Leah Bacon Email & Phone Number

Identifying and implementing best practices and driving scale, continuous improvement, and efficiency across the business. Partnering with corporate and functional business partners, optimizing ways of working, and driving efficient delivery of global R&D objectives and key business initiatives.

Transforming R&D's digital systems for external partnership and collaboration

Enabling R&D’s success by delivering superior tools, capabilities, and processes for more efficient internal collaboration and partnerships. Developed and implemented a new system and process to improve data tracking, collaboration, and consistency in external innovation in the Health and Nutrition business units. Completed a benchmarking study to measure the success of the new platform. Developed and delivered the training program and communication plan to support the platform launch. Responsible for governance, adoption, and expansion of the platform by working cross-functionally in a team-of-teams approach and managing timelines, resourcing, and budgeting.

Conducted a diagnostic assessment of the external innovation operating model and data governance process as it relates to partnership across teams and business units. Developed a roadmap to implement a new system and process for tracking and storing data. Worked cross-functionally within the health and nutrition portfolios to collect data, pain points, and opportunities to feedback into the new system. Supported the definition of the overall innovation strategy and identification of cross-category synergies for big win partnerships and collaboration initiatives.

Montvale, Nj

Delivered strategic partners to expand existing brand pipelines, created new brand opportunities, and drove innovative business development across the health portfolio. Primarily supported five major categories: brain health, sexual well-being, infant and toddler nutrition, personal care, and surface care.- Identified collaboration opportunities by creating partner market landscapes - Assessed partner potential to form recommendations and action plans- Engaged and managed strategic partner relationships - Delivered partnerships to support brand innovation pipelines for sustained business growth- Launched an educational campaign on best practices for partner engagement, culminating in the rebranding of our online presence

Montvale, Nj

Future Leaders Rotational Program: designed and implemented a new team structure for consumer research; conducted key consumer research initiatives across the surface care brands; experience in consumer interviews and psychology, consumer test design, communication, product sensory evaluation, and budget management.

Montvale, Nj

Future Leaders Rotational Program: led feasibility initiatives for the surface care brand strategy focused on robotic cleaning and safe and effective alternatives to traditional chemical cleaning systems; experience in project management, strategic thinking and framing, consumer-relevant demo creation, and stakeholder engagement.

Montvale, Nj

Future Leaders Rotational Program: developed innovative solutions for toilet bowl cleaning and maintenance; experience in project management, managing third party relationships, formulation, trial scale batching, prototyping, and product sensory evaluation.

Montvale, Nj

Future Leaders Rotational Program: identified and managed new technology opportunities to expand the hygiene brand platforms with a focus on connected home care, lavatory care, feminine hygiene, and baby and new mom health; experience in concept creation, relationship management, prototyping, and product testing.

Center For Sustainable Polymers, Coates Research Group

Researched and synthesized unique polymer stereocomplexes and reaction catalysts from cyclic anhydrides and epoxides to improve current biodegradable, biorenewable polymers used in compostable plastics, biomedical applications, and other versatile materials.

Cherry Hill, Nj

Developed innovative formulas and manufacturing processes for polymer and solvent-based nail polish products; experience in project management, stakeholder engagement, product innovation, and product testing.