Innovation Project & Portfolio Manager

Innovation Project & Portfolio Manager

Our story goes back more than 150 years, to the chilly southern coast of Scandinavia. From our early success in Sweden and Denmark, we’ve grown into the world’s leading specialist producer of plant-based oils, employing more than 4,000 people across the globe. We work with our customers to make the products you love even better. The oils we produce go into making your chocolate extra-creamy or putting the crunch into your croissant. And it’s not just food — we work across industries to make products that are higher quality, healthier and better for the planet.

Everything we do is about Making Better Happen™.

AAK LOCATION

This position is based at the Malmo HQ

About the role

As Innovation Project & Portfolio Manager, you will bring structure, transparency, and execution discipline to AAK’s global innovation portfolio. You will lead selected innovation projects while owning and continuously improving the Stage-Gate process and governance framework. By establishing consistent ways of working, clear priorities, and high-quality decision support, you will help accelerate the successful delivery of AAK’s innovation pipeline. Based within Applied Innovation, you will work across regions and business areas, collaborating closely with project leaders, R&D, Operations, Marketing, and senior stakeholders. You will strengthen portfolio visibility, identify risks and dependencies, and create alignment across AAK’s matrix organization—bringing clarity and direction to complex or ambiguous situations. The role offers a high degree of autonomy in structuring projects, facilitating decisions, and improving project and portfolio management practices. You will work independently while aligning major decisions with the Head of Applied Innovation and other senior stakeholders. Although the position does not carry direct P&L responsibility, it has a significant impact on the speed, effectiveness, and overall success of AAK’s innovation activities.

Responsibilities

• Lead selected innovation projects from concept through implementation, establishing clear scope, timelines, deliverables, governance, risk management, and stakeholder alignment.
• Drive disciplined and consistent project execution in accordance with AAK’s Stage-Gate process throughout the innovation lifecycle.
• Own, govern, and continuously improve the Innovation Stage-Gate framework, including its processes, templates, tools, standards, and ways of working.
• Plan and facilitate Gate review meetings, ensuring focused agendas, decision-ready materials, structured discussions, clear decisions, and documented follow-up actions.
• Ensure that project documentation—including business cases, project plans, risk assessments, decisions, and deliverables—is complete, aligned, current, and consistently maintained.
• Maintain an accurate and transparent view of the global innovation portfolio, safeguarding data quality and ensuring information remains current and reliable.
• Translate portfolio data into clear, decision-ready updates for senior leadership and ExCom, highlighting progress, risks, dependencies, resource requirements, and strategic implications.
• Contribute to the development, implementation, and adoption of digital tools and systems for innovation project and portfolio management.
• Coach and guide project leaders in applying project management best practices and meeting agreed standards and expectations.
• Strengthen project management capabilities across the organization through training, coaching, practical guidance, and the sharing of best practices.
• Establish and support a community of practice for innovation project leaders, fostering knowledge-sharing, collaboration, and continuous improvement.

About you

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Engineering, Food Technology, or a related field.
• Minimum of 3-5 years relevant experience in project management, innovation, PMO, product development, or programme management.
• Strong understanding of innovation processes and frameworks, including Stage-Gate, New Product Development (NPD), Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), and portfolio management.
• Proven experience leading cross-functional projects and aligning diverse stakeholders in a matrix organization.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to translate complex project and portfolio information into clear, structured, and decision-ready insights for senior leaders.
• Experience training, coaching, or guiding others in project management methodologies and best practices.
• Strong analytical skills and a structured, solution-oriented approach to problem-solving.
• Confidence working with digital tools, systems, and data structures that support project and portfolio management.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and project documentation tools.
• Fluency in written and spoken English.
• Experience in the food, ingredients, or a related industry would be an advantage.

In return AAK offers

• Join a pioneering company in specialty oils and fats, driving innovation and sustainability.
• In AAK you can work across 25+ countries, gaining international exposure and collaborating with a diverse team.
• AAK invests in your development with training, mentorship, and clear career paths.
• You will contribute to a greener world with AAK's sustainability-focused approach.
• Join a diverse and inclusive workplace that values every individual's perspective and talents.

About AAK

Everything AAK does is about Making Better Happen™. We specialize in plant-based oils that are the value-adding ingredients in many of the products people love to consume. We make these products better tasting, healthier, and more sustainable. At the heart of AAK’s offer is Customer Co-Development, combining our desire to understand what better means for each customer, with the unique flexibility of our production assets, and deep knowledge of many products and industries, including Chocolate and confectionery, Bakery, Dairy, Plant-based Foods, Special Nutrition, Foodservice and Personal Care. Our 4,000 employees support our close collaboration with customers through 25 regional sales offices, 15 dedicated Customer Innovation Centers, and the support of more than 20 production facilities. Listed on Nasdaq Stockholm and with our headquarters in Malmö, Sweden, AAK has been Making Better Happen™ for more than 150 years.

AAK prohibits discrimination based on race, color, sex, sexual orientation, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, religion, veteran status, and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination under state or federal law in any aspect of the access to, admission, or treatment of students in its programs and activities, or employment and application for employment.

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