Associate Project Manager

bdgrowers; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 61,000 - 79,000; Full time

Job summary

Blue Diamond Growers in Sacramento, CA, is seeking an entry-level Commercial Project Manager to lead defined projects from start to finish within a growing cross-functional team. You will collaborate across Marketing, Innovation, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales and Finance to turn ideas into executable plans and drive them toward launch.

This early-career role emphasizes real project ownership with coaching, building leadership and communication skills, and exposure to our Idea-to-Launch process.

Qualifications

• 1–3 years of project management or cross-functional project experience.
• CPG experience strongly preferred; food and beverage a plus.
• Experience coordinating across Marketing, Innovation, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Project Management, or related field.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and changing priorities.

Responsibilities

• Own defined commercialization and business projects from start to finish.
• Build and drive integrated project plans across cross-functional teams.
• Lead cross-functional project teams and facilitate meetings.
• Manage project scope, timing, and budgets, identifying risks.
• Track risks, decisions and dependencies and translate into action.
• Lead projects through Idea-to-Launch Stage Gate process.
• Communicate project health clearly with stakeholders.
• Support higher-complexity projects to build exposure.
• Suggest practical process improvements to speed up execution.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business / Marketing / Project Management

Job description

Work Shift: Day

Pay Type: Salary

Hourly Rate (if applicable): N/A

Targeted Base Salary Range (if applicable): $61,200.00 - $79,400.00

JOB OVERVIEW:

Help bring Blue Diamond's next products, packaging and business ideas to market while building a career in project leadership.

This is an early-career development role with real project ownership. You'll lead defined projects from the start, with coaching as needed, and take on increasingly complex work as your skills grow. You'll work across Marketing, Innovation, R&D, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance and other functions to turn ideas into executable plans, solve barriers and keep teams moving toward launch. Along the way, you'll build broad exposure to how a CPG business works, develop your leadership and communication skills, and help shape a growing Commercial Project Management function.

Built to grow: This role is designed as an entry point into Blue Diamond's Project Management career path, with increasing project complexity, leadership responsibility and senior-level exposure as capability develops.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

What You'll Do:

• Own defined commercialization and business projects from project start through completion, including product renovations, packaging changes, line extensions and other lower-complexity initiatives.
• Build and drive integrated project plans, aligning milestones, owners, dependencies and timing across cross-functional teams.
• Lead cross-functional project teams - facilitate productive meetings, drive follow-through and keep teams focused on the decisions and actions needed to move forward.
• Manage project scope, timing and commercialization budgets, identifying changes, risks and barriers early and escalating when support or decisions are needed.
• Turn issues into action by tracking risks, decisions and dependencies and helping teams identify practical paths forward.
• Lead projects through Blue Diamond's Idea-to-Launch (I2L) Stage Gate process, ensuring project requirements, documentation and Gate readiness are complete and accurate.
• Communicate project health clearly and concisely, including progress, risks, business impact, recommendations and decisions needed.
• Support higher-complexity projects led by team members to build exposure to more challenging commercialization work and senior stakeholders.
• Help improve how we work, bringing forward practical ideas that make project execution simpler, faster and more effective.

How You Lead:

• Positive and solutions-oriented - brings constructive energy to challenges and helps teams see a path forward.
• Proactive and accountable - takes ownership, follows through and addresses issues before they become bigger problems.
• Confident and collaborative - comfortable bringing people together, asking strong questions and leading without formal authority.
• Clear communicator - simplifies information, adapts to the audience and communicates what matters most.
• Organized without losing the big picture - manages details while staying focused on the project objective and business outcome.
• Curious and adaptable - learns quickly, seeks feedback and adjusts as priorities, assumptions and project needs change.
• Comfortable with healthy challenge - respectfully raises concerns, encourages problem solving and helps teams make decisions.

MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS:

• 1-3 years of project management, commercialization or related cross-functional project experience.
• CPG experience strongly preferred; food and beverage experience a plus.
• Experience supporting or leading work involving multiple functions, stakeholders and deadlines.
• Demonstrated ability to build plans, organize complex information and drive work through completion.
• Strong written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Strong problem-solving skills with the ability to identify risks, clarify issues and recommend next steps.
• Ability to work effectively across multiple projects and changing priorities.
• Bachelor's degree in Business, Marketing, Project Management, or related field, or equivalent relevant professional experience.

Preferred:

• Formal project management training or certification, including CAPM or PMP.
• Experience with Stage Gate, product development or commercialization processes.

Position Location: This is a hybrid role based out of Sacramento, CA with at least 3 days per week on-site (in Sacramento).

Reports To: Group Marketing Manager, Innovation

WHY BLUE DIAMOND?

In addition to working at the world's largest, state-of-the-art almond manufacturer, we offer a safe and collaborative team environment, with numerous opportunities for free training and career advancement. Check out the BDG Benefits, Health & Wellness Guide HERE .

Grow your career. Partner with us. We Are the Almond People!

Blue Diamond Growers (BDG) is an Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. BDG provides equal employment opportunities to all qualified applicants without regard to race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity,