Project Manager Baking Technology

Location: remote, Chicago, IL, USA

Work Location: remote local

• The Executive Project Manager supports the VP of Baking Technology and Commercialization by leading high-priority projects and selected programs, establishing governance, enabling cross-functional execution, and providing visibility to leadership on progress, risks, dependencies, and value delivery. This role advances organizational transformation and efficiency through formalized processes, consistent governance, and structured execution practices across the Baking Technology and Commercialization portfolio.
• Lead complex, cross-functional projects and selected programs from initiation through implementation, ensuring alignment with enterprise strategy, business priorities, and operational goals.
• Apply ePMO standards, tools, templates, and governance practices to support consistent project execution, stage-gate reviews, issue escalation, and leadership decision-making.
• Develop and maintain detailed project and program plans, milestones, critical paths, interdependencies, RAID logs, and resource assumptions to ensure successful delivery.
• Facilitate alignment across business leaders, functional teams, subject matter experts, and external partners to clarify scope, priorities, success measures, and accountabilities.
• Drive executive-ready reporting and communication, including status updates, risk summaries, milestone reviews, and recommendations for corrective action.
• Identify, assess, and proactively manage BT&C project and program risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies; escalate critical concerns with recommended mitigation plans.
• Support portfolio visibility by tracking initiative health, timeline performance, resource constraints, and business value realization across assigned workstreams.
• Partner with Marketing, R&D, Finance, Operations, Supply Chain, Commercialization, IT, and other functions as needed to ensure initiatives are scoped appropriately and benefits are measurable and sustained.
• Lead working sessions to build business cases, define implementation roadmaps, coordinate decisions, remove barriers, and maintain momentum across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Promote change management and adoption by ensuring stakeholders are informed, engaged, and prepared for process, system, or operating model changes.
• Coach project team members and functional leads on accountability, disciplined execution, and effective use of project management best practices.
• Work proactively, often with limited direction, to determine and develop practical approaches and solutions that address project assignments, remove barriers, and respond to the priorities and needs of Baking Technology and Commercialization leadership.
• Support the transformation of the Baking Technology and Commercialization organization by helping implement formalized processes, governance cadences, standardized templates, and decision-making routines that improve execution discipline, transparency, and organizational efficiency.
• Other assignments as needed.

• Strong project and program management capability, including planning, prioritization, governance, and execution across complex cross-functional initiatives.
• Executive presence and communication skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into clear, concise recommendations for leadership.
• Leadership and influence skills: ability to drive alignment, build trust, and hold cross-functional teams accountable without direct authority.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to identify root causes, assess tradeoffs, and recommend practical solutions.
• Attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities, monitor dependencies, and maintain accuracy in plans, reporting, and follow-up actions.
• Sense of urgency and ownership with a disciplined approach to issue escalation, mitigation planning, and delivery against commitments.
• Change leadership mindset with the ability to navigate ambiguity, challenge the status quo, and support adoption of new ways of working.
• Computer skills: proficient with Microsoft Office applications and project management tools used for scheduling, reporting, and collaboration.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Operations, Supply Chain, Food Science, or a related field.
• Seven (7) or more years of experience in project management, program management, transformation, commercialization, operations, supply chain, or related business functions.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex cross-functional initiatives with multiple stakeholders, timelines, dependencies, and executive reporting requirements.
• Preferred experience with portfolio governance, financial/value tracking, stage-gate processes, and formal project management methodologies or tools.