Innovation Project Lead

Job Description

Job Description

Innovation Project Lead

At Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc., a leading designer, marketer and distributor of small household and commercial appliances, our culture is one of hard work, ethical behavior, and teamwork. We roll up our sleeves and work hard to create products that have been pleasing customers for over 100 years.

We offer a comprehensive compensation and benefits package which includes health, dental and vision insurances, 401(k), paid vacation, a paid charitable day, a quarterly subsidy to help cover the costs associated with staying fit, the ability to purchase our products at discounted rates, employee recognition, team building activities, a casual dress code, and a hybrid work schedule just to name a few of the advantages of working for this dynamic company.

We are seeking qualified candidates for the position of Innovation Project Lead at our Richmond, VA headquarters. This is a salaried, exempt, hybrid-role, working in a collaborative and creative environment. The Innovation Project Lead plays a critical role in identifying and shaping the future of our product portfolio by uncovering consumer needs and guiding cross-functional teams through the earliest phases of innovation.

Responsibilities of the position include:

• Lead, direct and inspire cross-functional teams through all phases of early-stage innovation, from discovery to proof of concept.
• Collaborate with Product Managers to develop strategic project briefs and define project timelines.
• Identify unmet consumer needs through observations, interviews, and other human-centered research techniques.
• Translate user insights into compelling, viable, and breakthrough product opportunities that resonate with target audiences.
• Facilitate collaborative brainstorming sessions to generate a range of meaningfully unique ideas aligned with business goals.
• Oversee the development of proof-of-concept prototypes to validate technical feasibility and consumer desirability.
• Mitigate risks, resolve issues, and ensure team alignment to drive projects to successful, on-time delivery
• Champion a culture of innovation by supporting training and the adoption of best practices across teams.
• Deliver clear, engaging project updates and findings to leadership and executive stakeholders.
• Maintain thorough documentation of project learnings, reports, and outcomes for future reference.

Requirements of the position include:

• Bachelor’s degree in Industrial Design, Marketing, Innovation, or a related field.
• 5+ years of relevant experience in the consumer-packaged goods or durable goods industry.
• Curious and creative problem solver who is positive, passionate, and enthusiastic about crafting highly usable and relevant products
• Excels in visualizing and articulating ideas with clarity and impact
• Demonstrated success leading innovation or design projects within cross-functional teams.
• Empathic listener that is comfortable with ambiguity and experimentation and takes a hands-on approach
• Strategic mindset with a strong understanding of consumer behavior and market dynamics.
• Comfortable fostering collaboration and aligning diverse stakeholders at all levels.
• Passionate about driving change and continuous improvement.
• Strategic mindset with a strong understanding of consumer behavior and market dynamics.
• A passion for cooking, baking, beverage making, cleaning, and home goods is a plus

Our employees enjoy working in a tobacco-free and drug-free environment. We do not consider candidates who use tobacco products. Hamilton Beach Brands, Inc. is committed to hiring and retaining a diverse workforce. We are an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer, making decisions without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national origin, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected class.

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