Open Innovation Manager

A bit about H&H Group

Health & Happiness (H&H) Group is a publicly traded company, with established market positions in more than 16 countries in Asia-Pacific, Europe, North America and Oceania with over 2,700 team members working across the globe. Our vision is focused on premium nutrition and lifetime wellness, backed by science. We have 3 business segments – Baby, Adult and Pet Nutrition and Care – supporting whole-family health and happiness across 7 international brands.

On our journey to making a positive difference across the world, you will work with passionate people in an innovative and collaborative organization as we inspire wellness through #PurposeLedCareers!

We are passionate about our customers and community and are looking for similar-minded talent to join us! As an equal opportunity employer, we care deeply about creating an inclusive workplace where our team members feel valued, respected, and empowered.

Your role within the team

We are looking for an Open Innovation Manager to identify, evaluate, and develop external science and technology opportunities that will strengthen our future innovation pipeline.

This newly created role will build and activate Swisse's regional innovation ecosystem, connecting emerging science with meaningful applications in nutritional supplements and adjacent consumer health categories.

You will work at the intersection of science, technology, innovation, and business, transforming promising external opportunities into partnerships, investments, and future growth platforms.

This is more than a scouting role. You will own selected opportunities through evaluation and incubation, helping bring breakthrough science closer to commercial reality.

Key Responsibilities

• Translate Swisse’s innovation priorities and external signals from science, suppliers, startups, patents, consumers, conferences and competitive activity into focused scouting themes, actionable opportunity briefs and a prioritised pipeline.
• Identify emerging ingredients, delivery systems, formats, technologies and scientific platforms with potential relevance to nutritional supplements and adjacent consumer health categories.
• Determine which opportunities merit further development based on the strength of the science, strategic fit, feasibility, scalability and commercial potential.
• Assess claims and evidence potential, identifying where further preclinical, clinical, real-world or consumer validation may be required.
• Build & activate relationships across startups, universities, research institutes, government agencies, contract manufacturers and specialist partners, working with local market teams to access relevant regional ecosystems.
• Apply rigorous independent technical judgement to identify breakthrough potential across partners of all sizes, regardless of partner scale, reputation or established industry presence.
• Own selected opportunities from discovery through due diligence and incubation, designing lean validation pathways and clear recommendations for pilots, research collaborations, partnerships or further investment.
• Build funding cases for endorsement and manage approved early-stage innovation spend, balancing speed, cost, scientific confidence, regulatory feasibility and commercial learning.
• Run and continuously improve the open innovation operating model, including opportunity intake, prioritisation, evaluation criteria, governance & documentation.
• Coordinate early cross-functional evaluation with I&R, Marketing, Product Development, Science, Regulatory, Quality, Legal/IP, Strategic Sourcing and Supply Chain to identify key risks, requirements and routes to value.
• Remain involved through early development, maintaining momentum and partner continuity until a structured handover into Product Development or Science.
• Shape and drive the use of AI-enabled science and technology intelligence tools to strengthen foresight, scouting and opportunity assessment.

Experience & Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or higher in Nutrition, Food Science, Biotechnology, Biomedical Science, Pharmaceutical Science, Chemistry, Engineering, or a related scientific discipline.
• 5+ years of experience in scientific innovation, technology scouting, research commercialization, product development, external partnerships, or related fields.
• Experience within nutritional supplements, consumer health, food, biotechnology, pharmaceuticals, or another science-led industry.
• Proven track record of advancing external innovation opportunities into pilots, partnerships, development programs, or investment decisions.
• Strong scientific and technical judgement, with the ability to rapidly assess emerging technologies and evidence.
• Experience building relationships across innovation ecosystems, including startups, academic institutions, research organizations, and industry partners.
• Working knowledge of intellectual property, licensing, co-development, and research collaboration models.
• Strong business acumen and the ability to translate complex science into clear commercial recommendations.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with the ability to thrive in ambiguity and influence across diverse stakeholders.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Fluent English; additional Asian language capabilities are advantageous.
• Occasional travel might be required upon requested

H&H Group believes in the benefits of a diverse and inclusive workplace and aims to reflect the varied cultures within which we exist. We are committed to providing a working environment that is free from discrimination and harassment, creating a safe and inclusive environment for all.

We encourage applications from people of all ages, nationalities, religions, racial and gender identities, sexual orientations, abilities and cultures, and our hiring decisions will be based on business needs, position requirements, and the qualifications and experience of individuals. If you require support or assistance during the application process, please notify us at the time of application and we will be sure to enable reasonable adjustments where suitable.

If you have what it takes, please apply via the online portal and we will be in touch soon. We move quickly and may fill the role prior to the application close date, so we suggest you get in touch today!

Salary and benefits will be competitive and commensurate with experience. All personal data collected is for recruitment purposes only.