Senior Innovation Manager, Yoghurt & Flavour- Aarhus (or Utrecht/Nijkerk/Stockholm)

Are you ready to drive innovation and shape the future of Arla’s yoghurt category?

Join us as we set a new direction for flavour, growth, and people development in our global innovation team.

This is a unique opportunity to work at the heart of innovation, connecting colleagues across markets and functions. If you’re passionate about yoghurt, flavour, and leading transformative change, you’ll thrive in this role.

How you will make an impact

As our Senior Innovation Manager, Yoghurt & Flavour, you will spearhead our yoghurt category pipeline, delivering both renovations and innovations across our six core markets and 10+ local brands. You will lead a talented, multinational team of product developers and a flavour specialist, and together with the team you will set direction for the broader Fermented team when it comes to fermentation and flavour technical expertise. This is a pivotal role where you will collaborate widely across marketing, production, product management, research, and more – truly connecting the dots to unlock impactful innovation at Arla.

You will lead a diverse team of 7 product developers representing 5 nationalities and locations, as part of a larger department of 27. This role is a key member of the Fermented Leadership Team, with indirect leadership over the broader department as well.

Further you will:

• Set up and drive the new Flavour agenda within innovation, including continuing establishing a new role to Arla, a Flavour Specialist that started in March 2025
• Deliver local innovation pipelines for our EU markets and act as the key contact for innovation sparring, prioritization and resource allocation
• Upskill yoghurt colleagues and act as a sparring partner innovation, product and processing competencies
• Collaborate with Supply Chain, Commercial, and Science, Technology & Innovation stakeholders to deliver growth through innovation
• Additionally, you will play an active role in cross-category, transformative innovation activities and forums, supporting Arla’s journey as a thought leader in yoghurt and flavour.
  

What will make you successful

We are looking for a candidate with expertise in yoghurt and/or flavour development, with at least 6 years in FMCG and/or ingredient supplier companies. We hope that you further have:

• Proven people leadership experience, with at least 3 years in international and remote team settings
• Experience in innovation management, including consumer understanding, concept, pipeline creation and innovation portfolio management
• High ambition, strong stakeholder management, and a passion for continuous improvement and team development
• Thought leadership and drive for impactful innovation
• Strong collaborative and cross-functional skills and commitment to people development and team growth
  

Location: Preferred location is Aarhus Innovation Centre (AIC). If not possible, we are open to Utrecht/Nijkerk or Stockholm.

What do we offer?

At Arla, we are committed to professional development and promoting from within. You’ll join a positive and collaborative culture that brings out your best. As part of a market leader, you will help produce nutritious, household-favourite brands in ways that make a difference for our customers, our farmer owners, and the planet. Our Global Innovation team is known for its diversity, ambition, and drive to deliver transformative impact.

Would you like to join us?

If you are ready to facilitate innovation and help shape the industry, seize this exciting opportunity. Please apply as soon as possible, as we will process applications on a continuous basis and may close the recruitment once the right candidate is found.

For questions, please contact Priscila Espinal Amante pramn@arlafoods.com / +4591316621.