Manufacturing Innovation Manager

McCormick & Company • Hunt Valley, MD

20d • Onsite

About The Position

Under the direction of the Engineering Manager, the Manufacturing Innovation Manager plays a pivotal role in enabling business growth & supply chain resiliency strategies through the manufacturing capabilities of the Hunt Valley Plant (HVP). This hands-on leader serves as a conduit between the plant and cross-functional business partners, galvanizing teams to assess manufacturing capability, enable agile and data-driven decisions, and accelerate speed to market through internal manufacturing. The role leads a team of direct reports and key processes supporting commercialization, manufacturing innovation, data readiness, Early Management, and capital project startup. A key focus is establishing closed-loop processes that connect testing, implementation, and actual manufacturing performance to strengthen future decisions and continuously improve HVP's manufacturing capabilities.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree in Engineering, Packaging, Operations, Supply Chain, or related technical discipline.
• 7+ years’ experience in manufacturing, with 5+ years’ experience in engineering, commercialization, product/process development, or project management.
• Experience in managing stakeholder expectations, including key senior business stakeholders, and maximizing stakeholder adoption.
• Demonstrated success leading complex cross-functional projects, processes, and teams within manufacturing.
• Demonstrated SAP experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, process-development, and business acumen.
• Exceptional communication and influencing skills with demonstrated ability to navigate ambiguity, challenge the status quo, and drive accountability.
• Experience with lean manufacturing principles & TPM

Nice To Haves

• Process and/or Packaging Engineering experience, preferably within food, beverage, CPG, pharmaceutical, chemical, or similar manufacturing.
• Experience with commercialization, manufacturing trials (verification & validation), capability assessment, Early Management, IQ/OQ/PQ, and capital project startup.
• Understanding of product, packaging, equipment, and process interactions and their impact on manufacturing performance.
• Experience with master data, material/packaging specifications, BOMs, manufacturing standards, and data governance.
• Experience with Agile, Lean, and/or iterative project management; PMP, PMI-ACP, Lean Six Sigma, Agile, or similar certification preferred.
• Project Management Professional (PMP)
• Prosci Change Management Model Certification

Responsibilities

• Facilitate manufacturing capability and product inflow assessments, including Make vs. Buy evaluations, by connecting business opportunities with HVP capabilities, constraints, risks, operational impacts, and potential investment needs.
• Lead manufacturing commercialization processes, including Manufacturing Analysis and Costing (MAC) trials and First Time Order (FTO) runs, supporting the successful introduction of new products, blends, packaging, materials, and suppliers.
• Build data-driven, closed-loop processes that connect product, packaging, laboratory, historical test, and manufacturing performance data to improve future assessments and understand impacts to safety, quality, yield, throughput, reliability, waste, and cost.
• Lead and continuously improve the Data Validation process, ensuring product, material, packaging, and manufacturing data is accurate, manufacturing-ready, and effectively integrated across plant processes and systems.
• Supports the TPM - Early Management (EM) pillar.
• Supporting early management processes for new product innovations at the site and own capital project Start-Up Management, including IQ/OQ/PQ, to enable manufacturing readiness and Vertical Start-Ups.
• Lead and develop direct reports and their project portfolios while influencing broader manufacturing direction.
• Build strong relationships and communicate effectively from the manufacturing floor with frontline teams through executive-level presentations.

Benefits

• 401k
• health insurance
• paid time off
• Competitive compensation
• Career growth opportunities
• Flexibility and Support for Diverse Life Stages and Choices
• Comprehensive health plans covering medical, vision, dental, life and disability benefits
• Family-friendly benefits such as paid parental leave, fertility benefits, Employee Assistance Program, and caregiver support
• Retirement and investment programs including 401(k) and profit-sharing plans

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Manager