Senior R&D Project Manager (CPG)

About the role

Location: Solon, OH

About This Role

In this position, you will

• Lead several R&D projects / programs within the product technology center, with a focus on top priority Innovation and Renovation projects across the frozen foods businesses (meals, pizza and snacking).
• Plan projects end-to-end, ensuring alignment with Idea-to-Launch (I2L) and key corporate strategies and commitments.
• Orchestrate a cross-functional and multi-disciplinary team (R&D, SBU, Zone, Markets) to achieve the project defined key success criteria and deliver against the business case
• Manage project stakeholders; negotiating with key decision makers and leveraging with internal and external networks will be essential for your success. Reporting to the product technology center project management office lead, this is a key role to ensure projects are delivered according to key performance criteria and to the satisfaction of key stakeholders.

The position requires strong project management/leadership, communication, organization, and presentation skills.

What You'll Do

Project Management/Leadership

• Contribute to the future commercial success of the business by considering the whole picture of the project (E2E).
• Be responsible for project management of cross-functional teams of marketing, quality assurance, engineering, product development, etc., promoting a team-building atmosphere for efficient, effective, and flawless execution of the projects along the entire flow.
• Communicate project status using excellent oral, written, and presentation communication skills.
• Effectively control scope changes through proactive and open communication with stakeholders.
• Manage parallel and sequential project tasks.
• Identify and communicate project costs and accelerated timing opportunities and risks.
• Generate and effectively record new knowledge.

People and Resource Management

• Define roles and responsibilities required for the project.
• Perform effective resource planning.
• Ensure resources are available for the project.
• Create project team spirit to deliver high quality results on time, on cost, and on quality.

Stakeholder engagement

• Manage project stakeholders and negotiate with decision makers and business partners internally and externally.
• Engage in vertical and horizontal communication.
• Simplify complex information into simple concepts.
• Create synergies through effective networking with all relevant R&D units, business partners, markets, SBUs, head office, and external partners.

Coaching and Sharing

• Facilitate and coach within the project team and enhance the interaction and collaboration between the various specialists within the product technology center and across R&D units, technical and business units, and external partners.
• Develop junior project manager capabilities in project management through regular coaching.

What You Bring

• Minimum of Bachelor in Science or engineering degree (or equivalent), with a sound knowledge of project management.
• 5+ years of project management experience, preferably in R&D and/or food & beverage company.
• 7+ years of experience in R&D, operations, markets, and/or commercial functions.
• Proven track record of strong project management.

Bonus Points

• Project Management Professional (PMP/PMI) certification is a plus.

Compensation & Benefits

• Up to $116.00 per hour + overtime
• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• 401(k)
• Disability insurance