Project Manager-Innovation

About the role

Kelly Science & Clinical is seeking a Project Manager – Innovation (Global/US) to lead customer-driven innovation projects within the natural colors/food ingredients industry. This role will manage projects from product development through commercialization, coordinating cross-functional teams across technical, commercial, supply chain, and operations. The ideal candidate is a strategic, organized project leader with experience in B2B ingredients, food & beverage, natural colors, or related industries. This is an opportunity to play a key role in global innovation and customer-driven product development, working across technical and commercial functions to move projects from concept to commercialization. The position is based south of Milwaukee, WI and is a contract-to-hire role.

Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end project management for strategic customer and innovation projects globally.
• Establish project scope, objectives, timelines, milestones, and success criteria.
• Develop project plans and critical paths across Sales, Applications, Product Development, Regulatory, Sourcing, Supply Chain, and Operations.
• Lead project kickoffs and establish roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes.
• Identify project risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and potential roadblocks.
• Facilitate resolution of cross-functional and cross-regional challenges and escalate issues when appropriate.
• Maintain visibility into the global Innovation project portfolio and pipeline.
• Establish standardized project management processes, governance, and stage-gate practices.
• Ensure projects remain aligned with customer expectations, commercial priorities, and global Innovation strategy.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Engineering, Food Science, Chemistry, Business, or a related field.
• 7–10 years of project management experience, preferably within food ingredients, natural colors, food & beverage, or a related B2B industry.
• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional and multi-region projects.
• Experience managing customer projects from development through commercialization.
• Strong stakeholder management skills across technical, commercial, and operational functions.
• Comfortable working within a matrixed, global organization.
• PMP certification or equivalent preferred.

Benefits

• Medical, dental, vision, telemedicine
• Term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, legal plan, short-term disability
• Retirement savings plan
• Service bonus and holiday pay plans (up to eight paid holidays