Commercialization Manager

We are hiring a Commercialization Manager to play an integral role in our day to day operations.

Who are we?

Amylu Foods is a high-growth, woman-founded, natural and health CPG company, known for its fresh ingredients and hand-crafted recipes.

As pioneers in the chicken sausage category, we combine innovation with tradition, delivering bold and fresh flavors.

Rooted in Chicago and celebrating 100 years of craftsmanship, we continue to expand our product offerings and distribution nationwide, redefining the protein category.

We are seeking passionate and talented leaders to join our rapidly growing company for our next phase of growth.

Role Description

Reporting to our VP of Product Development and Innovation, the Commercialization Manager leads the end-to-end commercialization and product development process from concept through launch, ensuring new products are delivered on time, on cost, and in compliance with quality and operational standards.

This role drives cross-functional alignment, manages project timelines, supports manufacturing readiness, and builds scalable processes for high operational performance.

This role requires the selected candidate to be onsite at our manufacturing facility in the stockyards area of Chicago.

Primary Responsibilities

Project & Commercialization Management

• Manages and improves product development and commercialization processes, overseeing projects from concept through launch.
• Builds timelines, defines milestones, and manages risks for new products.
• Owns defining gate requirements, stakeholder deliverables, and launch readiness.
• Facilitates cross-functional communication and alignment between R&D, Operations, QA, Scheduling, Supply Chain, and Accounting.
• Conducts post-launch reviews to capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement.

Scale-Up & Trial Management

• Leads new product test runs, plant trials, and first production runs, ensuring consistency, yield targets, and process capability.
• Monitors early-life production performance, including yields, throughput, and quality metrics, to ensure successful transition from launch to stable production.
• Ensures accurate documentation of formulas, procedures, process parameters, and equipment settings.
• Troubleshoots issues during start-ups and coordinates corrective actions with relevant teams.

Process Design & Continuous Improvement

• Designs, selects, and administers processes and systems to support commercialization.
• Validates line capacity, throughput rates, and labor requirements to support production planning and scale-up readiness.
• Evaluates and implements new technologies, equipment, and methods to enhance manufacturability, throughput, cost, and safety.

Costing & Financial Accuracy

• Reviews costing inputs including labor standards, yields, material specifications, and throughput assumptions.
• Collaborates with Finance to ensure costing reflects real plant performance post-launch.
• Partners with Finance to quantify cost savings from process improvements, ingredient optimization, and manufacturing efficiencies and ensures savings are validated and reflected in standard costing.

Documentation and Training

• Builds and maintains standardized commercialization and product development documentation.
• Ensures all SOPs, batch sheets, formulation files, specifications, and start-up documents are complete and current.
• Develops and delivers new product training for operators, leads, and supervisors.
• Performs other functions as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Food Science, Engineering, Operations Management, Animal Science, or related field.

• 3 years of food manufacturing experience.

• Strong understanding of yields, throughput, and process capability.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

• Strong communication skills.

• Knowledge of GMP and HACCP programs.

• Experience leading product development and/or commercialization processes.

• Ability to spend approximately 20–70% of time in production areas, including cold environments.

• Ability to lift up to 50 pounds.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP certification or equivalent.

• Meat manufacturing experience.

• Experience working in a USDA regulated facility.

• Lean/Six Sigma certification.

• Bilingual English/Spanish.

Compensation

$80,000 - $95,000

Amylu Foods is proud to be an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, veteran, or disability status.