Senior Project Manager

COMPANY BACKGROUND

Icelandic Provisions has been among the fastest growing yogurt brands in the category since launching in 2016. Our distribution has grown from 600 to over 10,000 stores in only four years. Retailers include Whole Foods, Wegmans, Safeway, Kroger, Target, HEB, Meijer, Publix, Ahold and Sprouts. Popular news/media outlet “Eat This Not That” reviewed all major yogurts in the category and concluded that Icelandic Provisions was the #1 best tasting. In July 2019, IP launched a new whole milk range that has already garnered two different World Dairy Innovation Awards, numerous top picks from key offline and online news media and shout outs by celebrities like Sarah Jessica Parker.

OVERVIEW

As the company continues to grow, Icelandic Provisions seeks to hire a Senior Project Manager to reduce the time-to-market and increase commercial success for new product introductions.  The Manager is responsible for developing & updating project timelines, maintaining consolidated project budgets and bringing together cross-functional teams whenever cross-departmental decisions need to be made. The ideal candidate embraces project management as a way of life and has worked in project management for at least 5 years, ideally in the CPG or food industry. This role reports to the President & COO and is located at company headquarters in New York City (or work-from-home).

At Icelandic Provisions, everything we do is inspired and guided by the Nordic food philosophy to create products that are as wholesome as they are delicious. Icelandic Provisions is committed to creating food that is:

  • Enduring.

‘Boring’ is not an ingredient in the Icelandic Provisions’ culture nor product. They make food that is interesting or helps illuminate an ingredient or technique that not many know about.

  • Necessary.

Committed to making products that are necessary and not capricious.  Staples, not nice-to-haves.  Things that you will want to have on-hand at all times.

  • Mindful.

Strive always to be mindful of the direct and indirect impact that food and its production has on consumers and the world.

  • Nourishing.

Make every nutrient count. Try to pack as much nutrition as possible into every gram.

We are proud of our company culture, which can be summarized as follows:

  • Áfram með smjörið!

This is Icelandic for “On with the butter!” We are a 20/80-type of culture: focus on the essential task, then move on to the next one. Don’t create extraneous work for the sake of extraneous work but go above and beyond.

  • Welcoming

We are a provisions company and we value and embrace how food brings us together. It’s only natural that being hospitable, welcoming everyone and treating & accepting everyone as an equal is a big part of our culture.

  • Ambitious

We have big dreams. We are eager, brave, passionate and love to punch above our weight.

  • Optimistic

We are a glass half full company. We are focused on the upside and shy away from negativity. It’s what helps us persevere no matter what.

RESPONSIBILITIES

  • Lead cross-functional project teams, delivering projects on time and on budget
  • Develop and manage overall project structure, work plan and critical path, budget and resourcing; ensure teams meet all project milestones
  • Ensure project risks are identified, mitigated and communicated to management as appropriate
  • Act as the objective voice of the project at executive-level stage gate and sponsor meetings for product launch and scope decisions – bringing together the right information and the right people at the right time to facilitate decision-making, remove barriers and ultimately drive project progress
  • Track project performance and publish project status and appropriate metrics
  • Lead the Stage Gate process and make this an integral part of all innovation projects
  • Lead the company’s annual planning process
  • Developing and coaching direct reports
  • Refine and build on the current processes and systems

QUALIFICATIONS

  • Depth and breadth of experience managing all types of commercialization projects, including new category innovation, line extensions, base brand optimizations, and large-scale packaging redesign projects
  • Strong influence management skills: ability to create credibility and trust with senior executives and leaders, effectively lead senior project teams and work/interact effectively with individuals at all levels of the organization
  • Able to inspire and motivate self and others, including those who don’t report to you
  • Strong understanding of product lifecycle processes, and readiness for/working knowledge of future state process
  • Able to focus on the big picture, connect dots and understand cross-functional dependencies to help guide the team, drive accountability, and identify appropriate solutions
  • Able to manage, balance and prioritize work across multiple complex projects with tight timeframes and deadlines and coach others to do the same
  • “Can-do” attitude. A creative problem solver who finds ways to make things possible.
  • Excellent communication and presentation skills
  • Strong systems and process development and execution skills: proactively identify and execute on process innovation and improvement opportunities with diverse stakeholders’ input
  • Able to model and teach project management technical and leadership skills to successfully coach and develop direct reports

EXPERIENCE

  • Proficiency with analytical and presentation tools (Excel and PowerPoint) and MS Project and/or other project management/team collaboration tools is required.
  • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is required. PMP certification strongly preferred. MBA is a plus.
  • 5+ years’ product commercialization and project management or other related experience in consumer goods/food industry

YOU’RE AN IDEAL CANDIDATE IF…

  • You are passionate about good food!
  • You live and breathe project management.
  • You embody our company culture.
  • You ask lots of questions, actively seek the opinions of others and love working collaboratively.