Senior Manager, Project Delivery

<p><strong>POSITION SUMMARY:<br/><br/></strong>At Rainforest Alliance, we believe in customer-centricity. The Product Development Department, operating within the Product portfolio is at the forefront of driving transformative growth and impact in the fields of sustainable agriculture, climate resilience, and ecosystem conservation.<br/><br/>With a strategic focus on innovation, collaboration, and a customer-centric approach, this dynamic department plays a crucial role in crafting and delivering innovative products. From end-to-end product lifecycle management to scalable solutions, the team spearheads initiatives that align with overarching business goals. Through interdisciplinary stakeholder consultation, continuous improvement, and strategic partnerships, the Product Development Department stands as a catalyst for achieving the organization's mission.<br/><br/>We seek an accomplished and results-driven Senior Manager to lead a team of six product development/project delivery managers and drive the successful end-to-end development and delivery of complex projects and products. This role demands a strategic leader who thrives on accountability and responsibility for managing individual and team performance, ensuring on-time, high-quality project outcomes. Collaboration with diverse stakeholders is a critical component of the role, as is an unwavering commitment to excellence in project management practices.<br/><br/><strong>RESPONSIBILITIES:<br/><br/></strong><strong>Team Leadership and Development:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Lead, mentor, and develop team members to achieve their full potential.</li> <li>Directly manage and coach a team of six Product Development/Project Managers, cultivating a culture of collaboration, innovation, Transparency, and accountability.</li> <li>Empower team members through mentorship, clear goal-setting, and ongoing development opportunities.</li> <li>Foster team ownership of objectives and deliverables, ensuring alignment with organizational goals.</li> <li>Encourage cross functional collaboration within the team to drive product &amp; project success and Innovation.</li> <li>Champion diversity, equality, and inclusion within the team to create a supportive and dynamic environment.</li> <li>Demonstrate and support conflict resolution and problem solving to maintain a high performing team environment.</li> </ul> <p><strong>End-to-End Products-Projects Delivery:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Entirely own and drive the end-to-end delivery of projects and products, from requirements gathering and scoping to implementation and post-delivery evaluation.</li> <li>Define project roadmaps, manage dependencies, and ensure all deliverables meet scope, quality, timeline, and budget expectations.</li> <li>Proactively identify, mitigate, and resolve risks and challenges that could impact project delivery.</li> <li>Ensure adherence to best practices in project management methodologies, tools, and standards.</li> <li>Drive continuous improvement initiatives by analysing project performance and identify and implement lessons learned.</li> <li>Collaborate with key stakeholders, including engineering, design, testing marketing, and operations teams to ensure execution.</li> <li>Oversee resource planning and allocation to ensure teams and projects are effectively resourced and equipped with the correct skills to meet project demands.</li> <li>Ensure scalability and sustainability of project management frameworks to support long –term business growth.</li> <li>Proactively communicate with stakeholders at all levels ensuring that both tactical and strategic updates are shared effectively, managing expectations, and addressing concerns promptly.</li> <li>Work collaboratively with different teams to identify potential risks and roadblocks across the projects and lead efforts to develop mitigation strategies in real time.</li> <li>Continuous improvement by partnering with relevant teams to find opportunities for continuous process improvement, leveraging feedback loops, retrospectives and lessons learnt to refine collaborative efforts and project delivery.</li> </ul> <p><strong>Accountability and Responsibility:</strong></p> <ul> <li>Take responsibility for the success of all projects under your leadership, including personal contributions and team efforts.</li> <li>Establish clear metrics for success and monitor progress, addressing gaps and driving continuous improvement initiatives.</li> <li>Ensure transparency and effective communication with stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.</li> <li>Foster a culture of accountability where team members take ownership of their work and deliverables.</li> <li>Hold regular retrospectives and performance reviews to project outcomes and refine processes.</li> <li>Act as a key escalation point for project challenges ensuring swift resolution and minimal impact on timelines.</li> <li>Ensure compliance with company policies, industry standards and regulatory requir