Project Manager - Toys Technology Innovation

Job Location: ​Chicago​

Company description

Ferrero is a family-owned company with a truly progressive and global outlook and iconic brands such as Nutella®, Tic Tac®, Ferrero Rocher®, Raffaello®, Kinder Bueno® and Kinder Surprise®. As the love for our brands continues to grow, so too does our global reach. Represented in more than 50 countries, with products sold in more than 170, the Ferrero Group is loved by generations around the world. The secret to our global success? 40,000  dedicated employees who celebrate care and quality to craft a business, careers and brands we are proud of. Join us, and you could be one of them.

Diversity Statement

Ferrero is committed to building a diverse and inclusive culture in which all employees feel welcomed and appreciated and have the same opportunities. We believe all of our people are equally talented in their own way. In nurturing the curiosity and natural abilities of our employees, we provide them, generation after generation, the means to succeed personally and professionally, enabling them to craft their journey at Ferrero. The diversity of our talents is what makes our work environment multicultural, innovative and highly rewarding.

 

Ferrero N.A. provides equal employment opportunities (EEO) to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability or genetics.

 

About the Role:

Kinder, a Ferrero brand, is the undisputed global leader in confectionary with surprise toys. For nearly 50 years Kinder’s core product, Kinder Surprise, has been innovating toys with surprises. The newly created Ferrero Open Innovation Center located in downtown Chicago, has an exciting opportunity to put your project management expertise to work in the toy innovation domain collaborating closely with our Toys Breakthrough Innovation Lead. In this role, you will be exposed to the latest and greatest technologies in toys, collaborate closely with our counterparts in Luxembourg and Italy, and be instrumental in driving innovation projects.  

If you're ready to help shape the future of toy innovation, bring your expertise to the Ferrero Open Innovation Center and let's create magic together!

Main Responsibilities:

Project Management:
Lead, manage and coordinate innovation projects, ensuring timely delivery and adherence to Ferrero’s high standards.
Draft and deliver key project documents, including but not limited to scopes of work, and purchase orders. 
Maintain and oversee project budgets, timelines, and documentation to ensure projects progress smoothly and adapt as needed.
Provide auxiliary technology scouting support, to find and deliver new ideas to the Toys Lab.
Create professional slide decks to communicate project status to internal and external stakeholders.
Operational Support:
Manage procurement, maintenance, and other responsibilities essential for lab operations.
Toys Innovation Lab Oversight:
Support the seamless operation of the Toys Lab, operation, administration, safety, etc.
Own procurement, maintenance, and other tasks associated with lab operations.
 

Who we are looking for:

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, engineering, or a related field required.
• Professional experience in project management, preferably in an innovation-focused environment.
• A genuine passion for working in a dynamic, experimental environment, and driving innovation.
• Literacy in technology, to help find and support the development of our Toys Innovation projects.
• Experience working with software development, artificial intelligence, and or virtual reality, beneficial.
• Experience in rapid prototyping or fabrication lab operations, beneficial.
• Expertise in identifying, defining, communicating, and tackling project challenges head-on.
• Proven experience in managing multiple projects simultaneously from inception to completion, ensuring alignment with operational and strategic goals.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Adept in PowerPoint, Excel, and MS Office Suite.

 

 

How to be successful in the role and at Ferrero:

Consumers, quality and care are at the heart of everything we do. So, to be successful at Ferrero, you’ll need to be just as consumer and product centric as we are - dedicated to crafting brilliant results for consumers around the world. 

Strong analytical mind, attention to details on one hand, and ability to cooperate with employees at all levels and great organisational skills on the other, would be key to success.  Employee contribution and engagement at Ferrero is based on the individual, team and organisation dimension, so you should have the ability to work independently, as a part of the tea