Senior Project Manager (Innovation)

Freshpet Talent Acquisition•Bedminster, NJ

21d•Hybrid

About The Position

At Freshpet, we’re on a mission to change the way people nourish their pets forever. We believe that when pets eat fresh, real food, they thrive — and when our pets thrive, so do we. That simple idea drives everything we do. We’re here to strengthen the bond between people and their pets so both can live longer, healthier, happier lives. And we’re doing it in a way that’s kinder to the planet. IT’S AMAZING WHAT CAN HAPPEN WHEN YOU START COMPLETELY FRESH. We’re looking for a strategic, energized, and highly organized Project Leader to guide high-impact, cross-functional initiatives across Innovation & Marketing. As our Senior Project Manager/Director, you’ll bring structure, clarity, and momentum to complex projects — from concept through launch — and play a central role in building a strong project management culture at Freshpet. You’ll thrive here if you love connecting dots, clearing roadblocks, and helping teams operate at their best in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment.

Requirements

7–10 years of project management, commercialization, innovation, or similar experience in fast-paced CPG (Food & Bev preferred).
Bachelor’s degree required; MBA or related advanced degree preferred.
PMP, CAPM, or similar project management certification a plus.
Expertise with project management tools; familiarity with Agile, Scrum, or Waterfall methodologies (certification a plus).
A passion for exceptional execution, cross-functional collaboration, and delivering meaningful business impact.

Responsibilities

Lead end-to-end management of marketing and innovation projects, ensuring milestones, scope, and timelines stay on track.
Build detailed project plans, timelines, and resource models aligned to strategic business objectives.
Facilitate effective project meetings, manage action items, communicate progress, and escalate risks appropriately.
See around corners — identifying potential challenges and creating mitigation plans early.
Serve as a connector and liaison across Marketing, R&D, Procurement, Quality, Manufacturing, and more.
Drive clarity, accountability, and shared understanding of priorities and deliverables.
Foster strong partnerships to ensure alignment and seamless execution across teams.
Champion the Stage-Gate process, ensuring teams are guided, supported, and following best-practice principles.
Provide training, tools, and frameworks that build project management capability across the organization.
Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, simplify processes, and enhance efficiency.
Promote operational excellence by modeling structured, forward-thinking ways of working.