Manager Innovation at Food Lion in Salisbury, NC

At Food Lion, Associates are the most important assets to our organization. We want associates to have meaningful careers full of variety and challenges. Each associate contributes to the overall success of Food Lion, and in return, we strive to provide all associates with a fulfilling work experience and reward performance and commitment. We are committed to the professional development of our associates through on-the-job learning opportunities and training.

Position Summary

The Strategic Insights & Growth team is responsible for generating the insights, analyses, strategic perspectives, and growth recommendations that inform Food Lion's strategic decisions and future direction.

The team serves as the organization's center of excellence for customer, marketplace, competitive, and macroeconomic intelligence. Through structured problem solving, advanced analytics, and strategic thinking, the team evaluates emerging opportunities, develops growth recommendations, and supports executive decision-making.

Success is measured by the team's ability to identify actionable opportunities, influence strategic choices, improve business performance, and strengthen Food Lion's long-term competitive position.

Principle duties & responsibilities

Business Acumen and Analytical capability

• Leads highly complex analyses and translates findings into strategic implications and decision frameworks
• Connects customer, competitive, marketplace, and financial insights to enterprise-level business implications and growth opportunities
• Take ownership on pilot, scale & measurement that will support business initiatives across Food Lion

Strategic insights and Business Intelligence

• Lead complex strategic investigations related to growth opportunities, market share performance, customer evolution, and competitive positioning.
• Influence strategic discussions by connecting insights across multiple data sources.
• Translate findings into business implications and strategic recommendations for senior leadership.

Strategic Planning & Growth Opportunity Development

• Lead development of growth strategies and strategic recommendations related to customer evolution, competitive positioning, white space opportunities, and new business concepts.
• Act as thought partner to business leaders regarding long-term strategic direction.
• Influence prioritization of growth investments and strategic initiatives.

Marketplace, Customer & Competitive Intelligence

• Lead enterprise understanding of customer shifts, emerging marketplace dynamics, industry disruptions, and competitive threats.
• Connect external insights to business strategy and growth decisions.

Executive Communication & Strategic Influence

• Facilitate strategic discussions with senior leaders.
• Influence strategic direction through executive-ready analyses, recommendations, and storytelling.
• Represent strategic insights perspectives across leadership discussions.

Basic Qualification

• 8–12 years leading strategic analyses, growth initiatives, customer insights, consulting engagements, or cross-functional business initiatives
• Connects customer, competitive, marketplace, and financial insights to enterprise-level business implications and growth opportunities
• Leads highly complex analyses and translates findings into strategic implications and decision frameworks
• Influences senior leaders through compelling strategic narratives and executive-level communication
• Serves as a strategic thought partner and informal leader across functions

Preferred Qualification

• Broad understanding of grocery retail strategy, customer evolution, market dynamics, and enterprise growth drivers
• Experience in informing executive decisions, long-range planning, market evaluations, or growth strategies
• Advanced analytical capabilities combined with strategic framing, executive communications, and insight translation
• Management consulting, corporate strategy, consumer insights, organizational planning, or growth strategy experience preferred

Education

• Bachelor's degree required; MBA or advanced degree preferred

Food Lion provides equal employment opportunities to all associates and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth and related conditions) national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, veteran status, gender identity or gender expression or any other characteristic protected by law.

If you have a disability and require assistance in the application process, please contact our Recruiting Department at recruiting@foodlion.com