Otsuka Pharmaceuticals

Manager, Innovation Strategy

Otsuka Pharmaceuticals$110K — $184K *
Pharmaceuticals & Biotech
Less than 5 years of experience
Job Overview by Ladders

Qualifications

  • 4+ years' experience post-MBA or 7+ years post-college in innovation roles
  • Proven experience in product innovation within CPG or wellness sectors
  • Expertise in managing innovation processes using agile methodologies
  • Scientific aptitude for translating complex concepts into consumer ideas
  • Strong analytical skills leveraging consumer insights and market data to identify opportunities
  • Financial acumen for developing thorough business cases
  • Experience leading cross-functional teams across diverse disciplines

Responsibilities

  • Develop and manage a multi-year upstream innovation roadmap
  • Create templates and mechanisms for effective innovation portfolio prioritization
  • Drive continuous improvement in the innovation process focused on agility and consumer needs
  • Lead and motivate cross-functional teams in executing innovation projects
  • Partner with insights teams to inform innovation strategy based on market and consumer data
  • Support business case development for new market segments and models

Benefits

  • Medical, dental, and vision benefits
  • 401K match
  • Annual performance bonus
  • Wellness benefits
  • Comprehensive total rewards package
Full Job Description
POSITION SUMMARY

The Manager, Innovation Strategy is a key member of the Nature Made innovation team, supporting the upstream innovation agenda by translating strategic growth priorities, consumer and market insights, and scientific advancements into a structured, multi-year innovation pipeline. Reporting to the Director of Innovation Strategy & Process, this role supports planning, prioritization, and management of the upstream innovation portfolio. The Manager also contributes to continuous improvement of the innovation process, including new capabilities that improve speed and decision-making.

Critical contributions this role is counted on to deliver include:
  • Upstream Innovation roadmap: Translate opportunity areas into structured multi-year pipeline workstreams-spanning research projects and claims-by partnering with Science, Marketing, and Insights to define clear initiatives, timelines, deliverables, and governance.
  • Portfolio Management: Develop templates, and operating mechanisms that support effective prioritization and alignment of upstream innovation portfolio
  • Innovation Process: manages continuous improvement of the core innovation process-focusing on agility, consumer centricity, and AI adoption-manages scoring frameworks and ideation
  • Cross-functional leadership: Lead and motivate cross-functional project teams, and act as liaison between Marketing, Nutrition Science, R&D, Regulatory, Legal, and Finance to ensure a fit for purpose innovation process and future pipeline.
  • Market analysis and insights: Partner with insights teams to ensure the innovation strategy is informed by consumer needs, market data, and competitive analysis.
  • White space business case development: provide support to build compelling holistic value propositions for new segments, new business models or partnerships, including financial analysis, positioning, and go-to-market considerations.


THE IDEAL CANDIDATE

The ideal candidate brings a growth mindset, with the ability to navigate ambiguity, synthesize insights into actionable opportunities, and balance long-term innovation with near-term business priorities. Effective communication skills are paramount with comfort working in a high-performance, fast-paced team with people of diverse backgrounds.

You'll be most successful in this role if you have:
  • Proven experience in product innovation within the CPG or wellness industry, with a track record of creating successful innovation strategies and product launches.
  • Experience in upstream innovation preferred, ability to navigate white space and ambiguity with demonstrated success in shaping strategies for new demand spaces is required
  • Expertise in managing innovation processes, with experience applying agile methodologies
  • Scientific aptitude with proven experience translating complex scientific concepts into compelling consumer-facing ideas
  • Demonstrated portfolio thinking: Understands how initiatives connect to broader business goals and priorities accordingly
  • Strong analytical skills with experience leveraging consumer insights and market data to develop actionable product opportunities.
  • Strong financial acumen for building and presenting robust business cases for new products.
  • Experience leading and influencing cross-functional teams and stakeholders.
  • Strong communication and presentation skills, with the ability to clearly articulate complex strategic concepts.
  • Managerial experience preferred


In order to take on these challenges, you'll need to have:
  • Requires a four-year college or university degree or its equivalent. An MBA is preferred.
  • Requires a minimum of 4 years' experience post-MBA or 7 years post college, with a minimum of 2 years in innovation-related roles
  • Experience working in the Consumer-Packaged Goods (CPG) industry is required, with a preference for Health & Wellness, Vitamin and Supplements, or OTC Pharmaceutical industry


WHY THIS ROLE MATTERS

This role is critical to building and maintaining a disciplined, insight-driven upstream innovation pipeline that enables Nature Made to identify future growth opportunities, prioritize investment decisions, and deliver sustained long-term growth.

SALARY RANGE

National Target Base Pay Range: $100,000.00 - $166,000.00. The salary range for this position is based on national standards. For candidates in California and New York metro the Target Base Pay Range is $110,000 - $184,000, to reflect the cost of living and market conditions in those areas.

Actual compensation will take into account a wide range of factors that are unique to each candidate, including but not limited to geographic location, education, experience, qualifications and job-related skills. It is not typical for an individual to be hired above the midpoint of the range for their role and compensation decisions depend on the facts and circumstances of each case. This information is provided to applicants in accordance with state and local laws.

Base pay is only one component of our total rewards offerings, and we will take the full offering into consideration when presenting an offer of employment. Our total rewards package for this position may also include an annual performance bonus, Medical, dental and vision benefits, 401K match, and other wellness benefits.

DISCLOSURE:

Any misrepresentations or false statements during the application process, including regarding U.S. work authorization and/or the need for immigration sponsorship or support, may result in the rejection of candidacy or the termination of employment.

Visit Pharmavite.com/careers to learn more about our mission and discover an opportunity that's right for you. Health and wellness begins with us.

About Otsuka Pharmaceuticals

Otsuka Pharmaceutical is a Japanese pharmaceutical company that develops and markets a range of products including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medications, and nutritional supplements. The company was founded in 1964 and is headquartered in Tokyo, Japan. Otsuka Pharmaceutical has a strong research and development program and has developed several innovative drugs for the treatment of various diseases. The company is committed to sustainability and has implemented several initiatives to reduce its environmental impact. Otsuka Pharmaceutical has a global presence and operates in several countries around the world.
Learn more about Otsuka Pharmaceuticals
Size
9,171 employees
Industry
Founded
1989
NASDAQ

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