Innovation Planning Manager

Reporting to: Supply Chain Planning Manager

Duty Post: Head Office – BGC, Taguig City

Application Duration: This job posting will remain open until the vacancy is filled.

As the Innovation Planning Manager, you will lead the development and execution of projects related to quality, new products & packaging innovation, and  governance of CBU-related bundles in Distributor Sales Offices that are not covered by the PLM process managed by NPD Team, GPS, Brand, and FMZM. The objective of this role is to plan and execute projects following company policies catering unique requirement of local Philippine Market with the aim to ensure advancement of JTI products in the market. This role will work closely with Brand, Supply Planner, Demand Planner, Entity Finance, Sales Finance, FMZM, GIP, Warehouse, Legal, Toll packers and Packaging Material Suppliers to ensure all initiatives will be implemented with excellence.

As an Innovation Planning Manager, you will:

1. As Center of Excellence for Innovations and Subcontracting PO, this role will perform end to end project management and technical packaging development in relation to New Product Development not covered by PLM process.
2. Organize and lead projects' kick-off meetings under the responsibility of Project Manager role including tracking of project timelines against plan and ensuring that key stakeholders including Brand, Supply Chain Planners, Global Indirect Procurement, Warehouse, Finance, Legal, Tollpacker, and Material Supplier have visibility on the status update and potential issues.
3. Conduct feasibility study and assessment with Tollpacker on the machine capability and readiness. This includes driving and managing trials, testing, and development of mock-up materials and packaging with Material Supplier. This involves, but is not limited to, analyzing and managing VMC to ensure acceptable Gross Margin.
4. As a contract owner for Tollpacker and Materials Supplier, this role will work closely with Legal, GIP, and vendors to align and create contract terms and agreement, review contract compliance, and manage amendment of contracts as needed to ensure that contracts are upheld and supplier obligations are met.
5. Collaborate closely with the Field Marketing Zone Manager, National Warehouse Manager, and Branch Warehouse Supervisor to design and execute processes related to Value-Added Services (VAS) within JTIP DSO. This involves, but is not limited to, managing the governance of CBU Bundles while spearheading cross-functional teams to conduct discussions, evaluations, and testing in SAP QA Environment or in TME for projects related to product innovation.
6. Ensure adherence to Quality Standards to safeguard product integrity and promote continuous improvement. This encompasses embedding Quality at every stage of the product lifecycle, including development, manufacturing processes such as supplier and Tollpacker qualification, the creation of QA policies, and extending to product distribution.
7. Guide and develop team members (if applicable), and manage ad hoc tasks and projects as assigned by leadership.

Who are we looking for:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
• Work Experience:At least 10 years of experience in supply chain, packaging development and project management in the FMCG industry.
• Language Skills: Proficient in English, with strong communication skills for cross-functional collaboration.

• Technical Skills:

• Proficient in SAP, especially for project and supply chain processes

• Skilled in MS Excel, PowerPoint, and project management tool

• Functional & Leadership Skills:

• Strong project management and stakeholder coordination skills

• Experience in contract management and supplier negotiations
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage multiple initiatives
• Analytical mindset with a focus on process improvement and execution excellence
• Familiarity with local market dynamics and regulatory requirements in the Philippines