Job Description

Product Commercialization is looking for its newest Senior PM (Product Commercialization Lead).  This dynamic team is the pulse critical to driving the cross-functional execution of the Exclusive Brands product launch process (product brand, product attributes / communication hierarchy, product information accuracy and more come together for finalization and activation within this team) as well as any product changes to current Whole Foods Market Exclusive Brands items. The PC Team also facilitates development, implementation and improvement of various work-streams and conducts resource/ capacity planning to inform all functional teams supporting the Exclusive Brands Program at Whole Foods Market. With key functions in both business planning and execution, the team seeks to optimize business processes and efficiencies cross-functionally to serve a number of teams supporting our Exclusive Brands Program, including: Sourcing, Product Development, Package Design, Manufacturers, Logistics/Supply Chain, Product Quality and Global Food Safety.

Based in Austin, TX

Product Commercialization Lead Job Responsibilities:

• Provide Project Management support for assigned segments of the organization.
• Engage with functional representatives to understand business requirements including ‘definition of done’, documentation expectations, resource limitations, risks, and challenges.
• Build and maintain project roadmaps, including milestones, deliverables, and overall timelines.
• Track and manage progress of tasks, identifying and communicating issues / risks to management; ensure changes are implemented and documented as required.
• Engage with Team Members and leadership to ensure a mutual and shared understanding of project expectations.
• Ensure data-driven, customer focused decision-making.
• Partner with third parties and teams across WFM to ensure alignment, collaboration, and wide-spread sharing of lessons learned.
• Network with other business groups to identify gaps, synergies, suggest process and communication improvements.
• Monitor metrics. Reports on progress, issues, and status.
• Ensure consistency and adherence to WFM’s standards, processes, and policies.
• Coordinate final label compliance reviews including, accuracy, consistency and conformance to WFM’s Quality Standards and conventions/best practices in all claims, product copy, instructions, net weight and other information.
• Provide clear vendor communication involving product life-cycle documentation requirements, and label development and review process.
• Assist in facilitating the label review and approval process by third parties including vendors, organic certification agencies, kosher certification bodies, and parties involved in the Whole Trade Guarantee program such as Fair Trade USA, etc.
• Extensive proofing and accuracy checking against Product Compliance Specification, noting package design revisions.
• Maintain ongoing business partner meetings including agenda and discussion facilitation.
• Travel up to 10%

Qualifications:

• Understands leading project management methodologies and is comfortable applying project management principles to varying project situations.
• Ability to plan, estimate, organize, and monitor projects.
• Capable of keeping projects on track, in accordance with multiple stakeholder deadlines.
• Working knowledge of project management software(s) such as Workfront a plus.
• Excellent communication skills, including written, verbal, and active listening.
• With guidance, responds to questions and presents information to internal and external stakeholders with an appropriate level of detail given the audience/recipient  in both 1:1 and group settings.
• Continuously seeks to elevate the quality of own work and that of the collective team.
• Maintains positive working relationships with supported functional stakeholders.
• Applies basic research, information gathering, and analytical skills to:
  • Select appropriate alternatives from proposed options and/or preferences communicated.
  • Collect required documentation and verify conformance with internal standards and regulation,
  • Assess accuracy of detailed information against an array of policies and procedures.
• Handles detailed, structured problems, narrowing and identifying specific roadblocks to task completion.
• Uses existing procedures to resolve standard problems.
• Understands the strategy, goals, and objectives of the company, business unit, and/or project.
• Identifies alignment / misalignment of project goals with larger organizational strategy, goals, and objectives and suggest solutions to support key business goals as needed/helpful. 
• Comfortable learning basics of the Whole Foods Market product assortment, supplier base, and key operational detail.
• BA/BS degree and 4-6+ years’ relevant experience OR equivalent education and relevant experience.

At Whole Foods Market, we provide a fair and equal employment opportunity for all Team Members and candidates regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, marital status, disability, or any other legally protected characteristic. Whole Foods Market hires and promotes individuals solely based on qualifications for the position to be filled and business needs.

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