Muenster Milling is hiring for a dedicated and experienced Commercialization Project Manager at a growing custom pet food and treats manufacturer in Denton, Texas. The successful candidate will be responsible for leading and managing multiple customer projects through the commercialization pipeline. Proactive and timely communication with peers and customers is paramount to ensure all projects are completed on time and in full. This role will work closely with our Commercialization team to ensure we are capturing customer leads and converting prospects to customer projects that are planned, managed and achieved according to schedule. This role requires strong leadership skills, a commitment to operational excellence, and the ability to problem-solve in a fast-paced environment.
This is a full-time salary-exempt position supporting a daytime shift starting at 8 am, Monday-Friday, based in Denton, Texas.
Company Perks:
Discounted Dog/Cat Food and Treats
Competitive Pay with PTO (and 10 company paid holidays)
Comprehensive Benefits including low-cost medical plan options
401(k) program with 100% immediate vesting
Duties and Responsibilities:
Commercialization Process
Responsible for project management from concept to delivery of finished goods.
Establishes and maintains RACI (Responsible, Accountable, Consulted, Informed) Matrix for Commercialization process with supervisor direction.
Creates and maintains CRM process flow and associated document templates supporting execution of RACI Steps. Includes but not limited to: legal & financial documents, concept briefs, pricing templates, product specifications, project timelines, status reports.
Creates, updates and circulates individual project timelines and executive summaries to project team members and Executive Leadership Team (ELT).
Creates and collects all customer facing documentation required for projects in conjunction with the stage of project development.
Collect and ensure the accuracy of customer specifications, ensuring they are current in the appropriate platforms where they are accessed and used (primarily NetSuite).
Executing revisions within ERP to include: BOMs, Item Creation, and Item specifications.
Communicate customer expectations to operations to ensure delivery OTIF.
Support pre-production development activities for new item launches to ensure production SOPs and testing/training materials & specification for finished goods, retail and shipment packaging are ready. May also include facilitating training meetings with cross functional teams for these items.
Attends and occasionally leads project meetings, updating developments, flagging and escalating issues and risks to timeline steps as needed. Ensures project team members are current on status and task completion for each project stage.
Monitors and reports on first three (3) production runs for new projects prior to handing off project to active status.
Sales & Customer Support
Collects and reports customer Non-Compliance Reports (NCR) to QA team and returns QA CARs to sales lead & customers.
Creates and provides regular reporting on Inventory and Sales from NetSuite for Sales, Marketing and Commercialization. May also be tasked with pulling market data from syndicated platforms (Nielsen).
Leads oversight of converting stranded inventory into sellable product by working with Product Formulation Scientist, QA, Sales and Finance to develop pack plan, pricing, production and release.
Provide Wholesale customer support backup as needed to Customer Service Supervisor.
Any other projects or duties as assigned by the department Director or Vice President.
Knowledge, Skills, Abilities and Other Characteristics:
Excellent project management and communication skills, including active listening.
Must be diplomatic but able to hold a variety of cross functional team members, including management of all levels accountable for results.
Must be well-organized, detail & action-oriented, able to multitask, and prioritize multiple
Self-directed, resourceful, and ability to creatively problem solve while making effective decisions in both a team environment and individually.
Ability to communicate clearly, professionally, and effectively in oral and written communication.
Commitment to complete work within established time parameters while flexible enough to meet special project deadlines as required.
Proficiency in technology systems, including GSuite, NetSuite, ASANA, Microsoft Office and others.
Experience and Education:
A minimum of 3+ years related experience in project management, customer support or scheduling.
Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, or relevant field, or equivalent work experience.
Project management certification (PMP or PRINCE II) is a plus.
Proven success in managing cross-functional projects in product development, and/or manufacturing support.
Experience using project management tools to track milestones, deliverables and deadlines.
Experience working in a customer facing role.
Strong understanding of product design, manufacturing processes and how to translate customer needs into tangible product solutions.
Experience in food manufacturing processes/ FDM is highly valuable.
ABOUT US
Muenster Pet Foods creates premium dry and freeze-dried dog and cat food recipes, plus meat toppers, supplements and treats. Muenster Milling is a proud PE-backed, innovative pet food company supporting pet health across the country and internationally through branded, co-man, and co-packing operations across multiple facilities. We custom-craft superior nutrition from pasture to bowl. Nutrition made with premium ingredients from local farmers we've known by name for four generations. Since 1932, we have been driven by one goal: to provide nutritious food for your animal, backed by science, that we make ourselves.