Operations Innovation Manager Jobs in Katy, TX (NOW HIRING)

Himalaya Wellness is seeking a Senior Manager of Innovation to develop and launch a robust pipeline of North American innovation projects in Personal Care categories. There is a primary focus on Oral Care and Baby Care categories with possible category expansion in the future.

Reporting to the Sr. Director of Strategic Marketing & Innovation, you will be responsible for identifying market opportunities and overseeing new product launches to drive incremental, sustainable, and profitable growth. Responsibilities will include leading category deep dives, uncovering white space opportunities, writing new product briefs, and managing timelines, budgets, and vendor activities to bring a new item from concept to reality.

You will collaborate internally with North American brand marketing, sales, growth, and operations teams, as well as Himalaya team members globally in the Dubai and Bangalore hubs.

In this role, you will join an organization with high expectations for strategic thinking and on-point execution. We are looking for a candidate who can be flexible and work with a sense of urgency in a dynamic, changing environment. We seek to hire and support individuals who ask questions and uncover ways to improve strategies and tactics involving our brands, operations, and go-to market activities.

Himalaya’s tremendous growth provides our employees with many new career and development opportunities. We’re looking for teammates who are driven, eager to learn, and excited about the opportunity for future career expansion.

Responsibilities:

• Leads North American Personal Care innovation projects from ideation to launch in collaboration with key cross-functional partners, ensuring that initiatives launch on-time, on-scope, and on-budget.
• Performs category and competitive deep dives using syndicated and secondary data sources to identify white space opportunities and extracts key insights to build a business case.
• Develops project brief to drive new items forward, gaining alignment with key stakeholders and leadership. Uses brief to scope and scale up projects with R&D and manufacturing partners.
• Works collaboratively with cross-functional partners in brand marketing, sales and operations teams. Depending on the project, team members may also include global Himalaya colleagues located in Dubai and India.
• Establishes project schedules and oversees all micro activities within the product development process from inception through commercialization—including formulation, packaging, testing, artwork development, stability, and production.
• Effectively communicates with stakeholders on project progress, risks/roadblocks and launch timing. Proactively identifies risks and issues within projects; Troubleshoots and leads risk mitigation and contingency planning to avoid launch delay.
• Works with brand and sales teams to craft selling story for new items, relevant to both category buyers and consumers.
• Builds knowledge and expertise by seeking additional training and staying up to date on industry news and consumer trends.

Qualifications / Skills Needed:

• Relevant Experience – 7+ years of relevant job experience in Personal Care product development at a fast-moving CPG company with a history of strong in-market success. Preference preferred for experience in Oral Care and/or Baby Care categories.
• Analytical & Financial Skills – Solid background of analytical skills, including using syndicated data such as IRI, Nielsen and Stackline to identify category performance and opportunity. Understands product P&L and pricing strategy.
• NPD Briefs – Can write a solid new item brief, including category assessment, financial opportunity and unique selling proposition. Able to give clear direction on project path to domestic manufacturing partners and global R&D teams.
• Consumer Insights – Strong experience with consumer insights, including partnering in the creation of learning plans and history of using insights to drive optimization in the NPD pipeline.
• Sense of Urgency – Has a bias for action and is able to ensure projects move forward on schedule. Ensures timely feedback to global colleagues and vendor partners. Quickly resolves any issues that pause project progression.
• Communication Skills – Able to effectively partner and build relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including global colleagues. Communicates in a professional, diplomatic, and tactful manner. Experienced in presenting to senior management and gaining alignment.
• Embraces Change – Able to learn quickly and adapt to new ways of working in a high-growth culture. Excited to make improvement recommendations and to implement organizational change. Comfortable with ambiguity and able to navigate through uncertainty.
• AI Leader – Capable of using key AI tools such as Claude to streamline workflows and improve efficiency and strategic decision making.
• Self-Motivated – Must be self-motivated and maintain highly effective habits working with a remote team and having only periodic in-person contact with colleagues and leadership.
• Project Management Skills – Proven success managing a portfolio of projects and an ability to handle multiple competing priorities in a dynamic environment. Capable of calmly troubleshooting issues that arise in projects. Creatively brainstorms solutions, communicates updates, and drives decision-making alignment with stakeholders.
• Computer Skills – Proficient in MS Office programs such as Outlook, Team, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.
• Passionate About Wellness – Knowledge of and personal involvement with natural products and health & wellness is not required, but is a definite plus!

Compensation and Benefits:

• Competitive base salary and bonus, commensurate with experience
• Company benefits including medical, dental, vision, life, disability & 401(k)