Commercialization Project Specialist

Job description

You know our brands, The Laughing Cow, Babybel, Boursin, Kaukauna, Merkts and Price's, which elicit smiles across America. They are daring, responsible and deliver dairy goodness. As you imagine, this mindset is contagious! Bel Brands USA is part of an international family company, which has led an ambitious growth strategy for 150 years and is today the world's third largest branded cheese company. If like our 11,000 employees globally and 900 people in the US, you want to have an impact in an entrepreneurial and demanding company, and share smiles around the world, dare to live the Bel experience!

Be you. Be ambitious. Be Bel.

Bel Brands USA has been named Chicago's '101 Best and Brightest Companies to Work For' for 8 years in a row, from 2009 - 2016. The company is headquartered in Chicago and operates three manufacturing plants in Little Chute, WI, Leitchfield, KY, and Brookings, SD.

The Commercialization Project Manager is a key member of the marketing team. This role works closely with the marketing brand teams and cross-functional teams to ensure the on-time execution of new product launches, new item and packaging executions and changes to existing products.

Essential duties and responsibilities

· Facilitate an end-to-end commercialization stage gate process that drives discipline, standardization and sets the regular way of working for development activity and resource allocation to ensure that all projects are documented and have been reviewed and agreed upon by all appropriate stakeholders, i.e. company leadership team, based on financial viability and operational feasibility at stage gate meetings.
· Serve as lead for commercialization projects thatresult in a new or changing product and/or package for portfolio of brands
· Create and manage timelines for all majorprojects/initiatives
· On-time delivery of all agreed and resourcedprojects within cost and quality parameters
· Facilitate the definition of project scopes,goals, tasks and resource (people and cost) requirements; resolve orassist in the resolution of conflicts within and between projects orfunctional groups; develop methods to monitor project progress and providecorrective action if necessary; actively identify and manage risks
· Initiatesthe finished goods systems setup with Master Data and communicatecompleted information to all stakeholders so all information systems canbe properly set up to produce, ship, sell and invoice our products
· Enable best practice sharing by ensuring allprojects are properly closed out and key learnings are documented
· Utilize strong and extensive influence and partnerships across many functions, acting as a liaison between marketing, sales, industrial, finance, supply chain, manufacturing, purchasing, graphics design, master data, engineering and quality & regulatory departments and hold the cross-functional teams accountable to deliverables, keeping projects on track and driving decisions when necessary to deliver projects, on budget and on time.

Qualifications

· Bachelor’s Degree required
· 2+ years’ experience in project management
· Project management certification (PMP) a plus
· Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail
· Excellent verbal and written communication skills
· Extensive change / project management knowledge
· Ability to manage complexity
· Working knowledge of the supply chain and basic supply chain principles with CPG experience preferred

Performance Expectations: Confidentiality, quality, accuracy, timeliness, reliability, and thoroughness of work performed; Must have high level of standards of ethics and trustworthiness by establishing collaborative relationships to build trust and achieve objectives and goals; maintain the integrity of confidential business and product information; ability to communicate effectively and develop good working relationships with other employees is essential to accomplish goals and objectives of the department; Must be professional in all confidentiality matters, issues and records, performing at the highest ethical standards. Use discretion and independent judgment within the scope of the position. Must be able to move the team toward a common goals and work to resolve any issues amongst the team

Must be forward thinking with the ability to plan/coordinate tasks and prioritize with efficiency.

Working Conditions: Work is performed largely in an office environment. Hours of work will generally be during regular business hours with at least 40 hours a week. At times there will be some variation in work hours due to special projects, deadlines and other concerns. Occasional travel may be required.

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

If you think that this job is for you, please click now on the button 'Apply'.