Senior Manager, Product Commercialization

Cannara; Montreal (administrative region); On-site; CAD 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Job summary

Cannara in Montreal seeks a Senior Manager to oversee product commercialization across brands and categories, reporting to the Marketing Director, Brand & Product. You will coordinate marketing, R&D, operations, finance and supply chain to bring products from concept to market.

The role emphasizes organized project planning, cross-functional leadership, and timely launches. You will mentor a product manager and ensure accurate catalogues and lifecycle oversight.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field.
• 5–7 years in product development or commercialization (CPG, pharmaceuticals, cannabis industry preferred).
• Experience in NPD methodologies with Stage-Gate, Phase-Gate, or Lean Product Development.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders.
• Excellent written and verbal communication in English and French.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage detailed project timelines with milestones.
• Oversee multiple new product development projects across functions.
• Provide risk assessments and mitigation plans.
• Oversee product transitions from development to production and launch.
• Coordinate with Marketing, R&D, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain.
• Directly manage the product manager and lifecycle oversight.

Skills

Cross-functional leadership

Project management

Communication skills

Bilingual English/French

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or related field

Tools

Trello

Asana

Smartsheet

MS Project

Job description

General summary

We’re looking for a highly organized and detail-oriented Senior Manager to oversee and coordinate all new product commercialization initiatives across Cannara’s brands and categories. Reporting directly to the Marketing Director, Brand & Product, this role requires exceptional cross-functional collaboration, ensuring alignment between Marketing, R&D, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain. You’ll manage the full lifecycle of product commercialization, from concept through production to market launch, while ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned to Cannara’s growth strategy.

Main tasks and responsibilities

Project Planning & Management

• Develop and maintain detailed project timelines with clear milestones, deadlines, and deliverables.
• Oversee multiple new product development projects simultaneously, adjusting priorities and schedules as needed.
• Monitor progress across all phases and ensure timely completion of each stage.
• Manage risk assessments and develop mitigation strategies for potential obstacles.
• Implement and manage a structured New Product Development (NPD) framework (such as Stage-Gate, Agile, or Phase-Gate models), to ensure Cannara’s commercialization process remains organized and competitive.

Cross-Functional Leadership

• Facilitate communication and collaboration among Marketing, R&D, Operations, Finance, and Supply Chain teams.
• Organize and lead regular project meetings to review status, identify issues, and drive solutions.
• Ensure all stakeholders are aligned with project objectives and deliverables.

Reporting & Stakeholder Updates

• Prepare and present project updates, progress reports, and risk assessments to senior management.
• Provide visibility into project timelines, key decisions, and challenges.
• Maintain documentation of all project actions, follow-ups, and outcomes.

Product Transition & Launch

• Oversee the smooth transition of new products from development to production.
• Coordinate with Operations and Marketing to ensure readiness for commercialization and launch.
• Support the Marketing team with internal projects (e.g., team meeting notes, follow-up actions, coordination of cross-functional initiatives).

Team Leadership

• Directly managing product manager, providing day-to-day guidance, priorities, and support for product data management, SKU lifecycle oversight, provincial listing accuracy, and submission activities.
• Set clear expectations and performance objectives, fostering a collaborative and accountable team environment aligned with Cannara’s commercial goals.
• Coordinate workload distribution to ensure timely delivery of catalogues, attribute updates, BOM signoffs, and submission milestones.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business or related field;
• 5 to 7 years of experience in product development and/or commercialization (CPG, pharmaceuticals, cannabis industry preferred);
• Experience in New Product Development (NPD) project management methodologies, with hands-on experience applying structured frameworks like Stage-Gate, Phase-Gate, or Lean Product Development.
• Proven ability to manage cross-functional projects with multiple stakeholders;
• Strong organizational, time management, and problem-solving skills;
• Experience with task/project management tools (e.g., Trello, Asana, Smartsheet, MS Project, or equivalent);
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills in both English and French to collaborate with colleagues in Quebec and the rest of Canada.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, entrepreneurial environment;

The list of tasks and responsibilities listed above is not exhaustive. It is therefore not a complete and detailed list of all the tasks and responsibilities that may be carried out by the incumbent of this position.