Recipe Development Jobs in Chicago, IL (NOW HIRING)

Position: Marketing Project Management Office (PMO) Manager

Department: Marketing/Brand Management/Operations Management

Report To: Chief Marketing Officer

Location: Chicago, IL

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

About Nonni's

Who does not love cookies? Especially biscotti … those delicious cookies with an Italian flair! Founded in 1988 as a homage to an Italian grandmother, Nonni's Food Group is the leading Biscotti maker in the world and a recognized producer, marketer, and distributor of branded premium specialty cookies and healthier baked goods in North America. You will recognize our brands as Nonni's®, THINaddictives®, and La Dolce Vita® found in grocery, mass, club, and online retailers everywhere. Nonni's produces its traditional biscotti using the original family recipe focused on real ingredients and exceptional taste, now bringing this expertise into healthier snacking. Our mission to continually delight consumers with a range of baked goods that create loyalty beyond reason is the foundation for the continued success of the company and the part we play in bringing happiness to consumers every day. Our strong value set focused on respecting and listening to our people, having lofty expectations of ourselves, empowering our people to make decisions, operating as a "team-of-teams," continuous learning, and constant communication enable us to deliver consistently delectable goodness to the marketplace.

Job Overview

The Project Management Office (PMO) Manager at Nonni's Bakery serves as the central orchestrator of product development and commercialization processes. This strategic role owns the Stage Gate process, manages masterdata integrity, and leads cross-functional project teams from concept through launch. The PMO Manager ensures efficient project execution, drives time-to-market acceleration, and maintains process excellence across R&D, Marketing, Operations, and Sales functions. This position requires exceptional organizational capabilities, strong analytical skills, and the ability to lead without direct authority in a fast-paced CPG environment within the Ferrero organization.

Key Responsibilities

Process Development:

• Own and continuously optimize the Stage Gate process for new product development and existing product modifications
• Coordinate cross-functional activities to simplify workflows and accelerate time-to-market while maintaining quality standards
• Ensure process completeness, data accuracy, and compliance throughout all development stages
• Identify bottlenecks and inefficiencies; implement process improvements and best practices
• Develop and maintain process documentation, guidelines, and training materials
• Escalate critical issues, delays, or resource constraints to appropriate stakeholders in a timely manner

Recipe Development & Management:

• Monitor and track recipe development activities across multiple concurrent projects
• Manage recipe variations and ensure version control and documentation accuracy
• Assess downstream impacts of recipe changes on manufacturing, procurement, and quality
• Resolve timing conflicts and content discrepancies in collaboration with R&D and Operations
• Facilitate recipe approval workflows and maintain compliance with regulatory requirements

Masterdata Management:

• Oversee creation, maintenance, and accuracy of critical masterdata including product specifications, recipes, packaging details, and SKU information
• Ensure reliable information flow across all project stages and business systems
• Collaborate with IT, Operations, and Finance to resolve data discrepancies and maintain system integrity
• Support business decision-making through accurate and timely data availability
• Drive improvements in IT infrastructure, data management systems, and applications
• Establish data governance standards and quality control procedures

Program/Project Management:

• Lead end-to-end direction, coordination, implementation, execution, and control of product development projects and programs
• Develop comprehensive project plans, schedules, budgets, timelines, and resource allocation strategies
• Report project progress to leadership and stakeholders with clear, concise status updates
• Proactively identify and flag potential problems, risks, and issues; escalate for timely resolution
• Prioritize competing project activities and ensure appropriate resource allocation across the portfolio
• Facilitate project team meetings, track deliverables, and maintain accountability for milestones
• Implement quality assurance measures and ensure projects meet defined success criteria
• Manage project scope changes and maintain alignment with business objectives

Cross-functional Team Leadership:

• Lead cross-functional project teams through complex product changes from simple line extensions to major innovations
• Establish and maintain consistent ways of working within and across project teams
• Provide direction, support, and coaching to project team members
• Foster collaboration between R&D, Marketing, Sales, Operations, Procurement, Quality, and other functions
• Build strong working relationships across all organizational levels
• Drive accountability and commitment to project deliverables and timelines

Cross-Collaboration:

Internal Teams: R&D, Marketing, Sales, Manufacturing Plants, Procurement, Quality & Food Safety, Finance, People & Organization, Regulatory & Business Planning

External/Other Entities: IT, cross-functional business units within the Ferrero Group, external vendors and partners

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or related field; MBA preferred
• 5-8 years of progressive experience in project/program management roles within CPG companies
• Working knowledge of full commercialization lifecycle from ideation through launch validation
• Proven ability to manage up, down, and across organizational structures
• Excellent project management and organizational skills with exceptional attention to detail
• Demonstrated ability to manage and prioritize multiple complex initiatives simultaneously
• Strong analytical, decision-making, and problem-solving skills
• Ability to analyze situations quickly and develop actionable plans under pressure
• Action-oriented mindset with ability to think and react to rapidly changing circumstances
• Excellent verbal, written communication, and presentation skills
• Strong leadership abilities with proven success leading and motivating cross-functional teams
• Expert proficiency in Microsoft Project and Microsoft Excel
• Experience with project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Stage Gate)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
• Food manufacturing or baked goods industry experience
• Knowledge of Ferrero culture, processes, and organizational structure
• Familiarity with SAP, PLM systems, or similar enterprise software
• Experience with process improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma)
• Background in data governance and master data management
• Understanding of food safety, quality systems, and regulatory compliance

Working Conditions:

• Full-time position based in Chicago, IL - Hybrid arrangement (3 days per week onsite)
• Occasional travel to manufacturing facilities and Ferrero offices may be required (15%)

An Equal Opportunity Employer

We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, disability, genetic information, or any other status protected by law or regulation. It is our intention that all qualified applicants are given equal consideration.