Manager, Product Innovation Enablement (PIE)

This is a hybrid role to the Boulder, CO, NYC, Chicago, Aurora, IL or Lake Zurich, IL sites

We’re hiring a Manager to lead our Product Innovation Enablement (PIE) function here at Factor_.  You will be responsible for enabling cross-functional collaboration across the end-to-end supply chain, enabling the product roadmap including New Ingredient Development launches, process, quality and cost improvement initiatives, and both sampling and in-bento product partnerships and media.  This includes leading all stages of operational readiness for Product launches, and triggering the identification, development, and implementation of critical capabilities that are required in the Supply Chain to meet the company’s ambitious product innovation vision. This project management role is a blend of strategy (directly supporting long term and high impact NPD goals for the company) and tactical execution (directly coordinating launch activities each time something new ‘goes live’).  You will have a direct impact on the stability and scalability of our product.

The Product Innovation Enablement function is a center of excellence that delivers on the overarching mandate of the Product Operations function, to: 1) deliver an exceptional customer experience through the end-to-end management of weekly menus, from planning to web upload 2) manage functional cost performance 3) synthesize and translate supply chain constraints and dependencies to drive physical product launches across all verticals.

You will:

• Coordinate cross-departmental enablement projects across the Supply Chain, focused on expanding the customer-facing product offering 
• Work with Product Team stakeholders to assess Product Concepts/Initiatives, New Ingredient Launches and all other Product changes that impact our operations and translate that product vision into a working plan within our supply chain capabilities. 
• Work with the Partnerships team on both product sampling initiatives and in-bento product partnerships to assess viability and upon onboarding, own the project management and successful execution of each partnership product. 
• Facilitate working sessions, develop presentation decks/sheets, evaluate the potential impact on Operations processes, identify challenges, and design new capabilities to be implemented.
• Sponsor the prioritization and progress of phase-based capability enhancement and continuous improvement projects and ensure timely delivery by all relevant teams.
• Partner closely with production, automation & engineering teams to effectively manage constraints and optimize operational capacity.
• Synthesize together all the above information to develop timelines, schedules, and other assets to effectively manage the readiness of the Supply Chain for ‘going-live’ with each concept.
• Project manage to completion multiple launch initiatives across multiple stakeholders, ensuring all relevant tools and trackers are up to date and all stakeholders informed. 
• Proactively own all communication for PIE including email updates, slack channels, meetings, JIRA board updates, etc. to ensure alignment across the team. 
• Own and improve various Program Management elements (trackers, recurring meetings, etc.), which control the most up-to-date information about all the capabilities being worked on across the Supply Chain to achieve the Product vision
• Refine these elements, and the communication processes around them
• Engage with other departments to ensure all information is regularly updated
• Provide recurring updates to Senior Leadership Team
• Support the continuous improvement of the team’s operating model via ideating, developing or improving the set of standard tools and processes the function operates with.

Own the project management for ad hoc Special Projects, ensuring coordination across the team with a clear DACI so that roles and responsibilities are clear and execution is seamless.   

You are:

• A natural owner and project leader - You are comfortable working autonomously and are obsessive about producing high quality work; you’re eager to take on new projects without close oversight, and without knowing exactly what you will uncover.
• Intellectually curious - You have an insatiable desire to understand why things are the way they are, how things work, and to challenge the status quo; you search for information and answers in an evolving landscape.
• Agile and organized - You thrive in fast-paced and dynamic environments; you can multitask and prioritize your responsibilities and the responsibilities of others; you demonstrate a methodical approach to all of your work
• A data-driven critical thinker and problem solver - You use data and logic to identify opportunities, diagnose issues, evaluate alternatives, and synthesize and present critical information to solve complex problems.
• Results-oriented - You have a demonstrated hunger and ability to deliver impact, and focus on identifying solutions.
• An excellent communicator - You can explain complex (often technical) information to a variety of audiences, often translating between Product and Operations.
• A self-starter - You apply a sense of urgency to your work and are independently proactive.
• A team player and relationship builder - You favor team victories over individual success, you earn the trust of your colleagues and counterparts

You have:

• A strong academic record, preferably with a degree in Supply Chain Management, Engineering, Business, or other relevant area of study
• Minimum 4 years of experience in consulting, an operationally complex supply chain, in a hands-on Project or Program Management role that is both strategic and operational, or related
• Exceptional project and people management skills
• Excellent analytical skills and operational modeling capabilities - able to gather, organize, analyze, visualize, and present data to enable decision-making
• Excellent verbal and written communication abilities - able to convey the most important information to stakeholders, and to be effective in both technical and non-technical situations
• Ability to thrive in an unstructured, fast-moving, and constantly evolving high-growth environment
• Understanding of the operations, supply chain, and product offering of Factor specifically, or of the ready to eat industry generally, is a big plus.

You’ll get…

• Competitive Salary & 401k company match that vests immediately upon participation
• Generous parental leave of 16 weeks & PTO policy, as well as paid holidays off
• $0 monthly premium and other flexible health plans
• Amazing discounts, including up to 75% off HelloFresh subscription
• Emergency child and adult care services
• Snacks & monthly catered lunches
• Collaborative, dynamic work environment within a fast-paced, mission-driven compan

This job description is intended to provide a general overview of the responsibilities. However, the Company reserves the right to adjust, modify, or reassign work tasks and responsibilities as needed to meet changing business needs, operational requirements, or other factors.

FOR CO POSTINGS (REMOVE IF N/A):

Our company is committed to fair hiring practices and complies with all applicable laws, including the Colorado Job Application Fairness Act (JAFA). In accordance with JAFA, we will not request your age, date of birth, or dates of attendance at or graduation from an educational institution on your initial application for employment.