Senior Project Management Specialist

Nestle; Fremont Township (MI); On-site; USD 91,000 - 128,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

401k with company match

Healthcare coverage

Broad range of benefits

Job summary

Nestlé USA leads a broad range of R&D projects for Baby Food Meals & Drinks, emphasizing consumer-centric growth and innovation from ideation to launch. You’ll drive strategic roadmaps, develop new science and technologies, and shepherd projects from front end to industrialization.

The role requires a strong PM background in FMCG, collaboration across functions, and travel up to 20% internationally. Nestlé offers a competitive rewards package and inclusive culture.

Qualifications

• Minimum five years in PM of large-scale cross-functional projects.
• FMCG/R&D/Operations background.
• BS in Food science or related fields.
• PM certification or Nestlé PM dossier is a plus.
• Demonstrated innovation mindset.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Excellent coaching skills.
• Growth mindset and adaptability.
• Willing to travel 10–20% domestically and internationally.

Responsibilities

• Define project scope, objectives and expectations with senior management and stakeholders.
• Lead Front-End innovation activities and distill complexity into actions.
• Align strategy for initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, closing.
• Identify resource requirements and lead planning.
• Build and manage end-to-end schedule, track deadlines and report status.
• Build and maintain project budget.
• Connect science data to deliver solutions with competitive advantage.
• Proactively manage risks and mitigation plans.
• Coordinate project meetings and risk assessments.
• Engage with partners and decision makers.
• Coordinate post-launch reviews and drive continuous improvement.
• Uphold Nestlé I&R processes and tools.
• Lead cross-functional teams with coaching and influencing skills.
• Unite and energize teams behind a shared vision.
• Foster diversity of thought and constructive debate.
• Provide structure and clarity during complexity.
• Encourage collaboration and information flow.
• Minimize risk and maximize impact with agile scenarios.
• Champion project management excellence.
• Connect internally/externally to leverage knowledge.
• Coach project managers to build skills.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Stakeholder management

Communication

Coaching

Innovation mindset

Travel willingness

Education

BS in related science fields

PM certification (PMP, ITIL, COBIT) or Nestlé PM dossier

Job description

Foods you love. Brands you trust. And a career that empowers you to grow.

At Nestlé USA, we’re all working towards the same goal – to delight and deliver for our consumers. With a rich portfolio of beloved brands, including DiGiorno, Toll House, and Coffee mate, in 97% of U.S. households, we have a unique opportunity – and responsibility – to be there for every moment in our consumers’ lives.

Joining Nestlé means becoming part of an inclusive workplace that inspires innovation, encourages strategic thinking and creativity, and celebrates your achievements. No matter where you work within the organization, you are empowered to challenge the status quo, embrace risk-taking, and pioneer new ideas. Our supportive and collaborative environment encourages bold ambitions and continuous learning so that everyone can grow and thrive.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

JOB SUMMARY

Lead and manage a wide range of complex research and development projects for Nestlé Nutrition's Global Baby Food Meals & Drinks Category, with a consumer-centric, growth mindset, and passion for innovation. Includes the development of new science & technologies, new product launches, development of strategic roadmaps & pipelines, and new concept development. Lead projects from the front end of innovation through industrialization and to launch.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES

Project & Process Management

• Lead the definition and communication of project scope, objectives, and expectations in collaboration with senior management and stakeholders
• Navigate and facilitate Front-End innovation activities, distilling complexity and ambiguity and swiftly creating actions to enable decision making
• Align on the strategy and approach for initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, controlling, and closing the project
• Identify the project resource requirements and lead project planning
• Build and manage the end-to-end project schedule, define the critical path, track activities to ensure functional team members are meeting agreed upon deadlines, generate, and communicate status reports, and elevate critical issues
• Build and maintain project budget
• Connect Science and Technology data, facts and people to deliver solutions with competitive advantage
• Proactively manage roadblocks and risk mitigation plans
• Coordinate and facilitate project meetings including kick-off meetings, project team meetings, risk assessments, and additional meetings as required
• Engage and communicate effectively with partners, stakeholders, and decision makers
• Coordinate and facilitate post launch reviews and communicate key learnings and proposed continuous improvement actions
• Responsible for the consistent application, disciplined execution, and continuous improvement of Nestlé’s I&R processes and tools

Project Leadership

• Apply coaching and influencing skills to lead cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams, by embracing details and ambiguity while keeping a general view to reduce complexity and to strive for rapid but informed management decisions
• Unite and energize team members behind a shared vision, guiding and motivating them to achieve project objectives
• Create an environment that encourages diversity of thought and constructive challenge/debate
• Bring structure, transparency, and clarity to project teams during times of complexity, chaos and/or ambiguity
• Foster collaboration amongst team members, ensuring effective information flow and timely resolution of challenges
• Minimize risk and increase project impact by creating alternative scenarios in an agile way to ensure project performance in terms of quality, speed, cost
• Be the guardian of project management excellence by mastering tools and coaching peers and project team members to deliver the highest value
• Connectinternally and externally to identify opportunities to leverage knowledge and to enhance competitive advantage
• Coach Project Managers to build their skill sets

JOB QUALIFICATIONS (Education, Experience and Knowledge)

• Proven (at least five years) experience in project management of large-scale cross-functional and multidisciplinary projects with high business impact, preferably in a research / innovation driven environment
• Experience in FMCG industry, in R&D and/or Operations/Manufacturing
• BS in related science fields (e.g., Food science, Material sciences, Agricultural or Environmental sciences, Biology, Biochemistry, Chemistry, Packaging, or related sciences)
• Project Management certification (e.g., PMP, ITIL, COBIT) and/or Nestlé PM dossieris a plus
• Demonstrated Innovation mindset, with Consumer, Customer and Business Opportunity thinking
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to lead, energize and steer multifunctional teams and to collaborate effectively with stakeholders.
• Excellent coaching skills
• Demonstrated growth mindset, with agility, courage, curiosity and resilience, adaptability to navigate in uncertain and ambiguous contexts and embracing risk mindset
• Ability to travel 10 - 20%, domestically and internationally.

Salary: $90,719.10 to $127,989 per year

Bonus Eligibility: 7%

The pay range provided is a good faith estimate for the position at the time of posting. Final compensation may vary based on factors including but not limited to knowledge, skills and abilities as well as geographic location. It is not typical for an individual to be hired at top of range.

Nestlé offers performance-based incentives and a competitive total rewards package, which includes a 401k with company match, healthcare coverage and a broad range of other benefits. Incentives and/or benefit packages may vary depending on the position. Learn more at https://www.nestlejobs.com/nestle-in-the-us-benefits

It is our business imperative to remain a very inclusive workplace.

To our veterans and separated service members, you're at the forefront of our minds as we recruit top talent to join Nestlé. The skills you've gained while serving our country, such as flexibility, agility, and leadership, are much like the skills that will make you successful in this role. In addition, with our commitment to an inclusive work environment, we recognize the exceptional engagement and innovation displayed by individuals with disabilities. Nestlé seeks such skilled and qualified individuals to share our mission where you’ll join a cohort of others who have chosen to call Nestlé home.

The Nestlé Companies are equal employment opportunity employers. All applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or veteran status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. Prior to the next step in the recruiting process, we welcome you to inform us confidentially if you may require any special accommodations in order to participate fully in our recruitment experience. Contact us at [e-mail] or please dial 711 and provide this number to the operator: 1-800-321-6467.

This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship.

Review our applicant privacy notice before applying at https://www.nestlejobs.com/privacy .