Full time

Lucas James Talent Partners; East Chicago (IN); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Full benefits

PTO

401K match

Job summary

Harvest Food Group in East Chicago, IN, seeks a Project Manager – Sales Operations to lead product commercialization initiatives across NPD, customer launches, packaging changes, and manufacturing transitions. You will ensure on-time, cost-effective launches while meeting quality and timeline objectives, coordinating cross-functional teams.

This role requires strong planning, ERP/Excel proficiency, and the ability to align customer expectations with internal capabilities in a fast-paced food

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related field preferred; equivalent experience considered.
• Minimum 5+ years of project management, product commercialization, manufacturing, and equipment automation—ideally food (frozen) packaging and CPG.
• Experience with data analytics and understanding capacity analysis.
• Black Belt (Six Sigma) and Lean Manufacturing desired.
• Proven ability to work independently in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience with ERP systems, Gantt charts, and proficiency in Excel and other applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional execution from concept through launch and establish the project timeline.
• Develop detailed Gantt charts and ensure milestones are clearly defined and achieved.
• Coordinate activities across departments, maintain project visibility, and hold teams accountable for deliverables.
• Act as the primary point of contact for the customer and sales team, managing external communications.
• Align customer expectations with internal capabilities and ensure clear stakeholder communication.
• Lead external engagements with packaging suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and service providers to ensure project success.

Skills

Project management

Data analytics

Capacity analysis

Six Sigma / Lean

ERP proficiency

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Gantt Charts

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Project Manager - Food Product Commercialization

East Chicago, United States | Posted on 09/04/2026

At Harvest Food Group (HFG), our mission is to create products that make a positive impact on the world. HFG is a private equity–backed company with a brand-new, state-of-the-art production facility in East Chicago, Indiana.

Job Summary

Harvest Food Group is a diversifiedfrozen food company based in East Chicago, IN, specializing in frozen foodmanufacturing and the distribution of frozen vegetables, fruits, grains,legumes, and herbs. The Project Manager – Salesoperations leads the execution of product commercialization initiatives acrossHarvest Food Group, including New Product Development (NPD), Customer launchesand specifications, customer and product line extensions, product changes,packaging, productivity improvements, and manufacturing transitions. This roleensures products are successfully launched, coordinated, transitioned fromconcept to full-scale production while meeting quality, cost, and timelineobjectives, and drives cross-functional alignment to connect businessstrategy, customer expectations, with operational execution in a dynamic foodmanufacturing environment.

Responsibilities:

• Leading cross-functional execution from conceptthrough launch. This role will establish and maintain the overall projecttimeline
• Develop detailed Gantt charts and ensure allproject milestones are clearly defined and achieved.
• Coordinate activities across departments,maintain project visibility, and hold teams accountable for deliverables toensure projects progress according to plan.
• Act as the primary point of contact for thecustomer and the sales team, managing external communications related toproject status, timelines, and key decisions.
• Align customer expectations with internalcapabilities while ensuring clear communication across all stakeholders.
• Lead external engagement activities, includingcoordination with packaging suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and othercritical service providers required to successfully execute the project. Theseengagements will be conducted in close collaboration with the respectiveinternal department owners (e.g., Procurement, Supply Chain, Maintenance, QA,Operations) to ensure technical alignment, supplier compliance, and effectiveproject implementation.

Please note, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future. Additionally, there is no relocation assistance.

#L1-SP1

Requirements

Requirements

• Bachelor’sdegree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related field preferred; equivalentexperience considered
• Minimum 5+years of previous experience in projectmanagement, product commercialization, manufacturing, and equipment automation - ideally food (frozen) packaging and Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG)
• Previous experience with data analytics and understanding capacity analysis
• Black Belt (Six Sigma) and Lean Manufacturing desired
• Pr ovenability to work independently and operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment with shifting priorities and multiple stakeholders.
• Experience with ERP systems, Gantt Charts, and proficiency in Microsoft Excel and other applications

WHY JOIN US?

• Direct Hire with fullbenefits, PTO and 401K Match
• Play a key role in thelaunch of a next-generation facility
• Work with acollaborative and innovation-driven team
• Help deliverhigh-quality, safe, and delicious food products to consumers
• Contribute to thefuture of food manufacturing through automation and sustainability