SUMMARY:

Richelieu Foods, Inc., a leading supplier of high-quality food products to the private label and food service industries is seeking an experienced Commercialization Project Manager to assume accountability for the coordination, planning and execution of both large and small-scale key commercialization initiatives for the company as well as other strategic company initiatives.

Reporting to our Director of Product Management, this position will be responsible for managing the overall portfolio of new products, ingredients, and packaging changes.

The Commercialization Project Manager is a key leadership position, responsible for coordinating and managing deliverables for Frozen/Deli Pizza and Dressing/Sauces projects through a commercialization/Stage Gate process to ensure consistency across the two businesses. As the key Commercialization lead for the Company, the position will ensure alignment of resources and communication of priorities, timelines, and expectations to cross functional business partners. In addition, this position will work in conjunction with the Director of Product Management on the creation of new products while ensuring all products meet food safety, quality, and manufacturing standards.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own and maintain Hive database for recording and tracking new project requests.
• Manage detailed project timelines and action registers from initiation to launch of products.
• Manage FG/WIP item set up for assigned business in our ERP system.
• Develops/implements strategies to minimize impact to business.
• Measures project performance using appropriate project management systems, tools, and techniques (i.e., Stage Gate models and prioritization).
• Resolves and/or escalates issues to management in a timely fashion.
• Effectively facilitates project team meetings. Establishes a communication schedule to update stakeholders, including appropriate staff in the organization on the progress of each project.
• Ensures that forms and records to document project activities are maintained.
• Ensures that all projects are delivered on time within project scope and budget. Project scopes may vary but will remain focused on innovation, new capability and/or larger capital spend type projects.
• May perform managerial responsibilities for direct report including but not limited to mentoring, coaching, and developing colleagues; interviewing, hiring, planning, assigning, and directing work; performance management; project budget. Oversees subcontractor selection process and work.
• As needed, works with Engineering, Finance and Operations to bring in new capabilities in support of new products.
• Proactively evaluate options to reduce cost of existing products through collaboration with Procurement, Manufacturing and Finance.
• Ensures that proper intercommunication between R&D, Quality, Manufacturing, Procurement, Sales, and Finance is achieved to maintain effective working relationships.
• Collaborates with Director of Product Management on staff activities to assure work is properly budgeted, scheduled and completed in a timely manner.
• Establish individual accountabilities across the organization via recurring 1:1s with key stakeholders.
• Ensure compliance with all food regulatory requirements and ensure adherence to food safety and GMP's.
• Provide Weekly Pizza and Dressing/Sauces Project Updates via Commercialization Calls with Senior Leadership Team and Organization.
• Must be willing to travel 10-15% (at least once a quarter).