Project Manager Analyst

ABOUT FOREFRONT

ForeFront Packaging Solutions designs, sources, and warehouses packaging that is sold to some of Chicago’s largest food manufacturers. Our customers produce for their own brands as well as co-packing for big box retailers, fast food chains, and fast casual restaurants.

Our products consist of flexible packaging, paper bags, tubs and lids, cups, and boxes.

ForeFront’s culture is extremely important to us. Therefore, we put a lot of care and effort into making this a great place to work. We are seeking an individual who not only meets the qualifications of the role but is also additive to our culture.

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Project Manager will own the workflow between Sales, Procurement, and Design for two types of projects: new opportunities, from discovery through order acknowledgement on the first order, and modifications to existing SKUs, such as vendor or nutritional changes.

Today, our sales and design teams manage this work themselves, which takes time away from selling and designing. This role will take that coordination off their plates, set a regular communication cadence with each team, and keep every project on track to meet the lead times we commit to our customers.

The Project Manager will work closely with the Director of Business Development, who serves as career advisor and helps prioritize competing deadlines across teams.

Note:

The Project Manager owns coordination, communication, and timelines for new opportunity and existing SKU projects. Selling remains with the Sales team and design work remains with the Design team; conflicting priorities are brought to the Director of Business Development for direction.

IDEAL CANDIDATE

ForeFront Packaging Solutions is seeking a dynamic and inquisitive individual who thrives in a fast-paced environment. The candidate who will excel in this role possesses a degree in Supply Chain Management, Packaging Science, Operations Management, or Business, coupled with an innate curiosity and a relentless drive for continuous knowledge and improvement.

They own outcomes, not just tasks, and bring calm structure to ambiguity. They communicate early and honestly with customers and internal teams, treat every department as a partner, and help make ForeFront a place others want to work.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

New Opportunity Workflow

• Manage new opportunities from discovery (collecting product specs) through order acknowledgement on the first order.
• Coordinate Sales, Procurement, and Design to hit lead times agreed upon with customers.
• Provide regular status updates to sales and customers at each stage.

Existing SKU Projects

• Manage item modifications such as vendor changes, nutritional changes, and artwork updates.
• Keep modification projects organized and moving in line with customer timelines.
• Track changes, approvals, and version history so nothing falls through the cracks.

Communication Cadence

• Set up and run regular check-ins with each functional team to keep everyone informed and organized.
• Maintain one clear source of truth for project status, owners, and deadlines.
• Bring conflicting priorities to the Director of Business Development with clear recommendations.

Performance Tracking & Process Improvement

• Own project on-time completion rate as the key measure of success for this role.
• Report on lead times by project type to give leadership clear visibility.
• Standardize project templates, handoffs, and post-project reviews.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor’s degree in Supply Chain Management, Packaging Science, Operations Management, Business, or a related field.
• 2-3 years of project management experience, including 3+ in packaging, CPG, food manufacturing, or supply chain.
• Proven success managing concurrent projects across multiple teams with customer-driven deadlines.
• Working knowledge of packaging materials and food-contact requirements.
• Strong attention to detail and ability to work independently.
• Inquiring mindset, asks good questions.
• Proficiency in Excel, PowerPoint, and project management software.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to build working relationships across every department and with leadership.

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• PMP® (Project Management Professional) or CAPM® (Certified Associate in Project Management) certification.
• ERP experience.

COMPENSATION & BENEFITS

• Base salary of $80,000/year plus a 5% bonus contingent on company performance.
• Medical, dental, vision, and 401(k) plus match.
• Self-managed time off after the first six months.
• Hybrid work potential.