Project Manager

Brothers International•Rochester, NY

38d•$70,000 - $90,000•Onsite

About The Position

Brothers International brings the world's best fruit to its customers. Our Ingredients divisions supply every major food and beverage manufacturer in North America with the fruits from the best growing regions of the world. Our CPG division sells market-leading branded and private label freeze-dried fruits to retailers nationwide. We are seeking a full-time Project Manager to join our talented team in our Rochester, NY office! The Project Manager serves as the lead coordinator responsible for the lifecycle of Branded and Private Label products from initial ideation through commercialization. The Project Manager will manage complex timelines, identify resource bottlenecks, and ensure cross-functional alignment between R&D, Operations, Marketing and Sales. The Project Manager will translate business goals into actional project plans, ensuring every launch hits the shelf on time, on budget, and at scale.

Requirements

Minimum 5+ years experience in a Project Management or high-level coordination role.
Experience in Project Management within a CPG Food or Beverage industry.
Proven experience leading full product lifecycles from ideation to national retail launches.
Demonstrated ability to lead meetings and influence decisions among cross-functional departments/teams without direct reporting authority.
Expert knowledge of the structured innovation process using stage-gate methodology.
Understanding of lead times for ingredients, packaging materials and logistics.
High-level of understanding of SQF/GFSI standards and FDA labeling timelines to ensure they are accounted for in the project schedule.
Ability to interpret P&Ls, understand COGS, and manage project budgets.
Proficiency in project management software to build and track project progress.
The ability to perform “what-if” scenarios and develop contingency plans to mitigate risks.
Skill in balancing the conflicting needs of Sales (customer needs now) and Operations (needs time to produce).
Ability to run efficient, agenda-driven “innovation syncs” that result in clear action items.
Ability to manage a pipeline of active SKUs, identifying which projects are “critical path” and which can be deferred.
Communicate effectively with the ability to translate complex technical R&D delays into “business impact” language for senior leadership.
High precision in tracking documentation (COAs, specs, artwork approvals) to ensure no small detail halts a product launch.
The flexibility to pivot a project mid-stream based on shifting feedback and market trends.

Nice To Haves

BS in Business Administration, Food Science, Operations Management or a related field. MS preferred.
PMP(Project Management Professional) preferred
CAPM (Certified Associate in Project Management) preferred

Responsibilities

End to End Commercialization: Lead the “Concept to Consumer” process, managing project timelines, critical paths, and cross-functional milestones driving accountability. Serve as the central point of contact between internal stakeholders and meeting facilitator.
Critical Path Development: Create and maintain detailed project schedules that track every milestone from formulation to “first ship” date.
Stage-Gate Leadership: Facilitate “Go/No-Go” meetings to ensure stakeholder alignment before moving a product to the next phase of development.
Resource Allocation: Monitor team bandwidth and production capacity to ensure ability to meet launch needs.
Stakeholder Reporting: Provide regular status updates to senior leadership regarding project health, budget tracking, potential launch delays, and risk mitigation plans.
Contingency Planning: Proactively identify risks and develop contingency plans to keep a product launch on track.
Scope Creep Control: Manage “Scope- Creep” by ensuring that new requests don’t derail budget or timelines without proper approval and alignment.
Cost Tracking: Work with Finance and Supply Chain to ensure the “Target Cost of Goods Sold” is maintained throughout the development process.
Post- Launch Audit: Conduct “Post-Mortem” reviews after major launches to identify what went well and where processes can be streamlined for future projects.
Private Label Coordination: Manage the specific, often ridged, timelines required by major retail partners for private label bids and seasonal resets.