Global Innovation Portfolio Leader

Build your career at Sazerac! With almost 400 years of rich history, Sazerac Company has thrived as an independent, American family-owned company with operations in the United States and around the world. Since the 2000s, Sazerac has averaged double digit growth every year! Sazerac Company produces and markets the most award-winning bourbons and whiskeys in the world, including Buffalo Trace, Pappy Van Winkle, Eagle Rare, Blanton’s, Traveller, and Sazerac Rye. Additionally, Sazerac owns many popular brands across a range of spirits, including Fireball, Svedka, Wheatley, BuzzBallz, Southern Comfort, Seagram’s V.O., Myers’s, Goldschläger, Parrot Bay, 99 Brand, and Platinum Vodka.

Lucerne, Switzerland

Successful delivery innovation is critical to delivering Sazerac's growth plans. As the Global Innovation Portfolio Leader, you will manage the execution of the innovation pipeline and drive brand innovation strategy changes and new launches—both domestic and global, internal and external in nature.

Sitting at the intersection of strategy and execution, this role has end-to-end lifecycle responsibility and oversees the project management of all global projects to support brand leaders in designing, developing, and executing innovation across key international markets, including Asia, AUS/NZ, LATAM, Europe, and Africa. You will collaborate with multi-functional teams to ensure the on-time delivery of innovation across all aspects (idea, scope lock, design lock, artwork, master data set up, sales set up, ordering, production, shipment, in-market execution, etc.) as well as interim steps along the process. This encompasses growth, maintenance, optimisation, and refresh projects across any brand, including new brands for Sazerac, and includes owning multi-year brand plans that drive volume, costs, and profitability.

Key Responsibilities & Priorities:

• End-to-End Pipeline Ownership: Manage the execution of the innovation pipeline from marketing concept to retail shelf across global markets (Asia, AUS/NZ, LATAM, Europe, and Africa), bridging brand strategy and commercial execution.
• Volume and Cost Management: Grow sales volume, manage and improve the cost of goods and overheads while delivering the highest quality products. Priority brands will grow in volume and profit at a faster rate than the total business and will comprise more than 65% of the portfolio.
• Project Prioritisation: Maintain a prioritised list of new initiatives and ensure projects are communicated and managed effectively to achieve target ship dates and volumes.
• Portfolio Optimisation: Oversee growth, maintenance, optimisation, and refresh projects across existing and new brand portfolios.
• Multifunctional Leadership: Collaborate with and influence multi-functional partners (Marketing, Supply Chain, Operations, Regulatory, Master Data, Sales, and Regional Teams) without direct authority to guarantee alignment and on-time execution across diverse regional markets.

• Project Leadership: Detail-oriented with strong planning, organisation, and interpersonal skills to influence direction across all functions.
• Systems Agility: Ability to quickly learn new systems and processes.
• Technical Proficiency: Working knowledge of MS Office products (Word, Excel, Outlook).

• Must Have: Experience working in a fast-paced environment.

• Preferred: 5+ years of relevant experience in project management, brand management, or commercialisation within FMCG, consumer packaged goods, beverage alcohol, or manufacturing sectors.

• Preferred Certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.

Additional Requirements

• Work Arrangement: Hybrid (3 days a week from the Lucerne, Switzerland office).

• Travel: Up to 25% travel.