Scope of Job: As manager of project management, process engineering, and packaging this role provides hands-on leadership and mentoring of direct reports. This multidisciplinary team is responsible for supporting successful new product development, supporting operations, and ensuring projects are on time and within budget.

Manage complex new product development projects from planning through delivery. Liaises between project members, cross-functional teams, external vendors, and other stakeholders to ensure deliverables, requirements, schedules, cost, and meeting plans are communicated. Utilizes appropriate tools to plan project timelines, tasks, milestones, and deadlines. Communicate schedule and changes to all stakeholders. Plans and facilitates project meetings to align the project team to methods and goals and to track project tasks. Prepares agendas, meeting notes, and project summaries. Monitors task completion status to identify at risk project tasks and to develop mitigation plans.

Essential Job Functions and Responsibilities:

Project Management

• Hands on development and continuous improvement of the BNA stage-gate process.

• Manage key projects from concept through commercialization
• Define continuous improvement of the stage-gate process
• Ensure projects are managed effectively and team members tasks and objectives are clear
• Ensure project priorities are aligned with senior leadership and effectively communicated

Process Engineering

• Align projects with cross-functional team’s needs.
• Ensure projects are driven to completion and provide value.
• Identify projects for process engineering to support product development.
• Provide expertise and guidance to process engineers.
• Ensure projects are on time and within budget.

Packaging

• Provide technical direction on packaging maerials, design principles, equipment compatibility, and validation protocols.
• Ensure designs comply with quality and shelf-life requirements.
• Innovate with vendors and operations to improve efficiency and customer offerings.

Overall

• Provide technical guidance, performance management, and professional development.
• Prioritize workload, allocate resources, and remove barriers to ensure timely project execution.
• Act as technical liaison with Operations, Quality Assurance, Regulatory, Procurement, Marketing, and external partners.
• Collaborate with production and supporting departments to ensure the food safety and quality of our products.
• Other duties as assigned.

Education: Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering (Food processing, Packaging, Mechanical, Chemical, or related field) or Food Science.

Experience: 7–10+ years of experience in R&D, food manufacturing, packaging engineering, or process engineering. Strong background in project management, PMP certification preferred. Demonstrated leadership experience and ability to manage multidisciplinary technical teams. Strong understanding of food processing, packaging technologies, and project management methodologies. People management and a strong technical background in food, packaging, and project management are critical to success.

Competencies: Fit/Gap Analysis, Project Administration, Project Development, Project Documentation, Project Lifecycle Management, Project Status Reporting, Scope Management, Stakeholder Management, Food Safety Procedures, Manufacturing Process Engineering, Packaging Engineering, Process Engineering, Product Development, Research & Development, Food Product Development, Business Acumen, People Management, Excellent Communication and Presentation Skills, Problem Solving, and Operational Excellence.

Physical Requirements: Work performed during the day in a laboratory, production, and office environment. May lift, carry, push, or pull objects up to 50 lbs.