Associate Commercialization Project Manager

Due to growth, we are seeking an Associate Commercialization Project Manager to join our team at Kemps Home Office in St. Louis Park, MN.  In this role you will facilitate the execution of projects within specific brands or categories, including but not limited to innovation initiatives and/or capital and cost out initiatives. Coordinate with cross functional parties, including relevant brand stewards in marketing, R&D, sales, finance, and operations within our plant and distribution network, to ensure timely completion of all tasks required to support new product launches. Coordinate customer-related tasks and analysis reporting to field sales, trade marketing, finance, customer service, master data, and marketing.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Manage commercialization efforts from conception to shelf, including logistics across the DFA network.
• Review and manage project timelines regularly with the project team, facilitate creation of mitigation/contingency plans, and manage communication.
• Identify issues, risks, or actions that may need to interface with non-agile portions of the company and communicate to impacted teams.
• Facilitate various category stakeholder governance forums (stage gate/NPPR/marketing/sales/regulatory/ operations).
• Assist sales with reviewing statistical analysis to determine the most accurate forecast and forecast methodology for production and logistics capabilities for new items, changes, or discontinued items.
• Own supply chain readiness to support commercialization activity.
• Initiate the finished good master data setup and facilitate communication of completed information to all collaborators so all information systems can be accurately set up to produce, ship, sell, and invoice our products.
• Use tools that prepare the supply chain and manufacturing facilities for successful start-ups for both growth and exploratory work on production and logistics costs.
• Map out network speed to shelf approach via DFA’s direct store delivery operations or direct to customer warehouses.
• Engage and support cross-plant partners to ensure product reaches the right destination at the right time to support our growth.
• Own the initial production and shipment planning and execution processes for new cultured initiatives (new products, product line extensions, new customers, new geographies).
• Work with forecasting, inventory management, and production planning teams to ensure optimum inventories and customer service is achieved, while minimizing obsolescence on any discontinued items.
• Assist with executing on business units strategies and priorities with GVP, Operations, and teams.
• Provide support and guidance to Commercialization team on projects and resource prioritization.
• Support continuous improvement of the commercialization process through collaboration with key stakeholders and sharing of best practices.
• Foster a continuous learning environment, helping teams to inspect and adapt.
• Leverage shared resources (logistics, finance, business services).

Qualifications:

Requirements:

• Undergraduate degree (or equivalent combination of education and experience).
• 2 to 5 years network supply chain, project management, or related experience.
• New product launch/commercialization experience, including understanding the new product development process.
• Certification and/or License – may be required during course of employment.
• Knowledge of US retailer network and management of warehouse distributed CPG products.
• Understanding of manufacturing and distribution processes.
• Ability to establish, manage and influence effective relationships with internal staff and external customers, business partners and vendors.
• Skilled in organizing resources and analyzing alternatives to make effective decisions.
• Ability to travel up to 15%.

Benefits:

• Health and Welfare benefits begin 1^st of the month after start date
• 401(k) with company contribution
• Competitive pay
• Paid vacation and holidays
• Career growth opportunities – we promote from within!
• Comprehensive healthcare benefits
• Service recognition and employee rewards
• Employee referral program
• Tuition reimbursement
• Work for dairy farm families

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans