Director of Project Management

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Dawn Foods is a global leader in bakery manufacturing and ingredients distribution. As the partner of choice for inspiring bakery success, we help customers grow their business through meaningful partnerships, research-driven insights and innovations, and products and expertise they can depend on. As a family-owned company, our commitments to our people, products, customers, and corporate values, are all part of our recipe for success.

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Why work for Dawn Foods?

 

PEOPLE.  PRODUCTS.  CUSTOMERS.

  

Why should you apply? We invest in you!

• Industry-leading health insurance on Day 1!
• Competitive Pay
• 401(K) + company match
• 10 Paid Company Holidays
• 3 weeks PTO
• Professional training
• Family-owned business with over 100 years of service
• An opportunity for career advancement, working as part of an empowering workforce.

 

This is a remote position working EST hours. The successful candidate will live in either the EST or CST time zone. Must be able to travel up to 25%

 

About the Job

The Director of Project Management is responsible for coordinating the development, implementation, and optimization of project management activities within Dawn Foods R&D Function.  This includes creation and ownership of the “Dawn Way” of project management, evaluation, and rebuilding (as needed) of the existing Stage Gate Process, expansion in the scope of the project management process to all activities within R&D), tools and systems evaluation, and selection, and more. 

This position will also have accountability for our Project Portfolio Management philosophy, including tracking all necessary data and using this to recommend project selection in the future as well as ensuring that our project portfolio aligns with company strategy. 

This position is also responsible for the coaching, supervision, and development of project managers.  They will also manage the Stage-Gate process and collaborate cross-functionally to set priorities and drive critical projects forward. Leads growth at Dawn by optimizing process capabilities and speed to market. Creates KPIs and scorecards to inform Dawn's business decisions. 

 

What You'll Do as a Director of Project Management Dawn Foods

• Own the commercialization process and leverage scorecards to track project funnel health, ensuring alignment with Dawn’s strategic objectives.
• Develop new methods and tools to enhance and integrate Dawn’s project management systems, with a focus on change management for improved speed to market.
• Lead complex and high-visibility projects and communicate effectively with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
• Ensure the team follows best project management practices to meet the expectations of cross-functional stakeholders.
• Demonstrate proven leadership, communication, and diplomacy skills to effect evolutionary change in the Dawn commercialization process. Develop people leaders who motivate teams and individuals.
• Maintain and enhance standard project management processes, tools, and templates.
• Create methods for establishing project priorities, defining metrics, and tracking project progress.
• Maintain a comprehensive list of major projects and their current status for portfolio management, recommending optimal mix and sequencing of proposed projects.
• Facilitate regular reviews of ongoing and completed projects, collecting and evaluating lessons learned to identify patterns and draw conclusions.
• Manage selected strategic projects by designing timelines, scoping projects, and completing needs assessments.
• Provide ongoing project management training and guidance for team member development including individual development plans and performance reviews.
• Assist with issue resolution escalated from project managers and teams.
• Coordinate with Project Management leadership in other functions to streamline and align processes.
• Maintain a continuous improvement mindset to drive enhancements in speed and accuracy in project execution.
• Other duties as assigned
• Demonstrates the “Dawn Values” of Team Dawn and supports the Circle of Excellence.

 

What Does It Take to be a Director of Project Management at Dawn Foods? 

Below are the minimum qualifications to be a fit for this job.   

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• Technical background such as Food Science, Chemical Engineering, Biological Science, or related fields preferred.
• An understanding of financial business scope and prior budgetary accountability is required.
• PMP Certification desired (Alternative certifications may include PDP from the Pr