Freelance Senior Innovation Strategist (Food) Full-time Job

Shape the future of food innovation --oneUp is looking for freelance innovation strategists who have deep expertise in the food industry to join us on some exciting innovation strategy projects. You must have extensive experience working on food related strategy projects and have strong quant skills. We have a hybrid working policy that requires minimum two days a week working in our central Amsterdam office. --oneUp is an AI-augmented innovation agency that helps companies create new value at speed.

We combine AI's speed with human creativity, judgment, and empathy to bridge the gap between strategy and rapid execution. Our clients value us for playing in the sweet spot between management consultancies and specialist solution builders. As a Senior Innovation Strategist, you will be responsible for developing comprehensive innovation strategies for our clients while simultaneously validating and building business propositions according to Lean Startup and design thinking methodology.

You believe in a data-driven, experiment-focused approach where the customer's perspective leads every decision. You deliver quality that exceeds expectations.This role is specifically to work in oneUp’s food practice. The majority of our work is within ingredients, animal nutrition and CPG.

To apply for this role you should have a passion for the food industry and strong relevant experience across the technical aspects of food innovation.Your skills and experience will combineInnovation strategy:Analyse market trends, competitive landscapes, emerging technologies, and industry disruptionsConduct comprehensive market research and technology assessmentsPerform desk research including portfolio analysis, competitor analysis, and market trend analysisDerive actionable insights from complex data sets and market intelligenceIdentify new market opportunities and assess strategic fitPerform quantitative performance analysis and data visualization using ExcelCreate business cases and financial models with P&L analysisChallenge assumptions and develop quantitative business casesPrioritise and size innovation opportunities based on strategic impact and feasibilityDesign governance structures and KPI frameworks for innovation programsYour Super PowersStrategic Visionary: You excel at connecting market trends with business opportunities and can translate complex innovation concepts into actionable strategiesQuant Analyst: You will be comfortable diving into P&Ls, creating excel models and visualising dataSystems Thinker: You understand how innovation fits within broader organizational ecosystems and can design holistic transformation approachesData-Driven Strategist: You combine analytical rigor with creative problem-solving to generate insights from market research and experimentationEntrepreneurial Leader: You bring startup agility while navigating corporate environments and can manage both strategic planning and hands-on executionStakeholder Champion: You excel at communicating with senior executives who may be unfamiliar with innovation, building buy-in for transformative initiativesThe Ideal CandidateYou are a true innovation consultant strategist who thrives at the intersection of strategy and innovation, seamlessly moving between boardroom strategic discussions and hands-on innovation consulting activities.Experience & Skills:7+ years in innovation consulting or strategy consultingProven track record of developing and executing innovation strategies for large food companiesExperience with financial modeling and business case developmentExperience presenting to and influencing senior executives and board membersStrong analytical skills with ability to synthesise complex information into actionable insightsReady to shape the future of the food industry with us?Apply now and come with us on a journey to shape the future of the food industry.