Global Innovation Delivery Manager

Innovation is one of the key drivers behind JDE’s growth. Many of the company’s most successful innovations were launched by their Global Innovation & Program Delivery team. The Global Innovation Delivery Manager manages multidisciplinary project teams, in order to bring about the successful launch of large innovation projects.

About Jacobs Douwe Egberts (JDE)

Over the past 265 years, Jacob Douwe Egberts (JDE) has grown from a Dutch small-town grocery store into the biggest coffee and tea company in the world with a footprint in over 140 countries. The company’s iconic brands include Jacobs, Tassimo, Moccona, Senseo, L’OR, Douwe Egberts, TiORA, Super, Kenco, Pilao and Gevalia. As of 2013, JDE is owned by German private equity firm JAB Holding.

However, what hasn’t changed in nearly three decades, is the firm belief that ‘amazing things can happen over a cup of coffee’. The urge to find out exactly what those amazing things are, is what drives and motivates all employees. Plus: the conviction that everyone deserves the coffee they love – no matter who they are, where they live or how they drink it.

Ambitious, entrepreneurial and dynamic
JDE is known for its unrelenting drive to innovate and its desire to make an impact. Ambitious, entrepreneurial and dynamic: three words that perfectly characterize the organizational culture at JDE. In this high-paced work environment things move fast, ambitions are huge and team spirit is key. People support each other where they can, and successes are celebrated together.

Vacancy: Global Innovation Delivery Manager

The Global Innovation Delivery Manager has a clear primary responsibility: to successfully lead multidisciplinary project teams for the integrated delivery of the larger innovation and renovation projects to the market. The Global Innovation Delivery Manager supports the in-market performance until project closure.

The Global Innovation Delivery manager reports directly to Armin Eijsackers, the Global Innovation Delivery Team Lead. They are part of the Global Innovation and Program Delivery team, which is part of the Global Marketing Team. They will work with and deliver to the Single Serve business category covering soft pads (Senseo), Tassimo system, Nespresso Compatibles Capsules and L’OR Barista system sub-categories. Some of the projects involve appliance development in close collaboration with JDE’s partners.

More “complex” projects
Generally speaking, the Global Innovation & Program Delivery team is responsible for the more “complex” projects. For instance, the ‘Lekker Fris’ range by Pickwick – an ingenious innovation adding flavor to tap water – the L’OR Barista coffee machine and the recently launched sustainable coffee pads (Senseo Earth) are some of the many projects that were successfully managed by the team. Similar innovative and inventive projects are currently on their way to launch in the (near) future.

“The Global Innovation Delivery Manager knows how to design clear project management planning, execute risk assessments and scope the project perfectly. Aside from outstanding project management skills, they also has excellent communication and social competences. Superb project management is obviously crucial, but being an inspiring leader that can build and uphold a team spirit is equally important.” – Armin Eijsackers, Global Innovation Delivery Team Lead of Single Serve & Tea

Multidisciplinary teams
The Global Innovation Delivery Manager acquires a portfolio of their own projects. They will lead and manage multidisciplinary project teams which consist of Marketing, Finance, Operations, Value Stream and Research & Development with five or fix work-stream leads and an average of 15-25 indirect reports. They manage the project to achieve project deliverables on costs, quality and timing by setting clear parameters of project responsibilities. Alongside the project – generally taking 1-3 years – the Global Innovation Delivery Manager acts as the interface between technical and commercial teams, ensuring all different departments are aligned. This requires a strong sense of technical savviness and commercial thinking, and the ability to clearly translate requirements to and between both functional domains.

The ideal candidate has prior experience in launching large global projects involving for instance new product development, lines and equipment installation. In this dynamic environment, a flexible, agile and solution-driven mindset is crucial. Furthermore, top notch business acumen is a prerequisite, as are perfect communication and social skills. A strong affinity with innovation is definitely a must-have, too.

JDE works with Top of Minds to fill this vacancy.
Contact Vivian Linker at vivian.linker@topofminds.com for more information.