Innovation & Luxury Lead (NPD) - Maternity Cover Secondment

Innovation & Luxury Lead (NPD) - (Maternity Cover - Secondment)

Your Manager: Innovation & Luxury Manager

Team: New Product Development, Manufacturing

Location: Dumbarton - we operate a hybrid working approach

Be part of something big

We are Pernod Ricard, a leading company in the global wines and spirits industry with over 19,000 employees globally. We own 16 of the world’s top 100 Spirits Brands and hold one of the most prestigious and comprehensive brand portfolios in the industry with 240 premium brands available in over 160 countries, including: Absolut vodka, Ballantine’s, Chivas Regal, Royal Salute, and The Glenlivet Scotch whiskies, Jameson Irish whiskey, Martell cognac, Havana Club rum, Beefeater, Malfy and Monkey 47 gins, Malibu liqueur, Mumm and Perrier-Jouët champagnes as well Jacob’s Creek, Brancott Estate and Campo Viejo wines.

Here in the UK

In the UK, Pernod Ricard is made up of 4 businesses:

• Chivas Brothers, the largest brand company in the Group, responsible for the production and management of our award-winning Scotch whisky portfolio
• Pernod Ricard UK, which markets, sells and distributes our products in the UK market
• Pernod Ricard Global Travel Retail, the global and EMEA home of the group’s duty free, air travel and cruises business.
• The Absolut Group, the brand owner of our global white spirits portfolio, whose Gin brand unit and Business Acceleration team sit in London.

We are an organisation of 2,000 employees in the UK, headquartered in London, in a brand-new office designed with sustainability, ‘conviviality’ and collaboration in mind. We also have offices in Scotland and various distilleries and production sites across the UK from Plymouth to London to Speyside.

Your new team

This position sits in our Chivas Brothers business. At Chivas Brothers, our 1,600-strong team across 27 sites is committed to upholding the heritage of Scotch and ensuring its sustainable future, as well as opening it up to new audiences across the globe.

The scope of Operations stretches from Procurement through conversion (distillation and maturation) and manufacturing (or bottling) to all the downstream Supply Chain activities until the final product is delivered.  In addition, Operations play a very active role in Innovation, Talent Development and Operational Risk Management.

The Manufacturing New Product Development (NPD) team are a team of around 25 people based at our manufacturing site in Dumbarton.  The team support the business by developing new packaging products to support our brand and innovation strategies.

Your unique contribution

The Innovation & Luxury Lead will drive the development and implementation of innovation and complex luxury packaging and technologies.  In this role you will be responsible for project managing new packaging innovation and research and development through close liaison with supply base and Manufacturing.

You will have four main areas of responsibility:

• Project Management – to project manage Breakthrough and Core Innovation projects, including identifying the risks and required mitigations, monitoring financial costs and managing post project reviews and to lead research and development projects with suppliers to implement and scale up new packaging materials and technologies.
• Product Development – to apply design for manufacturing principles to all innovations and actively support the drive towards group sustainability targets.  You will be responsible for feasibility studies for innovation projects with new packaging materials, component technologies and digital technologies and develop and implement appropriate testing and trialling protocols for material and technology innovations.
• Process & Compliance – to develop the Innovation process linking in the Innovation Team, Regional Innovation Hubs and Brand Teams.  You will support and implement the strategic development of the Pernod Ricard Future of Packaging process and ensure that component developments and approvals are in line with Product Life Cycle Process, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards and internal processes.
• Collaboration – to liaise with the Innovation Team on breakthrough innovation to ensure smooth introduction of new materials and technologies.  You will develop a supplier base focussed on innovation, small volumes, and an agile approach to delivery and work closely with Procurement locally and centrally on this.  You will also be responsible for stakeholder management throughout feasibility, development and implementation of innovations, including Brand Teams, Suppliers, Manufacturing, Production, Finance, Legal/Compliance.

Who you’ll be working with

Internally, you will collaborate with the wider Manufacturing team, including supply chain, bottling and quality as well as other functions such as Finance and Brand teams.

Externally, you will collaborate with suppliers and vendors to ensure delivery of services to the highest standard.

Your blend of talent

This position could be right for you if you:

• Have a degree in a relevant subject or equivalent industry experience along with significant experience in a similar role within the FMCG industry.
• Are commercially aware with experience in creating and leading cross-functional teams and excellent project management skills.
• Have detailed knowledge of project governance process e.g., stage gate process, as well as manufacturing and supply chain processes and packaging.
• Hold a full UK driving license.

Our mix of benefits

For your health, we offer private medical insurance, income protection and a comprehensive Employee Assistance Programme.

Our lifestyle benefits include 25 days’ annual holiday (increasing with length of service up to 27) plus public holidays, your employee pension, share incentive plan, share ownership plan, life assurance and more!

You can access lots of gifts & discounts, including an allowance each year to spend on our brands in our staff shop, our reward & recognition scheme and employee discounts from a range of high street retailers.

We have regular events in our very own office bar, employee-run networks, a culture of flexibility and trust and a variety of tools and resources to help you focus on your wellbeing and mental fitness.

Conviviality: the Pernod Ricard Way

We have our own way of doing things. We call it conviviality! It’s our way of being, and something unique you feel and experience when working for Pernod Ricard.

We’re committed to conviviality, and with this, you’ll be Proud to Belong to our Pernod Ricard family. You’ll be Empowered to Perform, supported to succeed, and acknowledged for the value you bring.

We combine all this with our Commitment to Care: we are unlocking the magic of human connection to transform our industry and make a positive impact on the world though our strong focus on sustainability and responsibility.

We’re committed to diversity and inclusion

People are at the heart of everything we do at Pernod Ricard and are the foundation of our collective spirit as ‘Créateurs de Convivialité’.

We promote diversity and inclusion throughout our business and supply chain. In our teams, we proactively foster a diverse work force and an inclusive culture – an environment where we can truly be ourselves.

We will assess your application for this role based on your skills, experiences and achievements, not your gender, age, ethnic or educational background or any other such factors. Please feel free to leave these off your CV and application form if you so wish.

Similarly, if you would like to discuss opportunities for flexible working or require accommodations or support to complete our application process, please let us know.

Responsible drinking

As ‘Créateurs de convivialité’, we want to turn social interactions into genuine and friendly experiences of sharing and wellbeing.

In our culture, we want to create diverse teams in which our differences contribute to our success. Therefore, all are welcome at Pernod Ricard, regardless of your religious beliefs or personal choices on the consumption of alcohol.

In our business, we work together with industry members, civil society, governments, local authorities and UN bodies to promote responsible drinking.

Closing Date for Applications:

29th October 2024