Commercialization Manager (Darien, WI)

Millions of times a day in more than 85% of American households, consumers reach for Pinnacle Foods brands. We are a leading producer, marketer and distributor of high-quality branded food products, which have been trusted household names for decades. Headquartered in Parsippany, NJ, our business employs an average of approximately 4,300 employees.  We are a leader in the shelf stable and frozen foods segments and our brands hold the #1 or #2 market position in 8 out of 12 major category segments in which they compete. Our Duncan Hines Grocery Division manages Leadership brands such as Duncan Hines® baking mixes and frostings, Vlasic® shelf-stable pickles and Mrs. Butterworth's® and Log Cabin® table syrups and Foundation brands such as Armour® canned meats, Brooks® and Nalley® chili and chili ingredients, Comstock® and Wilderness® pie and pastry fillings and Open Pit® barbecue sauces. Our Birds Eye Frozen Division manages Leadership brands such as Birds Eye®, Birds Eye Steamfresh®, C&W®, McKenzie's®, and Fresh like® vegetables, Birds Eye Voila!® complete bagged meals and Van de Kamp's® and Mrs. Paul's® seafood and Foundation brands such as Lender's® bagels, Celeste® pizza, Hungry-Man® dinners and entrées and Aunt Jemima® frozen breakfasts. Our Specialty Foods Division manages Tim's Cascade Snacks®, Hawaiian® Kettle Style Potato Chips, Erin’s® Popcorn, Snyder of Berlin® and Husman's® in addition to our food service and private label businesses. Pinnacle Foods is a Top 1000 Company ranked on Fortune Magazine’s 2011 Top 1000 companies list.

SCOPE OF POSITION:  Required to lead the plant level commercialization of projects that could be new product introduction, product or package renovation, productivity or strategy.  This individual leads the planning and implementation as well as communication aspects of the project between the plant and headquarters.  Integral to the position is strong communication, flawless project management skills, ensuring best in class solutions for maintaining optimal supply chain cost, efficiencies and service, coupled with cost savings initiatives and technology improvement projects.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Lead the identification of project team members and secure their membership in the team.
• Lead the kick-off team meeting for a project to establish the project mission, scope, critical success factors and timing.
• Follow effective project management protocols, including facilitating meetings, keeping action registers and updating time lines.
• Liaison between HQ Brand, R&D, and Marketing groups to the Supply Chain at the Plant.
• Work with plant to assure all aspects of Supply Chain are ready for successful project including start-up curve performance, project resourcing, balancing plant disruption costs with expediency of project execution, local training and process documentation completion, coordinating maintenance requirements, etc.
• Lead the identification of project metrics to track and gauge success.
• Lead the development of project risks and mitigation strategies.
• Communicate project problems and solutions when required.
• Manage the project budget.
• Provide project updates to stakeholders and senior leaders.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:  No direct reports.  This position will require managing by motivating and influencing your cross-functional team members.  Provides input on evaluation of team member effectiveness.

QUALIFICATIONS:

The candidate should have/be:

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• A proven leader and well organized.
• Effective presenter of project updates.
• Strong technical and project management capabilities.
• Previous experience leading large cross-functional teams.
• Food industry and product development experience (strongly desired).
• Strong track record in delivering business results.
• Effective in holding cross-functional team members accountable to deliver their responsibilities. 
• Effective in managing conflicts within the team.
• Broad base of leadership as well as a strong understanding of the business equation and how it impacts product initiatives, both practically and strategically.
• Demonstrated capability of working effectively in a high energy and rapidly moving environment.

EDUCATION:  B.S. in Project Management or Engineering preferred.  Other technical degrees and experiences will be considered.

EXPERIENCE:

• Two to four years work experience in project management and leading cross-functional teams is preferred.
• Three to five years food plant operations or engineering experience is preferred.
• Knowledge of project management techniques and tools including MS Project or similar tool.
• Proven experience in working with teams and conflict resolution.
• Experience in leading change management.

SKILLS/PROFICIENCIES:

• Rapid analyzer of complex problems and a highly organized approach to finding high-impact solutions.
• Ability to quickly adapt into a new organization and make an immediate impact.
• Ability to objectively, patiently and evenly deal with a wide range of opinions while productively building alignment around a final recommendation.
• Inspirational leadership with strong, persuasive and energizing communication skills including written, small group and large group presentation.
• Positive presence with the ability to gain respect, credibility and rapport with many types of internal and external stakeholders.
• Strong team orientation with the ability to be both the leader and, at times, an effective contributor to a team led by others.
• Flexibility in understanding and working effectively with a wide variety of individuals and cultures.
• Ability to provide strategic direction by establishing and clarifying interactions and responsibilities.
• A high degree of maturity, mental toughness, and resilience.

LOCATION:  May have multi-plant responsibilities with projected travel between plants and to headquarters at 30 to 40%.

Pinnacle Foods Group is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer.