Project Manager - Food Product Commercialization

Company Summary

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 diversified
• frozen food company based in East Chicago, IN, specializing in frozen food
• manufacturing and the distribution of frozen vegetables, fruits, grains,
• legumes, and herbs. The Project Manager – Sales
• operations leads the execution of product commercialization initiatives across
• Harvest Food Group, including New Product Development (NPD), Customer launches
• and specifications, customer and product line extensions, product changes,
• packaging, productivity improvements, and manufacturing transitions. This role
• ensures products are successfully launched, coordinated, transitioned from
• concept to full-scale production while meeting quality, cost, and timeline
• objectives, and drives cross-functional alignment to connect business
• strategy, customer expectations, with operational execution in a dynamic food
• manufacturing environment.

Responsibilities

• Leading cross-functional execution from concept
• through launch. This role will establish and maintain the overall project
• timeline
• Develop detailed Gantt charts and ensure all
• project milestones are clearly defined and achieved.
• Coordinate activities across departments,
• maintain project visibility, and hold teams accountable for deliverables to
• ensure projects progress according to plan.
• Act as the primary point of contact for the
• customer and the sales team, managing external communications related to
• project status, timelines, and key decisions.
• Align customer expectations with internal
• capabilities while ensuring clear communication across all stakeholders.
• Lead external engagement activities, including
• coordination with packaging suppliers, equipment manufacturers, and other
• critical service providers required to successfully execute the project. These
• engagements will be conducted in close collaboration with the respective
• internal department owners (e.g., Procurement, Supply Chain, Maintenance, QA,
• Operations) to ensure technical alignment, supplier compliance, and effective
• project implementation.
• Please note, this position is not eligible for visa sponsorship now or in the future. Additionally, there is no relocation assistance.

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Requirements

Bachelor’s

degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related field preferred; equivalent

experience considered

Minimum 5+

• years of previous experience in project
• management, 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

Proven

ability 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

Benefits

• WHY JOIN US?
• Direct Hire with full
• benefits, PTO and 401K Match
• Play a key role in the
• launch of a next-generation facility
• Work with a
• collaborative and innovation-driven team
• Help deliver
• high-quality, safe, and delicious food products to consumers
• Contribute to the
• future of food manufacturing through automation and sustainability