Product Innovation Specialist

About the role

The Product Innovation Specialist plays a pivotal role in expanding HQ's product portfolio into the US market. This position is responsible for identifying candidate products from South Korea, driving SKU conversion and localization (sensory profile, packaging, formulation, and regulatory compliance), and leading contract manufacturing (OEM/Co-Man) development for products requiring US domestic production. This role requires seamless cross-functional communication across HQ, regulatory, marketing, and supply chain teams to bring products from concept to successful commercialization.

Responsibilities

• Evaluate HQ's product portfolio to identify high-potential SKUs for US market entry and expansion.
• Lead end-to-end product conversion and localization, including sensory/flavor adjustments, ingredient compliance, package design adaptations, and labeling requirements.
• Partner with HQ Regulatory, Marketing, and R&D teams to ensure all localized products strictly comply with US food regulations (FDA, USDA, etc.) and quality standards.
• Identify, evaluate, and onboard US-based OEM/Co-Manufacturer partners for items requiring domestic production.
• Coordinate the New Product Development (NPD) process with OEM partners, managing raw material specifications, pilot trials, cost structures, and quality control protocols.
• Drive project timelines and cross-functional deliverables to ensure smooth execution from ideation to commercialization.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between HQ (Korea) and US functional teams (Regulatory, Marketing, SCM, Operations) to align project milestones and resolve potential bottlenecks.
• Collaborate with Marketing teams to support go-to-market strategies, including package finalized execution, promotional campaigns, and trade marketing initiatives.
• Prepare analytical reports and executive summaries for senior leadership covering category performance, market insights, and strategic recommendations.
• Analyze market trends, consumer preferences, and competitive activities to identify continuous product improvement and category expansion opportunities.
• Monitor category P&L performance, drive SKU rationalization, and manage product lifecycle initiatives (quality upgrades, packaging redesigns, pricing optimizations).

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Marketing, Supply Chain Management, Food Science, or a related field.
• 3+ years of relevant experience in product development, brand/product management, innovation, or supply chain management (CPG / Food & Beverage industry preferred).
• Professional level bilingual fluency in both Korean and English required for daily Korea HQ cross-border communication.
• Demonstrated experience in managing cross-functional projects and maintaining complex project timelines.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills with high attention to detail.
• Basic knowledge of US food regulatory standards (FDA compliance, labeling rules) and import processes is highly preferred.
• Hands-on experience or familiarity with OEM/Co-Man sourcing and contract manufacturing setups is a strong plus.
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Word).

Pay

$75,000 - $85,000 per year

Benefits

We offer competitive pay and benefits package, including health (~80% company paid) for employee and dependents, dental, vision, life insurance, long-term disability, company match 401K plan, generous PTO, and company holidays.