Commercialization Project Manager

The Role

This position will report to the: Sr. Director of Commercialization
Travel Requirement: Minimal
Location: Remote
FLSA Status: Exempt
Employment Category: Full time regular

The Opportunity

The Commercialization Project Manager plays a key role in delivering growth and business priorities across the Generous Brands portfolio through innovation, reformulation, renovation, packaging development, operational efficiency and other cross-functional commercialization initiatives.

Job Duties

• Lead cross-functional teams on innovation, renovation, reformulation, packaging development, operational efficiency, engineering and other commercialization projects across the Generous Brands portfolio.
• Own project execution from approved project brief through launch, including timelines, milestones, critical paths, risks, dependencies and cross-functional deliverables.
• Partner with cross-functional teams to ensure delivery of project requirements including timing, task management, change management, product characteristics, cost, profitability, quality, supply readiness and customer commitments.
• Develop and recommend the best path to execute the project brief quickly and efficiently while meeting customer and consumer expectations, quality requirements and financial objectives.
• Drive project stage-gate discipline, ensuring projects are appropriately scoped, prioritized, approved and ready to advance through each phase of commercialization.
• Proactively identify project risks, constraints and decisions needed; escalate issues with clear facts, options and recommendations.
• Manage change management systems and ensure project information, decisions, timelines and status are accurately maintained in project management tools.
• Lead multiple cross-functional teams of 20 or more stakeholders while managing several complex projects that may range from approximately 6 to 24 months.
• Build effective working relationships across Marketing, Sales, R&D/Product Development, Operations, Procurement, Quality, Finance, Supply Chain, Engineering, Master Data and other functions.
• Provide clear project updates and recommendations to stakeholders at all levels, including senior leadership and the Executive Leadership Team, as needed.
• Support plant trials, first production, launches and post-launch activities as required.

Required Skills And Abilities

• Demonstrated experience leading projects or significantly contributing to project success beyond the candidate’s primary functional area.
• Strong understanding of project stage gates, prioritization, project planning, business performance metrics and cross-functional decision-making.
• Ability to work effectively with key stakeholders and clearly articulate roles, responsibilities, dependencies and decisions needed to move work forward.
• Techically competent and comfortable asking challenging questions, while able to influence, energize and align others around solutions.
• Strong collaboration skills across business functions, particularly Marketing, Operations, Product Development/R&D and Supply Chain.
• Strong ability to understand business economics and strategic priorities and to proactively identify and mitigate risk.
• Detail-oriented with strong digital and project management skills.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and project management tools such as Smartsheet, MS Project or equivalent.
• Strong functional leadership, business acumen and understanding of strategy, economics and financials.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.

Minimum Qualifications

• 4-year college degree in engineering, business or another relevant discipline.
• 2 or more years of work experience demonstrating the skills required for this position.

Preferred Qualifications

• 5 or more years of work experience.
• Master’s degree in engineering, business or another relevant discipline.
• Food or beverage industry experience.
• Product development and/or commercialization experience.
• Smartsheet or equivalent experience.
• Strong understanding of digital recipe management systems.
• PMP certification.

Physical Demands

• Must have color vision to examine differences in product quality or packaging design.
• Occasional standing, walking, sitting, handling products, climbing.
• Able to lift 30 lbs.
• Able to work in both hot and cold environments.
• Hours & Workdays: Monday through Friday 8:00-5:00pm. Occasional off-hours support as needed for plant trials or production support.
• Remote/hybrid work options available.
• Travel to company facilities, co-manufacturers, or suppliers may be required based on project needs.