Senior Director, Portfolio Management

How you'll have impact at Kinder's

The Senior Director, Portfolio Management is a critical enterprise leadership role responsible for bridging innovation and execution and turning product concepts into successful in-market launches.

What you'll be doing

• Pre-Commercialization & Future Pipeline Development
• Oversee the Pre-Commercialization portfolio management function responsible for overall portfolio analytics as well as early-stage exploration, capability assessment, and development of categories Kinder’s has not yet entered
• Work with the Pre-Commercialization leader to build pre-commercialization processes and governance, facilitate evaluation and early development of white-space opportunities, and ensure readiness once a category is prioritized for commercialization
• Partner with executive leadership to understand potential growth opportunities and relevant operational and go-to-market implications
• Commercialization Leadership
• Evolve and lead Kinder’s enterprise commercialization strategy across all product categories and innovation initiatives
• Lead the Portfolio Management team in facilitating the end-to-end commercialization process, ensuring successful product delivery from pilot to first production and distribution for core innovation / renovation (within the dry and liquid portfolio) as well as for high priority strategic projects (e.g., frozen)
• Oversee portfolio resource allocation across commercialization initiatives to maximize organizational effectiveness
• Anticipate and mitigate risks—technical, operational, financial, or regulatory—and communicate proactive solutions to leadership
• Drive visibility and accountability through weekly executive touchpoints and ongoing stakeholder communications
• Team Leadership & Development
• Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing Portfolio Management organization, fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration
• Build organizational capabilities that enable Kinder’s to scale innovation complexity while maintaining speed and entrepreneurialism
• Cross-Functional Alignment & Partnership
• Serve as the central thread between Innovation, R&D/Product Development, Brand, Sourcing, Operations, Planning, Quality, Finance, and Sales
• Partner cross-functionally across the organization to strengthen ways of working, decision-making processes, and execution discipline across the innovation lifecycle
• Deliver clear, proactive, and actionable communication to executive leadership regarding portfolio health, launch status, investment needs, and strategic risks
• Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
• Evaluate and continuously evolve Kinder’s commercialization and pre-commercialization processes to support increasing scale, complexity, and cross-category growth
• Partner with functional leaders to evolve workflows, playbooks, and digital tools that support scalable success
• Support digital transformation by maximizing Wrike and other tools for real-time collaboration and tracking
• Work with Finance and Operations to develop and monitor relevant KPIs for commercialization success—for example, cost and delivery performance

What you bring to the table

• Skills and Experience
• 12-15 years of experience in commercialization, innovation, operations, strategic initiatives, or project management within CPG or food manufacturing
• Proven experience leading complex product launches and cross-functional innovation initiatives from concept through retail execution
• Demonstrated success managing leaders and building high-performing teams in high-growth environments
• Experience commercializing opportunities in new categories strongly preferred
• Deep understanding of manufacturing, packaging, sourcing, supply chain, and operational scale-up processes
• Strong strategic thinking and business acumen paired with exceptional operational execution capabilities
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through organizational ambiguity
• Proficiency in project and portfolio management systems; Wrike experience preferred
• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Food Science, Engineering, Operations, or related field required; MBA preferred
• Personal Characteristics
• Passionate about food, flavor, innovation, and operational excellence
• Strategic yet hands-on—able to balance big-picture thinking with flawless execution
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and building structure where needed
• Exceptional collaborator and influential leader who builds trust across teams and functions
• Hightly organized, detail-oriented, and solutions-oriented
• Energized by fast-paced environments, bold ideas, and transformational growth