Program Manager

Institute of Food Technologists•Chicago, IL

41d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Program Manager supports the execution of the Global Food Traceability Center (GFTC) portfolio of traceability and digital transformation initiatives by ensuring projects are well-organized, coordinated, and progressing on schedule. This role works across internal teams and external partners, including industry, government, NGOs, and technology providers, to bring structure to evolving initiatives, maintain visibility into progress, and support timely delivery of key outputs. The Program Manager plays a central role in keeping projects moving forward and ensuring alignment across stakeholders, with guidance and support from GFTC leadership.

Requirements

3+ years of experience or demonstrated competency in project or program coordination or management.
Experience working on multi-stakeholder or cross-functional projects.
Strong organizational and communication skills.
Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously.
Experience working in dynamic or evolving environments.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting projects involving digital tools, data systems, or technology implementation.
Familiarity with supply chains, food systems, or sustainability-related work.

Responsibilities

Coordinates multiple concurrent projects, ensuring alignment on scope, timelines, and deliverables.
Develops and maintains project plans, workflows, and milestones across GFTC initiatives.
Tracks progress against deliverables and identifies potential risks or delays.
Follows up with team members and partners to ensure completion of agreed actions.
Serves as a central point of coordination for project communication across internal teams and external partners.
Facilitates meetings, documents key decisions, and ensures appropriate follow-up on action items.
Supports alignment across stakeholders and escalates issues or delays to GFTC leadership as needed.
Maintains organized project documentation, timelines, and records of decisions and outputs.
Supports implementation of project management tools and processes to improve coordination and efficiency.
Brings structure and clarity to projects with evolving scope and priorities.
Monitors projects for risks related to scope, timelines, and resources.
Raises potential issues early and supports resolution in coordination with GFTC leadership.
Provides regular updates on project status, including progress, risks, and upcoming milestones.