Project Manager - Food Product Commercialization

Project Manager – Sales Operations

Company Summary At Harvest Food Group (HFG), our mission is to create products that make a positive impact on the world. HFG is a private equity–backed company headquartered in Naperville, Illinois, with a brand-new, state-of-the-art production facility in East Chicago, Indiana. Please note, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future.

Job Summary The Project Manager – Sales operations leads the execution of product commercialization initiatives across Harvest Food Group, including New Product Development (NPD), Customer launches and specifications, customer and product line extensions, product changes, packaging, productivity improvements, and manufacturing transitions. This role ensures products are successfully launched, coordinated, transitioned from concept to full-scale production while meeting quality, cost, and timeline objectives, and drives cross-functional alignment to connect business strategy, customer expectations, with operational execution in a dynamic food manufacturing environment.

Project Leadership & Execution

• Lead and drive cross-functional teams to ensure successful delivery of commercialization initiatives, including NPD, line extensions, packaging, productivity improvements, and manufacturing network changes
• Manage and execute commercialization efforts to integrate new and existing products into the portfolio
• Develop and manage project timelines, milestones, success criteria, risks, assumptions, and dependencies
• Drive accountability across cross-functional team members to ensure timely completion of deliverables
• Evaluate project feasibility and recommend go/no-go decisions based on operational readiness and business viability
• Manage multiple projects simultaneously in a fast-paced, deadline-driven environment
• Leading cross-functional execution from concept through launch
• This role will establish and maintain the overall project timeline
• Develop detailed Gantt charts and ensure all project milestones are clearly defined and achieved
• Coordinate activities across departments, maintain project visibility, and hold teams accountable for deliverables to ensure projects progress according to plan
• Act as the primary point of contact for the customer and the sales team, managing external communications related to project status, timelines, and key decisions
• Align customer expectations with internal capabilities while ensuring clear communication across all stakeholders
• Lead external engagement activities, including coordination with packaging suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and other critical service providers required to successfully execute the project
• These engagements will be conducted in close collaboration with the respective internal department owners (e.g., Procurement, Supply Chain, Maintenance, QA, Operations) to ensure technical alignment, supplier compliance, and effective project implementation

Cross-Functional Coolaboration

• Partner with and lead collaboration across Sales, Marketing, R&D, Operations, Quality Assurance, Procurement, Supply Chain, Engineering, Continuous Improvement, and Finance
• Ensure alignment between customer requirements, product specifications, and operational capabilities
• Successfully coordinate plant trials, scale-ups, validations, audits and production readiness activities
• Ensure effective communication of priorities and alignment across all stakeholder

Stage Gate & Process Improvment

• Lead and enforce the Stage Gate process for all commercialization initiatives
• Ensure proper documentation, approvals, and adherence to process standards throughout the product lifecycle
• Identify opportunities to improve commercialization processes and drive standardization
• Support the development, documentation, and implementation of process improvements

Operational Readiness & Execution

• Ensure manufacturing readiness for new product launches, including equipment, materials, specs, and labor planning
• Collaborate with Continuous Improvement and Operations teams to optimize product launches
• Support troubleshooting and issue resolution during initial production runs

Communication & Stakeholder Management

• Provide clear, concise, and regular updates to senior leadership on project status, risks, and outcomes
• Communicate effectively across all levels of the organization to ensure alignment and execution
• Present project updates, risks, solutions, recommendations, and results to stakeholders
• Manage competing priorities across multiple projects while maintaining transparency and accountability

Requirements

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related discipline
• 5+ years of experience in project management, product commercialization, sales, or related roles
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with proven ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously
• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams and influence stakeholders across multiple levels of the organization to deliver results
• Strong business acumen with analytical and problem-solving capabilities, including the ability to assess risks, identify solutions, and drive results
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to present concepts, project updates, and recommendations to diverse audiences
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and multiple stakeholders
• High sense of urgency, accountability, and ownership in driving results
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other Microsoft Office applications

PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS

• Project Management certification (PMP or equivalent)
• Experience in food manufacturing, particularly in product commercialization or New Product Development (NPD)
• Experience working in a Stage Gate or product lifecycle management environment
• Experience in high-growth, transformation, or newly launched manufacturing environment
• Demonstrated experience driving process improvements or contributing to continuous improvement initiatives
• Experience collaborating with or supporting Operations, Engineering, and Supply Chain in a manufacturing setting
• Advanced proficiency in data analysis, reporting tools, or project tracking systems

Benefits

Why Join Us?

• Direct hire with full benefits, PTO and 401K match
• Play a key role in the launch of a next-generation facility
• Work with a collaborative and innovation-driven team
• Help deliver high-quality, safe, and delicious food products to consumers
• Contribute to the future of food manufacturing through automation and sustainability