Project Manager, Innovation (Marketing)

Harvest Hill Beverage Company•Stamford, CT

23h•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Manager, Innovation plays a critical role in bringing new products, line extensions, renovations, and strategic initiatives from concept to commercialization. This individual partners closely with Innovation, Brand Marketing, R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Sales, Quality, and Regulatory to ensure disciplined, on-time, and on-budget execution. This role acts as the operational backbone of the innovation process — driving structure, clarity, accountability, and momentum across a matrixed organization. The Project Manager ensures that ideas are translated into executable plans and that cross-functional teams remain aligned from stage-gate approval through launch and post-launch optimization. The ideal candidate thrives in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment and balances agility with disciplined process management. This individual is highly organized, action-oriented, and skilled at influencing without direct authority.

Requirements

The Project Manager, Innovation is a highly organized and results-oriented professional with 5+ years of experience in project management, commercialization, operations, or supply chain within Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG); beverage experience strongly preferred.
Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Supply Chain, or related field required
4+ years of relevant experience in Project Management, Innovation, Manufacturing, Supply Chain, or related CPG functions
Demonstrated experience supporting new product development and commercialization
Experience working cross-functionally with Marketing, R&D, and Operations
Ability to quickly develop high-level understanding of complex technical and commercialization requirements
Strong proficiency in Microsoft Office project mgmt. tools; Smartsheet or similar project management software preferred
Understanding of regulatory and quality standards in a CPG environment
Understanding of supply chain and operations in a CPG environment
CPG experience a must
Strong communication skills — clear, concise, and proactive
Collaborative bridge-builder with strong cross-functional credibility
Energized by entrepreneurial environments; comfortable making decisions with limited information
Influences without authority and drives alignment across diverse stakeholders
Self-reliant, proactive, and resilient under pressure
Highly organized with strong attention to detail and ability to manage multiple priorities
Strong critical thinking and problem-solving capabilities
Ability to convert complex cross-functional inputs into structured, executable project plans
Fiscally disciplined with understanding of budget and margin implications
Fact-based decision-maker who leverages data and milestones to drive accountability
Skilled at balancing speed-to-market with operational feasibility
Strategic thinker with disciplined execution focus
High energy, performance-driven, and action-oriented
Thrives in ambiguity and fast-paced environments
Confident yet collaborative; constructively challenges when appropriate
Strong organizational and time management skills
Demonstrates professionalism, integrity, and accountability

Nice To Haves

PMP certification a plus
Food & Beverage experience preferred

Responsibilities

Lead cross-functional innovation projects from concept approval through commercialization
Drive stage-gate process execution, ensuring deliverables, documentation, and approvals are completed on time
Develop and manage detailed project timelines, critical paths, and milestone tracking
Identify risks early and implement mitigation plans to protect launch timing and financial objectives
Coordinate activities across Innovation, Brand Marketing, R&D, Packaging, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, Quality, and Regulatory
Ensure manufacturing readiness, material availability, packaging development, and supply continuity align with launch timing
Support commercialization planning including customer readiness, sell-in timing, and inventory planning
Maintain alignment between brand positioning, product specifications, and operational execution
Create and manage comprehensive project plans using project management tools (e.g., Smartsheet or equivalent)
Manage multiple concurrent innovation initiatives with shared resources
Lead regular project team meetings to communicate status updates, key risks, and next steps
Provide clear reporting and executive-ready summaries to senior leadership
Strengthen rigor and clarity within the innovation stage-gate framework
Ensure all innovation activities adhere to company policies, quality standards, and regulatory requirements
Identify opportunities to improve speed-to-market, cross-functional coordination, and resource efficiency
Contribute to building scalable, repeatable innovation management best practices