As the Senior Manager of Innovation Operations & Continuous Improvement, you will be responsible for leading and driving operational excellence and product innovation. This role will play a pivotal role in the growth of Uqora’s brands by supercharging functional operations, including identifying, designing and implementing process improvements, cross-functional project management, and product innovation/product development efforts to ensure that we continue to scale efficiently.  

Please note:

• Please review the “How to Apply” instructions below.  
• We are a hybrid workplace and require two in-office days each week. As such, candidates must be within easy commuting distance of our San Diego office. We are not currently providing Visa sponsorship. Relocation may be considered for qualified candidates.

A Sampling of What You’ll be Doing

Continuous improvement

• Be the “Let’s make this better” brain in the business unit. Conduct thorough analyses of existing processes to identify opportunities for improvement. Design and implement streamlined processes to enhance efficiency and reduce waste while ensuring that cross-functional teams stay connected. 
• Develop and implement SOPs and key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure the success and impact of continuous improvement initiatives.
• Partner with Quality to ensure that all processes and SOP’s are compliant. 
• Regularly report on progress to senior leadership, highlighting achievements and areas for further improvement.

Innovation

• Oversee the innovation pipeline projects by ensuring that product development initiatives are being prioritized, and completed on-time and on-budget.
• Contract negotiations: Review and support the negotiation of Uqora’s new supplier contracts across the organization
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including R&D, marketing, and sales, to gather insights and align innovation efforts with market needs.
• Support R&D initiatives within innovation by liaising with internal and external support teams to ensure specification and customer requirements are met. 

Required experience 

• Proven experience (8+ years) in continuous improvement or innovation roles, with a track record of successfully implementing process improvements.
• Knowledge of full product lifecycle within highly regulated spaces such as OTC, medical device and supplement products 
• BA/BS in Business, Supply Chain, or Org. Development or closely related degree or equivalent practical experience
• PMI, Agile or Six Sigma Black Belt certification
•  7+ years of relevant work experience
• 4+ years leading and developing teams preferable
• Advanced proficiency in MS Office (including advanced modeling and analytics strategies), Google Suite, Slack and Project Management tools. 
• Advanced negotiation skills, including high-level of familiarity with contracts valued up to 10 million annually. 

Preferred experience:

• Strong Leadership Skills - a proven track record of people managing subject-matter experts who span functional areas.
• Excellent Oral and Written Communication & Strong Interpersonal Skills. Able to drive accountability by influencing, encouraging, and motivating; effective at working in a matrix with multiple stakeholders. 
• Excellent Organizational and Problem Solving Skills - Demonstrated process improvement project completed on-time and on-budget, even in changing or ambiguous situations.
• Familiarity with business certification processes such as B-corp certification, organic, free-trade, etc or other similar certification processes.
• 3 to 5 years of project management experience, preferably in a start-up or brand portfolio environment. 
• Master's Degree nice to have
• Proficient in Agile methodologies and Six Sigma Methodologies (preferred). 
• Wide business operations experience, especially with CPG companies.

Compensation & Benefits

• This position is a full time, exempt (salary) role
• Salary Range: $125,000 - $150,000 base salary
• Generous annual performance bonus
• Generous flexible PTO policy
• 11 paid holidays per year
• Medical, Dental, Vision benefits with generous employer contribution
• Health and Dependent Care HSA/FSA
• 401K with employer match
• Pet Insurance
• Wellness discounts, programs, and free vitamins and supplements from Uqora, Nature Made and MegaFoods
• Parental Leave Policy for employees with 1 year+ of service
• New Hire office stipend
• Training and Development opportunities 

Additional Details

• Based in San Diego, CA
• Hybrid Work Environment - We work in office 2 days/week (required), so candidates must be within reasonable commuting distance from the office in San diego, California
• Preference to local candidates, relocation stipend may be considered
• You must be fully vaccinated to work at Uqora

If you are a strategic thinker with a passion for driving operational excellence through innovation & continuous improvement, we invite you to apply and be a key contributor to our organization's success.

HOW TO APPLY:

To apply, please apply via the web form below with your resume attached. We know you’re more than a resume and would love to hear from you as part of your application. Please also include brief answers to the questions below.

1. How did you hear about this opportunity? (Referral, LinkedIn, Indeed, etc)
2. Please describe a project that you have taken from conception to completion. Highlight what project management methodologies you deployed, what challenges you faced, and what the outcome of the project was. In reflection, what would you have done differently or the same. 
3. This role requires a high level of collaboration with several functional areas of the business - product, operations, quality, legal and more. Please describe your experience working with and managing team members who hold deep expertise in areas where you hold less. 
4. What do you think exceptional leadership looks like? How do you try to embody it? 

About us:

Uqora makes innovative UTI relief products and proactive care supplements. 

UTIs are the second most common infection in the U.S., second only to the common cold. Despite the magnitude, there’s been little progress and innovation for years. Uqora is proud to be changing that. 

Since launching in 2017, Uqora’s been able to help over 400,000 people stay healthy, and have over 20,000 5-star reviews. Uqora is very focused on creating exceptional products and a vibrant, collaborative community of customers. Recently, Uqora was acquired by Pharmavite, the owner of Nature Made, which will enable Uqora to go deeper on research and expand its reach. 

Uqora is growing quickly! In this position, you’ll have the opportunity to make a meaningful impact on expanding Uqora’s reach by educating and engaging our audience and customers. 

You’ll also have the opportunity to make an impact on Uqora’s sister brand, Equelle, a quickly growing brand helping women tackle menopause symptoms in a new way. 

Inclusivity at Uqora:

Diversity and inclusion is a priority for us. At Uqora, we’re committed to making our employees and community members feel seen, heard, and valued - while honoring what makes us different. We promise to remain focused on this journey of growth so we can become better advocates for our community, and we’d love for you to join us on that mission! 

Please note: We do conduct background checks for all new hires.  

Prospective applicants: Please review our Privacy Policy on the website.