Senior Director, Innovation and Beverage Strategy

Job Description Summary:

The Senior Director, Innovation and Beverage Strategy, will lead Enterprise beverage strategy and the product development strategy for one of Coca-Cola’s strategic global customers in International Markets (all markets excluding North America).  This leader will work closely with the customer, internal cross functional teams and external agency partners to identify key growth opportunities (Where to Play) and execute the best solutions for growth (How to Win). 

In this role, the Innovation lead will serve as a beverage subject matter expert (SME) for the customer and will be the primary liaison with KO R&D and the customer’s culinary team.  They will also work closely with the customer’s Beverage Category Team and Local Market Menu teams to collaborate, influence, and sell product ideas at the headquarters level geared to help the customer grow. This leader may also have the opportunity to collaborate with Coca-Cola system leaders to scale solutions. 

We would like our Innovation leads in North America and International Markets to work closely together to examine and improve the innovation process as defined today and support showcases in each other’s area of the world. 

This role requires a passion for thinking outside the box, working in a fast-paced environment and having a sense of tenacity and perseverance.  This leader should love product development and innovation and have a genuine curiosity for category and beverage trends.  This leader should also be proficient in custom research and product research methodologies to support our ideas and decisions. 

What You’ll Do 

• Serve as key relationship manager for the customer’s innovation teams including but not limited to Culinary, Menu, Beverage Category; Become deeply embedded in the custpmer’s innovation processes.  

• Manage innovation budgets in partnership with local markets.  

• Lead the creation and execution of product and innovation related custom research in partnership with agency partners and OU experts (BASES, CLT, Brand/Product Fit Research such as Zappi). 

• Serve as the SME and steward of beverage category and flavor trends (from custom research, flavor houses, syndicated data, trade shows, etc.). 

• Serve as SME and steward of Competitive Analysis and Trends (competitive beverage brands, restaurants and operators in QSR, CR channels, and plan and facilitate market visits etc.). 

• Lead development of Innovation Pipeline: 

• Data and Insights on innovation categories 

• Collaboration and Influencing with Customer HQ Menu, Culinary and Beverage Category  

• Seamless integration with marketing, finance, supply chain, R&D, Business Development  

• Responsibilities include routine interaction with internal division leadership to share product related insights and innovation plans; direct interactions expected with cross-functional teams (e.g., Sales, Finance, Marketing, etc.), Strategy & Insights and Marketing teams, and broader TCCC Community. 

Key Capabilities: 

• Innovation: Ideates, co-creates and drives experimentation and development of solutions that maximize access to our portfolio and accelerate growth. 

• Business Acumen: Understands how the Coca-Cola system and beverage industry operates, is influenced by external factors, and generates revenue, profit, and growth. 

• Communication with Influence: Creates and shares compelling communication that inspires and engages. Leverages knowledge and expertise to drive and influence business outcomes. 

• Network Collaboration: Build and collaborate effectively in teams and communities of practice across functional and geographical networks in pursuit of common mission, values, and goals. 

• Creative with Purpose: Fosters, develops, and leverages creative ideas and generates solutions toward value creation for our business, our customer, stakeholders, consumers, and bottling partners. 

Qualifications & Requirements: 

• 8+ years of experience in innovation, brand or new product strategy within the consumer goods industry 

• Customer or Client-Service Experience 

• Bachelor’s Degree in related field or relevant job experience 

• Knowledge of Coca-Cola system preferred 

• This role will be based in Atlanta, GA 

• This role requires Tuesday through Thursday in office/customer/market. With flexibility Monday and Friday 

• Travel 25-50% (Chicago, Munich and locations around the world as needed) 

 Additional Detailed Skills: 

• Innovation Pipeline Development: Effectively combines capabilities, resources, business priorities, and insights to develop and manage the pipeline of product, package, and/or equipment innovation. 

• Product Development Lifecycle: Demonstrates knowledge of the product development lifecycle from idea generation to bringing a product to market. 

• Knowledge of Consumer Product Preferences: Applies understanding of consumer needs to the development of competitively advantaged products, packages, etc. 

• System Economics: Understanding of our economics and value chain to drive profitable growth and value sharing. 

• Business Partnerships: Functions as a trusted advisor regarding relevant markets, business strategies, and operating environments to both the business and individual members. 

• Systems Thinking: Takes a whole systems approach to analyze business issues and implements holistic solutions, ensuring that linkages between structure, people, process, and technology are made. 

• Storytelling: Prepares, crafts, and delivers a memorable narrative to engage intended audiences. 

• Negotiations: Engages in discussion to reach agreements with stakeholders, reconciles differences, and generates outcomes in accordance with the strategic priorities. 

• Influencing:   Affects the behavior of others in a particular direction, leveraging key tactics that involve, connect, and inspire. 

• Project Management: Demonstrates the discipline of planning, organizing and managing resources and activities to achieve specified outcomes within a clearly defined timeframe and standards. 

• Customer Management Skills: Ability to navigate complex and senior level customer relationships. 

• Network: Ability to work across the OUs and Global Strategy and Insights networks to bring in best practices, tools, and learnings. 

• Communication Skills: Ability to communicate complex information and implications both verbally (in interactions with senior customer leaders) and in written presentations, utilizing storytelling techniques to communicate a clear, compelling, and cohesive story.  

• Analytic Skills: Ability to analyze quantitative and qualitative data to identify patterns, opportunities, and gaps, and integrate across disparate data sources.  

• Data & Insights Knowledge: Knowledge and ability to utilize industry and company resources alike. 

• Market Research Knowledge: Experience working with agencies and leading large bodies of research projects. In addition, ability to present complex research projects and customize findings based on audience (e.g., presentation to leadership vs. to sales account directors). 

All persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification form (Form I-9) upon hire.

Skills:

Business Acumen, Client Facing, Influencing, Innovation, System Economics

Pay Range:

United States of America: 174,000 USD - 200,000 USD

Base pay offered may vary depending on geography, job-related knowledge, skills, and experience. A full range of medical, financial, and/or other benefits, dependent on the position, is offered.

Annual Incentive Reference Value Percentage:

30

Annual Incentive reference value is a market-based competitive value for your role. It falls in the middle of the range for your role, indicating performance at target.

Location(s):

United States of America

City/Cities:

Atlanta

Travel Required:

26% - 50%

Relocation Provided:

Yes

Job Posting End Date:

July 22, 2026

Our Purpose and Growth Culture:

We are taking deliberate action to nurture an inclusive culture that is grounded in our company purpose, to refresh the world and make a difference. We act with a growth mindset, take an expansive approach to what’s possible and believe in continuous learning to improve our business and ourselves. We focus on four key behaviors – curious, empowered, inclusive and agile – and value how we work as much as what we achieve. We believe that our culture is one of the reasons our company continues to thrive after 130+ years. Visit Our Purpose and Vision to learn more about these behaviors and how you can bring them to life in your next role at Coca-Cola.

We are an Equal Opportunity Employer and do not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment because of race, color, sex, age, national origin, religion, sexual orientation, gender identity and/or expression, status as a veteran, and basis of disability or any other federal, state or local protected class. When we collect your personal information as part of a job application or offer of employment, we do so in accordance with industry standards and best practices and in compliance with applicable privacy laws.