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Senior Manager, Innovation – Sparkling
Manager: Senior Director, Innovation
Role Type: Individual Contributor
Language: Fluent English & Mandarin
Relocation Provided: limited relocation available (domestic location).
Please note: This role is not fully remote. The selected candidate will need to be based in Shanghai and follow our hybrid work setup.
Job Summary
As Senior Manager, Innovation – Sparkling, you will support the creation and development of brand‑led innovation opportunities across the full Sparkling portfolio. This role focuses on consumer‑back, brand‑driven early‑stage innovation, translating insights and cultural signals into compelling concepts, proposition territories and packaging ideas.
You will partner with category, insights, IMX, commercial and R&D stakeholders to shape the early innovation funnel, ensuring that consumer desirability, brand ambition and portfolio strategy are embedded throughout early development stages.
What You’ll Do for Us
1. Shape Brand‑Led Sparkling Innovation Territories
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Support the identification and definition of Sparkling innovation territories anchored in brand strategies, cultural trends, and consumer insights.
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Work closely with Sparkling category leads to ensure innovation direction complements Coca‑Cola TM, Sprite, Fanta, Schweppes and flavor sparkling portfolio priorities.
2. Develop Early‑Stage Concepts & Propositions
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Translate insights into product ideas, claims, sensory directions and packaging storylines that reinforce brand identity and consumer relevance.
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Partner with insights teams to refine early‑stage concepts through testing and iterative learning cycles.
3. Mine Consumer, Cultural & Market Trends
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Monitor emerging consumer behaviors, youth culture signals, Sparkling rituals, and category trends to identify whitespace opportunities.
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Synthesize consumer and cultural insights into actionable inputs for front‑end innovation.
4. Partner Across Functions to Shape Early Innovation Development
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You will partner with category, insights, IMX, commercial, R&D and other cross‑functional teams to shape early‑stage Sparkling innovation, ensuring that strong consumer insight, brand ambition and portfolio priorities are embedded from concept through early development.
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This partnership focus aligns with cross‑functional collaboration expectations seen in GC&M Sparkling and brand management roles.
5. Support Pipeline Visibility & Storytelling
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Prepare concept boards, consumer territories, inspiration platforms and internal storytelling materials for pipeline reviews.
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Help maintain a clear and organized view of the 12–24‑month early‑stage pipeline (consistent with Senior Manager scope).
6. Contribute to Innovation Launch Readiness (Marketing‑side)
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Partner with IMX, design and connection teams to translate early innovation concepts into initial narratives and potential activation territories.
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Support OBPPC and commercial teams with consumer‑ and brand‑relevant inputs for pack roles and channel considerations.
7. Perform other job related duties as assigned, in response to evolving business needs and market dynamics
Requirements & Qualifications
Education
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Bachelor’s or above in Marketing, Business, Brand Strategy or related field.
Experience
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6+ years of experience in brand marketing, innovation marketing, consumer insights, or category strategy within FMCG.
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Experience in Sparkling or beverages preferred; familiarity with youth culture and digital ecosystems advantageous.
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Fluent in English and Mandarin, with the ability to engage senior stakeholders across functions in a fast‑paced environment.
Capabilities
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Strong consumer insight skills and ability to convert insights into innovation concepts.
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Solid understanding of brand strategy, positioning and portfolio principles.
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Concepting, storytelling and experience in early‑stage proposition development.
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Strong collaboration and influencing capabilities across marketing, insights, IMX, commercial and R&D partners.
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Comfort with ambiguity, iteration and early‑stage exploratory work.
Behaviors
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Curious, consumer‑obsessed, culturally attuned.
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Strong communicator with persuasive storytelling skills.
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Proactive, agile and solution‑oriented.
What We Can Do for You
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Exposure to global Sparkling marketing and innovation best practices.
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Opportunities to work closely with Sparkling category leadership teams across brands.
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A diverse, inclusive and growth‑oriented culture supported by GCM OU learning development frameworks.
Brand Management, Brand Marketing, Data Analysis, Influencing, Innovation, Innovative Thinking
Location(s):
China
City/Cities:
Shanghai
Travel Required:
00% – 25%
Relocation Provided:
No
Job Posting End Date:
May 7, 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.
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