Project Manager – Client Facing | CPG / Retailer Expert | F&B Manufacturing

CandyCo•Lindon, UT

About The Position

CandyCo is seeking a highly organized, client-facing, and execution-driven Project Manager to lead and coordinate manufactured food projects for major brands. Acting as the "quarterback" of the project lifecycle, you will own initiatives from concept through launch-whether it's a new product, packaging update, regulatory change, or customer-driven request. You'll be at the center of it all-aligning timelines, managing deliverables, steering communication, and ensuring every project moves smoothly across Sales, R&D, Operations, Procurement, Quality, and our customers. Your work directly impacts our speed-to-market, operational excellence, and customer satisfaction. If you know your way around retailer portals (Walmart, Target, Amazon), 1WorldSync, ERP systems, and packaging workflows-and you thrive in a fast-moving, detail-rich environment-you'll shine here.

Requirements

BA/BS in Business, Operations, Food Science, or a related field.
3+ years of project management or operations leadership experience within food, CPG, or retail.
Experience with retailer portals (Walmart, Target, POL, 1WorldSync).
Hands-on experience with dielines, fit tests, and packaging workflows.
Strong project management fundamentals with on-time, in-scope delivery history.
Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook).
Excellent professional communication skills.

Nice To Haves

Experience with ERP, EDI, or PIM systems.
Familiarity with design/branding partners (Schawk, Equator, Sun Branding, Periscope).
Exposure to plant operations, QA processes, customer audits.
PMP certification or equivalent training.

Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Cross-Functional Coordination Serve as the primary lead for assigned projects, collaborating with Sales, R&D, Operations, Procurement, QA, and Customer Service.
Create project briefs and develop clear, comprehensive roadmaps with timelines, task owners, dependencies, and resource requirements.
Assign and coordinate project teams while controlling scope, minimizing risks, and ensuring accountability.
Lead recurring project updates, track progress, monitor deliverables, and generate status reports.
Anticipate potential roadblocks and escalate issues early to keep timelines intact.
Client Communication & Relationship Ownership Act as the main client-facing contact for assigned projects.
Deliver timely, proactive updates on project milestones, launch timing, and key next steps.
Partner with customers to finalize specifications, packaging requirements, and launch expectations.
Coordinate customer visits, trials, and sample reviews while providing a professional, polished experience.
Packaging, Dielines & Regulatory Oversight Create, review, and manage packaging dielines with external design partners.
Conduct fit tests to ensure packaging meets retailer, functional, and regulatory requirements.
Oversee artwork approvals, regulatory reviews, and cross-functional validation processes.
Manage packaging-related quality checks and verification steps.
Operational Execution Oversee new item setups including specs, UPCs, BOMs, batch sheets, and technical documentation.
Coordinate procurement and ensure timely availability of ingredients, packaging, and equipment.
Schedule trials, production runs, customer visits, and sample preparation.
Ensure flawless execution during launch by aligning R&D, Operations, QA, and Production.
Review and send customer samples with accuracy and timeliness.
Continuous Improvement Conduct post-project evaluations to surface wins, opportunities, and improvements.
Cross-train with other Project Managers to ensure seamless coverage.
Support team operations by sharing best practices and standardizing workflows.