
Manager, Project Management & Portfolio - Remote
- Buffalo Grove, IL
- Permanent
- Full-time
- Lead high-impact innovation and commercialization projects, ensuring on-time execution and stakeholder alignment
- Use Stage-Gate methodology to manage project phases and guide cross-functional teams from concept to launch
- Ensure compliance with Eagle Foods’ Stage-Gate process and drive clarity on expectations at each project stage
- Partner with stakeholders in Marketing, Sales, Operations, Regulatory, and Finance to resolve issues and align on critical path activities
- Team & People Management
- Manage two direct reports, ensuring team collaboration, accountability, and workload balance
- Portfolio & Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Collaborate with the Vice President, R&D and other leaders to maintain the project portfolio and identify opportunities for streamlining and prioritization
- Translate complex information into clear communications and reports for project teams and leadership
- Tools, Systems & Continuous Improvement
- Champion the use of project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Power BI) to track progress, share information, and ensure transparency
- Identify and implement process improvements to enhance speed, efficiency, and decision clarity
- Support development and refinement of tools, templates, and workflows to standardize execution
- Bachelor’s degree in Business Management, Project Management, or a related field is highly preferred; a Master’s degree is a plus
- PMP certification is preferred
- Minimum of 5 years of experience in CPG project management or commercialization, with a demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously
- Some experience mentoring or supporting junior team members
- Strong working knowledge of Stage-Gate processes and cross-functional innovation practices
- Proficiency in project management and reporting tools such as Smartsheet, Power BI, or Microsoft Project
- Proven ability to manage and coach a team, including direct oversight of two project management professionals
- Committed to fostering a collaborative, accountable, and high-performing team culture
- Skilled in cross-functional collaboration with departments such as Marketing, Sales, Operations, Regulatory, and Finance
- Ability to influence and guide project teams to maintain momentum and achieve outcomes
- Builds strong relationships across teams to ensure clear handoffs, alignment, and effective communication
- Experience supporting ownership of an innovation project portfolio, surfacing risks and tradeoffs as they arise
- Demonstrated ability to contribute to prioritization discussions and capacity planning at a portfolio level
- Applies strategic thinking to drive timely decision-making and support executive leadership with actionable insights
- Identifies opportunities for parallel workstreams to accelerate execution and improve time-to-market
- Brings a continuous improvement mindset, contributing to the enhancement of systems and processes that increase efficiency and reduce redundancy
- Excellent written, verbal, and visual communication skills
- Skilled at translating complex, cross-functional project details into clear, concise updates for a variety of audiences
- Ensures consistent documentation and communication of project status, risks, and decisions
- Provides executive-level visibility through regular reporting and insight generation
- Demonstrated success in directly leading commercialization and innovation projects across product categories
- Maintains proactive control over project schedules, risk mitigation, and critical decision points
- Champions the use of project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Power BI) to drive visibility, transparency, and alignment
- Acts as a Stage-Gate process champion, upholding standardization and clarity around project expectations
- Supports team development in planning, communication, and effective use of project tools
- This is a remote position with flexibility; however, periodic travel may be required based on project needs
- Estimated travel is approximately 10–20%, which may include visits to corporate offices, co-manufacturers, or customer locations to support project execution and alignment