Commercialization Specialist

Aspen Enterprises; Glenview (IL); On-site; USD 67,000 - 77,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

401(k)

Paid time off

Parental leave

Bereavement leave

Quarterly incentive bonus

Job summary

Finlays Solutions in Glenview, IL seeks a Commercialization Specialist to drive plant trials, scale-up and launch activities. You will coordinate with cross-functional teams, manage timelines, and ensure smooth transition from development to full production while supporting customer communications.

You will own project documents, track progress, and help optimize commercialization processes. A Bachelor’s degree in Business, Food Science, Operations or related field and 2–4 years of relevant

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Food Science, Operations, or related field.
• 2-4 years of experience in commercialization, product development, manufacturing operations, or related fields.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and collaboration platforms (Teams, SharePoint).
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Guide commercialization efforts for new products and packaging, ensuring launch readiness and excellence.
• Manage day-to-day execution of assigned commercialization projects, ensuring alignment with timelines, deliverables, and customer expectations.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication across R&D, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, and Technical Services.
• Organize project documents, checklists, timelines, and shared folders in approved platforms.
• Lead meetings and required working sessions for product development and commercialization activities.
• Ensure adherence to commercialization best practices and support ongoing improvements to internal processes.
• Track and maintain commercialization pipeline status, flagging risks or delays to team.
• Coordinate and support execution of plant trials or pilot runs at manufacturing facilities.
• Partner with sales teams to support customer communication and accurate project updates.
• Complete and submit commercial reports on time.
• Champion Finlays' purpose and values, develop team capabilities and processes and partner across the organization to deliver dependent projects.
• Manage expenses and travel budget
• Other duties as assigned

Skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Teams

Education

Bachelor's degree in Business/Operations/Food Science or related

Tools

Microsoft Office

SharePoint

Teams

Job description

If you are unable to complete this application due to a disability, contact this employer to ask for an accommodation or an alternative application process.

Glenview, IL, US

13 days ago Requisition ID: 1472

Salary Range: $67,000.00 To $77,000.00 Annually

About Us:

Finlays Solutions is a leading partner to the B2B beverage manufacturing industry, recognized for its deep expertise, strong industry relationships, and commitment to innovation. The company plays a central role in supporting beverage brands, flavor houses, private label partners, and manufacturers through high-quality products, technical capabilities, and collaborative problem‑solving. With a strong presence in the ready-to-drink beverage market, Finlays Solutions focuses on identifying emerging opportunities, expanding into new market spaces, and delivering solutions that meet evolving customer and consumer needs.

Finlays Solutions operates with a strong commitment to its mission, values, ethics, and long-term goals, ensuring that every initiative reflects the company’s dedication to integrity, partnership, and sustainable success.

Job Summary:

The Commercialization Specialist plays a key role in the management of internal and customer projects, including key ownership of plant trials, product scale up and launch activities. This maintains an integrated view of all in flight commercialization projects across their assigned plants and plays a critical role on key customer account teams including customer-facing communication. This role monitors timelines, aligns cross functional teams around critical path deliverables, and proactively resolves risks or gaps. The Commercialization Specialist organizes commercialization aspects of plant trials, including planning, execution, documentation, and customer approval processes, ensuring new products transition smoothly from development into full production.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

• Guide commercialization efforts for new products and packaging, ensuring launch readiness and excellence.
• Manage day-to-day execution of assigned commercialization projects, ensuring alignment with timelines, deliverables, and customer expectations.
• Facilitate cross‑functional communication across R&D, Sales, Operations, Supply Chain, Finance, Quality, and Technical Services.
• Organize project documents, checklists, timelines, and shared folders in approved platforms.
• Lead meetings and required working sessions for product development and commercialization activities.
• Ensure adherence to commercialization best practices and support ongoing improvements to internal processes.
• Track and maintain commercialization pipeline status, flagging risks or delays to team.
• Coordinate and support execution of plant trials or pilot runs at manufacturing facilities.
• Partner with sales teams to support customer communication and accurate project updates.
• Complete and submit commercial reports on time.
• Champion Finlays' purpose and values, develop team capabilities and processes and partner across the organization to deliver dependent projects.
• Manage expenses and travel budget
• Other duties as assigned

The salary range for this role is $67,000 - $77,000 annually.

Within this range, individual pay is determined by the work location and additional factors, including job‑related skills, experience, and relevant education or training.

• The total compensation package for this position also includes a choice of health care plan (medical, vision, and dental insurance), a quarterly incentive bonus, paid time off, parental leave, bereavement leave and a 401(K) for all eligible employees.

Qualifications & Requirements:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Food Science, Operations, or related field.
• 2-4 years of experience in commercialization, product development, manufacturing operations, or related fields.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and collaboration platforms (Teams, SharePoint).
• Strong project management, organizational, and communication skills.

Physical Demands

Ability to work beyond regularly scheduled hours during peak periods or critical operations

Must possess adequate vision, hearing, and verbal communication skills to meet essential job performance and safety standards.

Ability to stand and walk for extended periods and regularly perform physical tasks such as pushing, pulling, lifting, climbing, bending, stooping, squatting, and using hands for detailed tasks

Physically capable of performing tasks such as lifting, climbing, and using hand and power tools, including pallet jacks, scales, ladders, and standard material handling and cleaning equipment

Capable of safely lifting up to 50 pounds frequently throughout the day; ability to handle heavier items with proper lifting equipment or team-assisted techniques to ensure safety

Employees must be able to work in a dynamic manufacturing environment that may include exposure to odors, dust, moderate noise levels, and fluctuations in temperature and ventilation. Work environment may involve exposure to inclement weather. Appropriate personal protective equipment (PPE) must be worn at all times, which may include but is not limited to: safety glasses, steel‑toed shoes, gloves, hairnets, uniforms, and face shields, as required by specific job duties and safety protocols.

Quality Statement:

Our Quality and Food Security Management strategy is anchored by our food safety and quality culture and a two‑pronged approach to 'be the best' as we produce 'only the best'. Every employee has a role to play in this strategy as outlined by the following:

Follow Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP's), allergen control, food defense, HACCP, SQF, and regulatory requirements so that we make consistently safe, quality products.

Ensure the presence of visitors, contractors, and customers are documented on each visit in and out of the facility to maintain good manufacturing practices, allergen controls, food defense/food security and HACCP controls.

Report all food safety and quality issues to management immediately.

Partner with colleagues across all functions to share knowledge, skills, and information regarding quality and food safety.

Adhere to all health and safety work practices.

Exhibit an understanding of quality and food safety standards and be able to speak about the Finlays quality and food safety system and your role in it.

Handle customer complaints in a timely and professional manner so that the customer is put first, always.

Participate fully in Finlays programs that drive continuous improvement methodologies.

Any employee in doubt as to the role they play in the Finlays quality and food safety management system must reach out to the site Quality Manager or VP of Quality.

EqualOpportunity Statement:

FinlaysSolutions is an equal employment opportunity employer seeking diversity in qualified applicants for employment. All applicants will receive consideration for employment withoutregard to race, ethnicity, color, gender, gender identity, age, religion, national origin, ancestry, disability, perceived disability, medical condition, genetic information, veteranstatus, sexual orientation, or any other protected status, as defined by applicable law.Finlaysemploys individuals that are 18 years of age or older.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.