Associate Project Manager

About the Company Our client is one of the most recognized names in quick service, operating over 8,500 locations globally and serving tens of millions of guests each week. Backed by the world's largest restaurant group, the company has built its brand on bold innovation, cultural relevance, and a genuine commitment to pushing industry norms. It operates at a scale few QSR brands can match, with a product development and commercialization engine designed to bring meaningful food innovation to market at speed. About the Role This is a critical operational role within the Food Innovation Team, responsible for managing early‑phase product development programs from concept through testing and into market‑ready products for national launch. The Associate Project Manager serves as the execution backbone of the team, owning integrated timelines, cross‑functional alignment, and the reporting infrastructure that keeps leadership informed and programs on track. Reporting to the Program Manager in Marketing Operations with a dotted‑line to the Senior Manager of Commercialization, this role carries real visibility and a genuine opportunity to shape how project delivery evolves across the broader Marketing organization. Key Responsibilities Own and manage integrated project timelines, milestones, dependencies, and action plans across Product Development, Commercialization, Supply Chain, QA, Food Safety, and Engineering Lead cross‑functional meetings and stakeholder engagement to drive alignment, establish accountability, and ensure deliverables and handoffs are completed on time Drive FIT‑specific activities and cross‑functional deliverables required to support broader marketing launch timelines, proactively identifying and resolving risks, roadblocks, and resource constraints Develop and maintain dashboards, reporting tools, and project documentation that give stakeholders and leadership clear visibility into program health, key risks, and milestone progress Identify and implement process improvements and scalable tools that strengthen project execution and cross‑functional ways of working Serve as the central communication hub across Product Development, Marketing, Operations, Supply Chain, QA, Food Safety, and Engineering stakeholders Track decisions, document outcomes, and ensure accountability is maintained across all workstreams Proactively surface risks and resource needs before they become blockers, escalating with context and recommended solutions Support the evolution of project management systems and processes that bring food innovation to life at scale Qualifications 4 or more years of project or program management, product development, commercialization, or cross‑functional business experience Demonstrated experience driving work across product development or innovation organizations in non‑technology environments Experience within QSR, fast casual, restaurant, retail, food manufacturing, or a related food industry environment Strong command of project management fundamentals including planning, timeline management, risk mitigation, and stakeholder communication Proven ability to manage multiple programs simultaneously in a fast‑paced, cross‑functional environment Strong judgment, attention to detail, and the organizational discipline to keep complex programs moving without losing the thread Clear, confident communicator with the ability to influence and align stakeholders across functions and seniority levels BA/BS degree required; Food Science, Business, Supply Chain, or a related field preferred Experience with Monday.com is a plus Familiarity with agile or change management methodologies is an asset #J-18808-Ljbffr