I'd be tempted to apply for this job if I could work out what it involved
Are you good at shaping new initiatives in the front of funnel? And driving successful completion through Gates A, B and C? Could you manage the formation, chartering and launch of new foresight activation initiatives?
Are you, at the same time, a strong verbal and written communicator?
If your answer to all these questions is “yes”, then following job could be for you...
Career Opportunities: Senior Manager, Foresight Activation
Pennsylvania - Hershey
Job Location: Hershey, PA Supports the activation of existing foresight (trends, forecasts, scenarios) into strategic opportunities (SOs) and platforms with commercial value for Hershey, mining existing foresight content for highest potential business impact opportunities or threats. Performs ongoing monitoring of the external environment for new insights and trends approaching tipping points. Partners with external agencies to identify new trends that can inform and accelerate foresight activation. Collaborates with Corporate Strategy, R&D, Global Knowledge & Insights and Silicon Valley Advance Team as well as other business and functional teams to flesh out opportunity assessment and business case. Shapes new initiatives in the front of funnel and drives to successful completion through Gates A, B and C.
Responsibilities: Activate foresight knowledge estate to shape new Strategic Opportunities (SOs) with best potential for commercial impact.
• Review and select most relevant trends/foresight/forecasts with most likely impact to Hershey business • Collaborate with and align multi-functional stakeholders and partners on key priorities for activation. • Manage the formation, chartering and launch of new foresight activation initiatives. • Identify and access external partners, resources and subject matter experts as needed
Opportunity assessment and platform development: • Develop divergent discovery and exploration plans to interrogate opportunity spaces • Lead cross-functional teams and external partners to explore new opportunity spaces and synthesize learning • Conduct desk research and analyses to scope the size of the opportunity and the potential commercial value for Hershey • Develop a range of options for how to create commercial value • Build and communicate compelling business cases and lead the work to make recommendations to the Innovation Leadership Team and advance the initiative through the front-of-funnel gates. • As needed, develop prototypes and tests/experiments to validate opportunities and drive rapid learning
Planning/Stakeholder Alignment: • Plans appropriately through each stage to ensure adequate alignment, resources and commitment • Build internal relationships and invest needed time with key stakeholders to share progress and solicit feedback
Ongoing Trends Monitoring: • Monitor the external environment for trends that may impact current forecasts or indicate tipping points • Collaborate with Corporate Strategy, R&D, Global Knowledge & Insights and Silicon Valley Advance team to identify new insights • Discover and test methods that enable Hershey to be more agile in responding to changes in the external environment
Qualifications: Minimum Education and Experience Requirements: Education: MBA in Marketing or Masters in related field required Experience: Minimum of 8+ year’s relevant experience. Multi-disciplinary background (Marketing, Corporate Strategy, R&D, Management Consulting). User design or consulting experience a plus. Solid front-end innovation capability including the identification of insights and translation to business growth strategy. Experience with a major innovation consultancy (i.e. What If? IDEO, Doblin, Innosight, Prophet, Jump Associates, Eureka Ranch, New & Improved) supporting multiple clients to accomplish the same. Progression of successful accomplishments in identification and commercialization of new business opportunities. Experience with a top-tier consumer packaged goods company preferred. International and technical experience desirable but not required.
Minimum knowledge, skills and abilities required to successfully perform major duties/responsibilities: • Superior strategic thinking and planning • Ability to glean and articulate business implications from trends/forecasts/scenarios • Ability to synthesize data and “connect dots” across multiple disciplines and subject matters and translate to relevant business implications • Overall business knowledge and holistic general management approach • Economic value creation mindset • Ability to communicate simply, impactfully and to form presentations that create a tangible vision of what the future might look like that business partners can grasp • Strong project management and team facilitation skills • Ability to collaborate well with various business groups • Inquisitive and curious, able to embrace uncertainty and ambiguity • Superior leadership skills • Outstanding analytical abilities • Strong verbal and written communicator to wide breadth of audiences including senior management
The Hershey Company is an Equal Opportunity Employer. The policy of The Hershey Company is to extend opportunities to qualified applicants and employees on an equal basis regardless of an individual's age, race, color, sex, religion, national origin, disability, Veteran Status, sexual orientation, genetic information or any other protected category recognized by state and federal laws.
As seen on a US jobs board.
Translation: “We need someone to help us sell more chocolate.”
