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At McCain Foods we know the importance that food plays in people's lives.
The Role
The Innovation Project Manager will lead new product development projects, collaborating with various teams to bring concepts to market while ensuring quality and timely delivery.
Summary Generated by Built In
Position Title: Innovation Project Manager
Position Type: Temporary - Full-Time
Requisition ID: 42657
In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy.
About the role .
As an Innovation Project Manager, you will lead the delivery of new product and brand initiatives from concept through to launch. This role sits at the centre of cross-functional collaboration-turning ideas into commercially successful outcomes while ensuring speed, quality, and alignment to strategy.
This is an 18-month fixed term contract.
What you'll be doing.
What you'll need to be successful.
About the team .
You'll be part of a dynamic Innovation & Growth team focused on pipeline development, brand growth, and delivering consumer-led innovation. This team works closely with multiple business units to bring ideas to life, making a tangible impact on McCain's growth trajectory.
About McCain .
Click Here to learn more about McCain and how we provide you with opportunities to make an impact that matters.
Leadership principles .
At McCain, our leadership principles guide how we engage with customers, collaborate as a team, and achieve success. We focus on understanding customer needs, driving innovation, empowering people, and taking ownership to clear obstacles and deliver results.
The McCain experience .
We are McCain. This statement is a testament to our collective strength and our individual value. Your contributions play a vital role in our success. Our winning culture is rooted in authenticity and trust, empowering us to bring out the best in one another. Here, you'll find opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Join us and experience why we're better together.
#LI-AK1
*We've got this covered! No external agency support is required at this time and unsolicited CV's will not be considered.
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain's Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy , as applicable. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process, though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here .
Job Family: Marketing
Division: ANZ
Department: Innovation and Strategic Project ANZ
Location(s): AU - Australia : Victoria : Melbourne
Company: McCain Foods (Aust) Pty.
Position Type: Temporary - Full-Time
Requisition ID: 42657
In every role, McCainers are ambitious, curious, and passionate about creating exceptional work experiences - together. With a customer-first mindset, we make doing business with McCain easy.
About the role .
As an Innovation Project Manager, you will lead the delivery of new product and brand initiatives from concept through to launch. This role sits at the centre of cross-functional collaboration-turning ideas into commercially successful outcomes while ensuring speed, quality, and alignment to strategy.
This is an 18-month fixed term contract.
What you'll be doing.
- Lead end-to-end delivery of innovation projects across the product development lifecycle
- Partner with Marketing, R&D, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams to bring new ideas to market
- Translate concepts into clear project plans, timelines, and deliverables
- Coordinate Stage & Gate processes, ensuring high-quality inputs and timely decisions
- Identify risks, dependencies, and opportunities to optimise delivery
- Facilitate workshops, align stakeholders, and drive accountability across teams
- Ensure projects meet quality, cost, and timeline expectations
- Provide clear project visibility through reporting, dashboards, and presentations
- Contribute to continuous improvement in innovation processes and ways of working
What you'll need to be successful.
- 4-5+ years' experience in project management, preferably in innovation, NPD, or FMCG
- Strong understanding of product development and commercialisation processes
- Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence without authority
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills
- Strong organisational skills and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Commercial awareness and understanding of business drivers
- Proactive mindset with a passion for innovation and continuous improvement
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, evolving environment
About the team .
You'll be part of a dynamic Innovation & Growth team focused on pipeline development, brand growth, and delivering consumer-led innovation. This team works closely with multiple business units to bring ideas to life, making a tangible impact on McCain's growth trajectory.
About McCain .
Click Here to learn more about McCain and how we provide you with opportunities to make an impact that matters.
Leadership principles .
At McCain, our leadership principles guide how we engage with customers, collaborate as a team, and achieve success. We focus on understanding customer needs, driving innovation, empowering people, and taking ownership to clear obstacles and deliver results.
The McCain experience .
We are McCain. This statement is a testament to our collective strength and our individual value. Your contributions play a vital role in our success. Our winning culture is rooted in authenticity and trust, empowering us to bring out the best in one another. Here, you'll find opportunities to learn, grow, and thrive. Join us and experience why we're better together.
#LI-AK1
*We've got this covered! No external agency support is required at this time and unsolicited CV's will not be considered.
McCain Foods is an equal opportunity employer. As a global family-owned company, we strive to be the employer of choice in the diverse communities around the world in which we live and work. We recognize that inclusion drives our creativity, resilience, and success and makes our business stronger. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, age, veteran status, disability, or any other protected characteristic under applicable law.
McCain is an accessible employer. If you require an accommodation throughout the recruitment process (including alternate formats of materials or accessible meeting rooms), please let us know and we will work with you to find appropriate solutions.
Your privacy is important to us. By submitting personal data or information to us, you agree this will be handled in accordance with McCain's Global Privacy Policy and Global Employee Privacy Policy , as applicable. McCain leverages AI in the hiring process, though all final decisions are made by humans. You can understand our approach to AI and how your personal information is being handled here .
Job Family: Marketing
Division: ANZ
Department: Innovation and Strategic Project ANZ
Location(s): AU - Australia : Victoria : Melbourne
Company: McCain Foods (Aust) Pty.
Skills Required
- 4-5+ years' experience in project management
- Strong understanding of product development processes
- Ability to lead cross-functional teams
- Excellent communication and storytelling skills
- Strong organizational skills
What the Team is Saying
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McCain Foods
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McCain Foods Compensation & Benefits Highlights
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Healthcare Strength — Comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and mental‑health resources plus a confidential EAP are part of the package and emphasized alongside safety and wellbeing. These offerings are positioned to support employees’ health, with exact options varying by region.
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Retirement Support — A 401(k) plan with company match, along with disability and life insurance, form a solid financial security pillar. Performance bonuses may complement these for eligible roles.
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Parental & Family Support — Generous parental leave, adoption and fertility assistance, optional domestic partner medical coverage, and onsite Mother’s Rooms are available in many locations. These supports address a broad set of family needs beyond standard healthcare.
McCain Foods Insights
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The Company
What We Do
The power it has to uplift and bring people, Guided by our purpose - Celebrating real connections through delicious, planet-friendly food - we believe that working together with our teams, business and community partners will bring sustainable growth and positive change - today, tomorrow and for generations to come. As a privately owned family company with over 60 years of experience, a presence in over 160 countries and a global team of 22,000 people, our values and culture are at the heart of everything we do. Our product quality, people and customer dedication help us achieve global sales in excess of CDN $10 billion. Through our investment and innovation, we continue to be a global leader in prepared potato products, including our famous French Fries and appetizers. We are passionate about supporting and developing our people-providing opportunities to grow and learn in their roles, as well as building careers for the long term.
Why Work With Us
We are working to bring digital tools and data into our processes to drive efficiency, automation and data-driven insights. From connecting our business, enabling our supply chain, supporting our customers, to reinventing agriculture. So if you are a tech expert looking to join a company transforming technology, think of McCain.
Gallery
McCain Foods Offices
Hybrid Workspace
Employees engage in a combination of remote and on-site work.
Typical time on-site:
Flexible
Florenceville
Oakbrook Terrace, IL
Toronto, ON
McCain Foods Australia & New Zealand
Potato Processing Technology Centre
McCain Foods South Africa
McCain Foods GB Limited
Taman Tasik Indah, Kuala Lumpur
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