Project Manager

Productivity Project Leader

The Ventures Procurement team requires a contractor to lead productivity projects focused on raw materials and packaging. This individual will drive cost savings and efficiency improvements through supplier/supply chain changes and specification changes, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and remain financially viable.

Scope of Work

• Project Leadership & Execution
• Lead end-to-end productivity projects involving supplier changes, supply chain optimization, and specification modifications for raw materials and packaging
• Support development of and maintain detailed project plans with clearly defined milestones, timelines, and deliverables in line with expected ATO dates
• Identify risks, dependencies, and critical path items; proactively develop mitigation strategies
• Identify suppliers to meet specifications aligned with R&D
• Cross-Functional Coordination
• Engage and align cross-functional partners (e.g., R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance, Operations, Regulatory) to deliver key milestones
• Facilitate working sessions and drive accountability across stakeholder groups in conjunction with PCM organization
• Remove barriers and escalate issues as needed to keep projects on track
• Financial Oversight
• Continuously evaluate and validate the financial viability of each project throughout its lifecycle
• Track projected savings vs. actuals and flag deviations early
• Prepare business cases and financial analyses to support decision-making
• Stakeholder Reporting & Governance
• Provide regular status reports to upper management on project progress, risks, and financial performance
• Prepare and present approval requests to senior leadership at key decision gates
• Maintain clear documentation and audit trails for all project decisions

Required Qualifications

• Proven experience in project management within procurement, supply chain, or CPG/manufacturing environments
• Strong understanding of raw materials and/or packaging sourcing and specifications
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams without direct authority
• Financial acumen – ability to build and assess business cases, track savings, and evaluate project ROI
• Excellent communication and presentation skills for executive-level reporting
• Proficiency in project management tools and methodologies

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in a Ventures, innovation, or high-growth business environment
• PMP, Six Sigma, or equivalent certification
• Background in supplier transitions, specification changes, or reformulation projects
• Familiarity with stage-gate or similar project governance frameworks

Key Deliverables

• Project plans with defined milestones and timelines for each productivity initiative
• Regular status reports (cadence TBD) for upper management
• Financial viability assessments at each project stage gate
• Approval request packages for senior leadership review
• Post-project close-out reports with documented savings and lessons learned

Success Metrics

• On-time delivery of project milestones
• Realized productivity savings vs. target
• Stakeholder satisfaction (cross-functional partners and leadership)
• Quality of reporting and governance documentation