Director of Commercialization

The Good Crisp Company•Boulder, CO

23h•$140,000 - $150,000

About The Position

The Director of Commercialization leads Operations readiness for new and changed products across The Good Crisp Company’s co-manufacturing network, from early manufacturing feasibility through first shipment and stable production. The role ensures Operations teams have the information, approvals, resources, and commitments needed at each stage; resolves launch risks; and recommends whether products are ready to proceed. The Director partners closely with the Strategic Programs Manager, who owns the integrated project plan and cross-functional timeline, to ensure Operations requirements and dependencies are incorporated throughout the process. The role sets priorities and secures resources for Product Development and Quality Assurance team members, and supports ongoing quality, food safety, and compliance across the portfolio. It reports to the Senior Vice President of Operations and includes occasional travel to co-manufacturing partners, production trials, and launch start-ups. The position may be remote; local candidates in the greater Boulder/Denver area are expected to work in the office on Tuesdays and Wednesdays.

Requirements

8 or more years of progressive experience in food or beverage CPG, with direct accountability for commercializing products.
Demonstrated success leading multiple product launches through Operations readiness, first commercial production, ramp-up, and handoff to routine operations.
Experience building and leading launch readiness processes covering manufacturing, quality, materials, item setup, and distribution.
Demonstrated judgment using trial results, quality approvals, production commitments, and cost to make readiness recommendations and resolve launch and ramp-up issues with manufacturing partners.
Experience managing budgets, assessing product costs, and evaluating the margin impact of launch decisions.
Ability and willingness to travel to co-manufacturing partners and production trials as needed.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree in food science, engineering, or a related field; equivalent experience is considered.
Co-manufacturing experience.

Responsibilities

Assess early manufacturing feasibility, including co-manufacturing capabilities, capacity, material availability, cost, and timing.
Own the Operations commercialization checklist for new products, renovations, packaging changes, and manufacturing transfers, defining Operations deliverables from trial validation and item setup through first production, warehouse readiness, and customer shipment.
Lead Operations readiness reviews and resolve gaps between functions, ensuring teams have the information, approvals, and commitments they need.
Partner with Strategic Programs to reflect Operations requirements and dependencies in the integrated project timeline.
Set criteria for moving into first commercial production and recommend whether to proceed, require further validation, or delay based on validation results, quality approvals, cost assumptions, and confirmed supply commitments.
Resolve trade-offs within approved scope and elevate material changes for decision.
Oversee production ramp-up and confirm readiness for handoff to routine operations based on agreed expectations for quality, yield, cost, and repeatability.
Set priorities and secure resources for Product Development and Quality Assurance, including ongoing quality, food safety, and compliance across the portfolio.
Partner with Supply Chain to evaluate manufacturing capabilities and resolve significant technical issues with co-manufacturers.
Plan and manage spending within approved budgets; partner with Finance to estimate trial and launch costs, validate COGS assumptions, and assess the margin impact of commercialization decisions.
Design and continuously improve processes that strengthen the company’s ability to launch high-quality products on time.
Lead, develop, and grow a team of managers and individual contributors.