Overview
Product Innovation Manager (Energy Drinks & Sports Nutrition) Jobs in Marbella, Andalusia, Spain at Hype Energy +
Title: Product Innovation Manager (Energy Drinks & Sports Nutrition)
Company: Hype Energy +
Location: Marbella, Andalusia, Spain
Company Description
HYPE is an innovation-driven functional products company built on a legacy in the energy drink market and led since 2000 by former Formula 1® driver Bertrand Gachot. The company focuses on premium European ingredients and has a global footprint across the Middle East, Australia, Antarctica, Europe, Africa, and Latin America.
HYPE is driven by passion, creativity, and a commitment to disruptive product concepts in energy drinks and sports nutrition.
The team is dedicated to making functional products accessible to a wide audience and to delivering bold, engaging brand experiences.
Joining HYPE means contributing to a fast-paced movement that values originality, ambition, and impact.
Role Description
This is a full-time, on-site Product Innovation Manager role based in Marbella, focused on the Energy Drinks and Sports Nutrition categories.
1) ROLE OVERVIEW
The Product Innovation Manager is responsible for the end-to-end innovation process across Energy Drinks and Sports Nutrition, from concept to commercialisation.
This role combines strategy, product development, and technical coordination to drive a strong, relevant, and profitable product portfolio.
The position works cross-functionally with Sales, Marketing, Supply Chain, Finance, and external partners (flavour houses, co-packers) to ensure all innovation projects are feasible, scalable, and market-driven.
2) KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
A) STRATEGY & PIPELINE MANAGEMENT
* Define and execute the innovation roadmap aligned with overall business objectives
* Manage the full innovation pipeline (idea → evaluation → prioritisation → execution → launch → discontinuation)
* Continuously review the product portfolio based on margin, sales performance, and market relevance (keep/improve/kill), with the help of Tableau/Sales/Finance
* Identify market trends, emerging ingredients, and competitive developments
* Establish and track KPIs (e.g., margin, time-to-market, success rate of launches)
B) INNOVATION & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT
* Lead development of new products and reformulation of existing SKUs (flavours, recipes, formats)
* Define product concepts, positioning, and specifications based on market insights and customer needs
* Manage the full NPD process: Discovery → Scoping → Business Case → Development → Validation → Launch → Post-Launch
* Oversee product testing, tastings, and iterations
* Ensure all product specifications, regulatory requirements, and documentation are accurate and up to date
C) TECHNICAL LEAD & SUPPLIER MANAGEMENT
* Manage relationships with flavour houses, co-packers, ingredient suppliers, and packaging providers
* Identify and evaluate new manufacturers and production capabilities
* Communicate detailed product specifications to suppliers
* Monitor and approve samples, pre-production batches, and production trials
* Maintain and develop supplier and co-packer portfolios
D) PROJECT MANAGEMENT & EXECUTION
* Lead cross-functional execution of innovation projects across all departments
* Build and manage project timelines, milestones, and Gantt charts (e.g., Asana, Notion) and share with the involved stakeholders (involve the Project Manager, if needed)
* Run stage-gate processes, including progress tracking and management updates
* Ensure clear communication and alignment between stakeholders
* Identify risks, resolve issues, and escalate when required
E) FINANCIAL & COMMERCIAL OWNERSHIP
* Develop business cases, including cost structure/target pricing, margin, and volume forecasts, together with the Sales and Finance Team
* Determine product pricing based on market data, cost analysis, and positioning
* Conduct annual margin reviews and optimise underperforming SKUs with Finance
F) MARKET & CUSTOMER INSIGHTS
* Conduct market analysis (trends, channels, competitors, consumer behaviour)
* Identify customer needs through feedback, surveys, and distributor input
* Perform regular competitive benchmarking (products, flavours, positioning)
* Translate insights into actionable innovation opportunities
G) GO-TO-MARKET & LAUNCH
* Coordinate with Marketing and Sales on product launches and commercial plans
* Support development of product catalogues, launch programs, and materials
* Monitor post-launch performance and collect feedback from distributors
* Lead project close-out and lessons learned to improve future processes
Qualifications
- Proven experience in product innovation, preferably in beverages, energy drinks, sports nutrition, or FMCG.
- Strong skills in market, consumer, and trend analysis, with the ability to translate insights into product opportunities.
- Experience managing end-to-end product development, including briefing R&D, packaging, and design teams.
- Ability to build and manage innovation roadmaps, project timelines, and cross-functional workstreams.
- Comfort with financial basics such as pricing, margin analysis, and building simple business cases.
- Excellent written and verbal communication skills in English; additional languages (e.g., Spanish) are a plus.
- Collaborative mindset and ability to influence stakeholders across marketing, sales, operations, and external partners.
- Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
- Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business, Marketing, Food Science, or a related field, or equivalent practical experience.
- Genuine interest in functional beverages, sports performance, lifestyle brands, and disruptive consumer experiences.
