Job Abstract

Your Opportunity as the Project Manager, Brand

You will be responsible for leading cross-functional teams and ensuring successful, on-time initiatives, that enable top and bottom-line business growth in one of our Strategic Business Areas (Pet, Coffee, Frozen Handhelds & Spreads, Away From Home or Sweet Baked Snacks).  You will work closely with the marketing lead, technical lead, and Corporate/Strategic Business Area resources to deliver project success criteria. 

Location: Orrville, OH (Close proximity to Cleveland/Akron)

Work Arrangements: Hybrid ~30% in office presence

In this role you will:

• Provide leadership on Track 1 & 2 innovation, transformation, and change management (renovation and graphic updates) projects, effectively manage scope and lead/influence team members to deliver the project success criteria.
• Facilitate cross-functional project meetings.
• Be responsible for project management; create and manage Critical Path Schedule; seek opportunities to parallel path.
• Document critical issues and risks, ensuring projects have risk mitigation plans and are ready for key launch windows.
• Communicate project status and all actions needed to keep the project on track and ensure an appropriate sense of urgency.
• Collaborate across multiple functions and hold teams accountable to deliver results.
• Provide leadership on the stage gate and commercialization process, challenging the team to drive speed and agility.
• Constructively challenge project assumptions and champion integrity of the project data.
• Lead multifunctional input to determine cost and feasibility (viability) of an idea or a specific project at key project stages.
• Manage multiple projects at a time.
• Coordinate system set up for projects.
• Act as a liaison to represent and connect business needs to key functions and processes, such as supply and demand planning, obsolescence management, and commercialization process.
• Work with plants and supply chain on run out of finished goods and raw materials for discontinued products, assist in addressing supply and demand issues as needed

The Right Place for You

We are bold, kind, strive to do the right thing, we play to win, and we believe in a strong community that thrives together. Our culture is rooted in our Basic Beliefs, and we believe in supporting every employee by meeting their physical, emotional, and financial needs.

What we are looking for:

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree
• 7+ years of relevant experience
• Project management experience – experience managing projects, setting up timelines and providing leadership
• Strong understanding of commercialization processes (stage gate innovation launch process)
• Demonstrated ability to communicate at all levels of the organization, especially during stressful situations
• In-depth understanding of business processes/systems and their interdependencies
• Process driven but can creatively solve problems; adaptable with demonstrated ability to manage ambiguity
• Strong organizational skills; detail oriented
• Ability to balance multiple projects and prioritize against competing needs
• Positive, can-do attitude; responds positively in challenging situations
• Ability to build strong cross-functional relationships
• Strong computer skills, including Excel
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; can convey clear messages understood by diverse audiences
• Flexible; understands when it is appropriate or beneficial to deviate from the process

Learn more about working at Smucker:

• Our Total Rewards Benefits Program
• Our Thriving Together Philosophy Supporting All Impacted by Our Business 
• Our Continued Progress on Inclusion, Diversity and Equity 

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