Preferred: Master of Business Administration graduate degree. CPG, healthcare, innovation or marketing experience with a healthcare or supplements portfolio a plus.

Required skills:

• Strong cross‑functional collaboration and leadership across product development and commercialization.
• Ability to influence, build alignment, and achieve results through others.
• Proven skill in analyzing business performance and developing successful strategies and action plans.
• Strong leadership, analytical thinking, planning, communication, and presentation skills.
• Ability to identify key issues and translate them into strategic and tactical plans.
• Solid understanding of consumer insights and positioning.
• Strategic, analytical thinker with strong problem‑solving skills.
• Experience with financial planning and P&L drivers.
• Strong project management capabilities.
• Creative and critical thinker with strong problem‑solving abilities.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Self‑starter who works independently.
• Passion for the health and wellness industry.
• High proficiency in Microsoft Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and Power BI.

Travel:

This is a full-time position. There will be some domestic and international travel to attend key meetings or industry trade shows.

Language skills:

Demonstrated Proficiency in both verbal and written communication skills in English is a must.

Mathematical skills:

Ability to calculate figures and amounts such as discounts, interest, commissions, proportions, percentages, area, circumference, and volume. Ability to apply concepts of basic algebra and geometry.

Analytical skills:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to apply principles of logical thinking to a wide range of problems and situations. Ability to communicate analysis effectively to a diverse audience to gain alignment and make decisions.

Reasoning ability:

Ability to define problems, collect data, establish facts, and draw valid conclusions. Ability to interpret an extensive variety of technical instructions in mathematical or diagram form and deal with several abstract and concrete variables.

Physical demands:

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an associate to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Work environment:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

NOTE:

The statements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work being performed by Associates and are not to be construed as an exhaustive list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required of personnel so classified. Furthermore, they do not establish a contract for employment and are subject to change at the discretion of the employer.

What We Offer:

It is Nature’s Way Canada’s philosophy to inspire and promote a physically and emotionally healthy workforce. To enhance the health of every employee and their families, we’ve created an environment to foster our philosophy. All eligible employees receive:

• Competitive pay and paid time off
• Excellent health and dental benefits
• Company RRSP matching program
• Comprehensive Wellness initiatives to promote a healthy lifestyle
• You Belong perk for those planting roots in Canada
• Employee Discount Program on all Nature’s Way Canada products
• Formal Educational Assistance
• Employee Recognition Programs