Innovation Specialist

ESSENTIAL JOB DUTIES & RESPONSIBILITIES:

Business Growth Planning & Analysis:

• Works closely with the PM, other Innovation Managers, Brand, Sales, Engineering, Purchasing, Quality, Operations, Legal, Licensing, and Creative Services, as well as outside agencies, or suppliers to develop products and packaging that meet the brand’s objectives and standards. Assist PM, Brand & Sales to develop product pipeline based on customer, consumer, and market insights.
• Assist or directly research patterns, handle materials, handle colors, shield materials, and types of past products to assist with new product planning.
• Input Special Factory Order (SFO) sample requests, SFO orders, update all information, or changes, and follow through to completion.
• Work to resolve issues with any SFO or Special Projects in a timely manner, including quality concerns.
• Develop packaging solutions for commemorative, customer, and royalty products.
• Maintain the master product listing spreadsheet(s) for the catalog and supplements.
• Work with the Licensing team to meet workback deadlines and assist them with new product creation.
• Provide weekly updates to the New Product Release calendar and share with appropriate departments.
• Coordinate displays and panel assortments with Sales and Brand for the annual catalog.
• Responsible for coordinating house and customer special factory orders and managing the projects through the new product life cycle.
• Responsible for updating and maintaining product specifications within Innovation, including but not limited to the product spec sheets, new product calendar and master catalog listing.

Team Leadership:

• Assist cross-functional business team(s) to achieve Stage Gate goal(s), financial objectives and develop contingency plans and responses to changing marketplace conditions.
• Provide real-time feedback to teams on product line issues, concerns, improvements, and statuses to ensure timelines are being met.
• Strong interpersonal skills and if asked, demonstrate ability to lead and develop a collaborative results-oriented team environment.

Other Responsibilities:

• Proof certificates of authenticity and catalogs (House and Customer) to ensure accuracy.
• Prepare and update all product specification sheets for new and existing products.
• Work with multiple departments as needed to ensure deadlines are met.

EDUCATION & ADDITIONAL ELIGIBILITY QUALIFICATIONS:

Minimum Requirements:

• Associate degree in product or project management, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 3-5 years of demonstrable successes in consumer product marketing, brand, or product management experience for branded products, including cross-functional brand or product team leadership and business management.
• Experience within knife category or knowledge of Case products and services a plus.
• Adaptable, resilient, flexible, fast paced/sense of urgency, and a high level of multitasking ability.
• Able to handle multiple projects and deadline pressures.
• Demonstrated proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite required.
• Knowledge of Microsoft 365 operating system or Zippo ARC a plus.

Corporate-wide Conformance Expectations:

• Perform quality work within deadlines with or without direct supervision.
• Interact professionally with other employees, customers, agencies, and suppliers.
• Work effectively as a team contributor on all assignments.
• Work independently while understanding the necessity for communicating and coordinating work efforts with other employees and departments.

Company Competencies:

• Personal and professional values aligned with company, culture, and high integrity.
• Community – Work well with others in promoting high performance work teams.
• Courage – Share ideas with others that add value and reduce inefficiencies.
• Craftsmanship – Demand quality work of self and others.
• Commitment – Works with others to accomplish the goals of the job.
• Celebration – Achieve common goals and share the successes with others.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Protected Veterans/Individuals with Disabilities

The contractor will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information. 41 CFR 60-1.35(c)