Manager, Innovation; Private Brands

Apply for the Manager, Innovation (Private Brands) role at The Guitar Center Company.

Manager, Innovation supports the Director of Innovation in driving development and execution of new product initiatives that fuel growth and strengthen the company’s competitive edge. The role plays a critical part in identifying emerging opportunities, translating consumer insights into actionable product concepts, and supporting the innovation pipeline from idea to market readiness. Working cross‑functionally with teams in Sourcing, Merchandising, Marketing, and Consumer Insights, the Manager will help bring forward‑thinking ideas to life while ensuring alignment with business objectives and customer needs.

• Innovation Execution:
  Support the end‑to‑end development of new product concepts and initiatives, from ideation and concept validation through to early‑stage development and handoff to execution teams.
• Consumer Insight Application:
  Use consumer data, trend research, and market analysis to identify unmet needs and guide product direction. Translate insights into compelling value propositions and concept briefs.
• Opportunity Assessment:
  Conduct initial market and competitive assessments to vet new product opportunities and inform prioritization decisions.
• Product Concepting:
  Develop early product concepts, specs, and creative briefs, incorporating new materials, designs, and technologies that align with brand positioning and consumer demand.
• UI/UX/:
  Support ideation and development teams with concepts, direction and design reviews for Industrial Design, User Interaction and User Interfaces, including hardware, display‑based and app‑based interfaces and operation.
• Business Case Support:
  Assist in financial modeling for new concepts, including initial forecasting, cost estimates, and scenario planning to evaluate business impact.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Work closely with Sourcing, Product Development, and Merchandising to ensure innovation concepts are feasible, scalable, and aligned with operational capabilities.
• Trend & Market Tracking:
  Continuously monitor cultural, market, and consumer trends to inform innovation roadmaps and identify whitespace opportunities. Translate competitive landscape and feature analysis into actionable insights.
• Voice of the Customer:
  Advocate for customer needs throughout the development process, ensuring new products deliver meaningful and relevant value.
• Innovation Process Improvement:
  Support the enhancement of innovation frameworks, tools, and workflows that increase speed, clarity, and collaboration. Implement use of AI where feasible. Facilitate design‑thinking workshops, user‑testing to optimize opportunities.
• Stakeholder Communication:
  Prepare presentations and materials to communicate innovation opportunities, project status, and insights to leadership and cross‑functional partners.
• Team
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Mentor and guide junior team members or cross‑functional contributors, fostering a culture of creativity, accountability, and collaboration.

• Bachelor’s degree in Marketing, Business, Design, or a related field; advanced degree preferred.
• Musical/Audio background is a strong plus but not a requirement.
• 6–8 years of experience in innovation, product development, brand strategy, or consumer insights—ideally within retail or consumer goods.
• Proven track record supporting the successful launch of new products or innovation programs.
• Strong ability to translate consumer and market insights into actionable concepts.
• Comfort working in ambiguity, applying agile methodology, and influencing stakeholders across the organization without direct authority.
• Help to define and manage brand architecture and equity: measure brand health (awareness, preference, NPS) and recommend interventions to strengthen brand value.
• Demonstrated analytical and business acumen, with experience in financial modeling or forecasting.
• Excellent collaboration and communication skills with cross‑functional teams.
• Familiarity with concept testing, prototype development, and early‑stage product validation.
• Creative thinker with strong organizational and project management skills.
• Passio…