Senior Project Manager

Job DescriptionJob Description

OPPORTUNITY

Position: Senior Project Manager

Reports to: Catherine DeMarco, Director of Commercialization

Location: Remote Capable/Waukegan, Illinois (North Chicago)

Position Summary:

In this role, you will play a critical role in helping this growing brand achieve its strategic vision of elevating every flavor experience through vanilla. As the Senior Project Manager, you will lead the Project Management function that ensures our cross-functional team efficiently delivers new solutions that meet unmet consumer and customer needs. These solutions are the future building blocks of our global success and will range from new-to-world products to product line extensions and optimizations. Because your role is key to our success and responsible for managing high-impact projects, you will be highly visible throughout the organization. Nielsen-Massey is a long-standing brand with high ambitions, a motivated team, and market momentum. There could not be a more exciting time to join this brand!

Key Responsibilities: Core duties and responsibilities include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Serve as the Project Management lead for a range of project types (ie. new products, new packaging, new capabilities), from inception through launch, that serve both our B2B and B2C business channels.

• Develop project plans for our US & International business units by setting launch goals, creating detailed timelines, determining resource needs, identifying risks, and developing contingency plans as needed.
• Actively manage project plans & timelines by ensuring clarity of responsibilities across owners and contributors, monitor progress against milestones & KPIs, anticipate risks, develop & implement risk mitigation plans, and ultimately drive the project to be delivered on time and on budget.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams (internal & external) to ensure accountability & effective problem resolution.
• Be a critical business partner that understands the project business case (e.g., insights, financials, go-to-market, operations & supply chain impact) to drive cross-functional project engagement & achievement.
• Escalate hurdles and barriers to the Leadership Team as necessary through our Stage Gate process.
• Serve as the subject matter expert by applying, sharing, & instilling project management best practices into the cross-functional team.

• Optimize workflows and Project Management processes to improve efficiency and scalability.
• Lead Project Management software implementation & onboarding.

Knowledge and Characteristics:

MUSTS:

• Strategic Do-er: Entrepreneurial spirit that can think at a high level & is willing to get their hands dirty.
• Motivated to make a positive impact and leave their mark on a growing business.
• Strong leadership skills with the ability to influence others and remain calm/level-headed.
• Resourceful and organized with the ability to organize others and get things done.
• Assertive, with strong facilitation skills to drive discussions to decision making.
• Excellent communication and relationship management skills.
• Ability to simultaneously manage multiple projects and timelines to hit their target launch date.
• Track record of successfully executing project management using a Stage Gate process.
• 5+ years experience in project management experience with most of them in CPG & Industrial Food Ingredients.
• Completed and maintains a Project Management Certification.
• Proficiency in project management tools (ie Aana, Monday.com, Microsoft Project) .

WANTS:

• PMP (Project Management Professional) Certification
• Experience in a family or privately held business.

Personal Characteristics:

• Analytical – Synthesizes complex or diverse information; Collects and researches data; Uses intuition and experience to complement data; Designs workflows and procedures.
• Business Acumen – Understands business implications of decisions; Displays to profitability; Demonstrates knowledge of market and competition; Aligns work with strategic goals.
• Strategic Thinking – Develops strategies to achieve organizational goals; Understands organization's strengths & weaknesses; Analyzes market and competition; Identifies external threats and opportunities; Adapts strategy to changing conditions.
• Results – High energy, results-driven, determined, and flexible, with a strong and disciplined work ethic. Sets a quick pace and constantly raises the bar and presses the organization toward higher levels of achievement. Measures and tracks key business results and processes against best competitors or market. Assesses improvements and success in these terms. Promotes superior performance against stretch goals. Entrepreneurial mindset.
• Change Management – Develops a clear case for change to the organization and mobilizes the team accordingly. Creates a sense of urgency and enthusiasm about the future path and where they are going as a team. Communicates frequently with employees and ensures that his/her message to the organization is clear. Perseveres with the ability to lead a team through challenging times. Challenges the status quo and can quickly develop and execute improvement plans.
• Leadership Capability – Has the leadership acumen and credibility to work collaboratively across the entire organization and develop talent. Should be hands-on, but able to delegate appropriately with the ability to motivate, inspire and commit an organization to a course of action and achieve results. It is important that this individual has the capacity to assume greater responsibilities over time. She/he must have unquestioned integrity and strong values; non-political and non-bureaucratic.
• Communication Skills – High level of emotional intelligence (EQ). Excellent verbal and written communication skills and with the ability to effectively deliver and reinforce consistent messages at all levels. Leverages these capabilities to interact with, and persuade, executives throughout the organization. Excellent listening skills.

Benefits

• 401k Plan and up to 4% company matching
• Health insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Life insurance
• Health Reimbursement Arrangement or Health Savings Account
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSA) – Health, Dependent Care, and Commuter
• Paid Holidays
• Paid Time Off (PTO)
• Tuition Reimbursement
• Paid Parental Leave
• Bereavement
• Short & Long Term
• Weekly paychecks
• Rewards & Recognition Programs
• Employee Referral Program
• Employee Assistance Programs (EAP)
• Annual Bonus Program