Commercialization Process Manager

This role will be a hands‑on leader for the successful transition of new and reformulated baking products from the product development stage through to full‑scale manufacturing and market launch. This role is a critical link between R&D, Operations, Supply Chain, Sales, and Marketing, ensuring new products are manufactured efficiently, profitably, and to the highest quality standards. This position will be responsible for a comprehensive overhaul of the current commercialization lifecycle, focusing initially on establishing a disciplined and efficient execution of the process for approved projects.

This role works closely with the Executive Leadership team and cross‑functional leaders across the organization.

Assess current state
:
Conduct a deep dive to map and analyze the current state of the commercialization process across all functions.

Understand Gaps
:
Identify and comprehend the fundamental gaps and challenges that must be solved to evaluate performance.

Define New Process
:
Define a new process that is right‑sized for Crown Bakeries’ current business needs and future growth projections.

Documentation & Rollout
:
Document, communicate, train, and fully roll out the new process across all functions (including Operations, R&D, Sales, Marketing, Finance, etc.).

Project Management

• Lead Cross‑functional teams (R&D, Engineering, Quality, Production, Procurement) and manage the end‑to‑end commercialization process for new products and product reformulations.
• Develop and maintain detailed project timelines, milestone trackers, and risk mitigation plans for all commercialization initiatives.
• Ensure all project documentation, including specifications, process flows, and cost models, are complete and accurate prior to launch.
• Facilitate and lead weekly project status meetings, communicating progress, challenges, and decisions to stakeholders and executive leadership.

Manufacturing Scale‑Up & Process Development

• Pilot Runs and Trials:
  Coordinate and execute pilot runs and plant trials to evaluate new formulations, ingredients, and processing parameters on manufacturing equipment.
• Scale‑up Validation:
  Validate manufacturing processes to ensure products can be produced consistently, safely, and efficiently at commercial volumes while maintaining product quality (texture, flavor, shelf‑life).
• Equipment Integration:
  Partner with Engineering to assess current equipment capabilities and determine needs for new equipment or modifications to support new product processes.
• SOP Development:
  Develop and/or revise Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and work instructions for new products to train production personnel.

Cost Management & Profitability

• Partner with Finance and Procurement to establish and validate the Cost of Goods Sold (COGS) for new products.
• Identify opportunities for process optimization and material savings to meet target margin goals.
• Manage the initial Bill of Materials (BOM) development and ensure smooth handover to the Operations/ERP System.

Quality & Compliance

• Work closely with the Quality Assurance team to define critical quality attributes (CQAs) and critical control points (CCPs) for new products within the manufacturing process, adhering to HACCP/HARPC principles.
• Ensure all commercialized products and processes comply with food safety regulations (FDA, USDA), internal quality standards, and customer requirements.

• Bachelor’s degree in food science, Engineering, Manufacturing, or related technical field. Demonstrated experience may be considered in lieu of degree.
• Experience:
• Minimum of 5-7 years of experience in project management, business process management, or commercialization leadership.
• Food manufacturing plant environment is necessary, baking manufacturing is a strong preference.
• Deep understanding of the entire commercialization lifecycle, from ideation to post‑launch/close‑out.
• Strong understanding of baking science principles, ingredient functionality (flour, yeast, leavening agents, etc.), and large‑scale baking equipment (mixers, dividers, proofers, ovens, freezers).
• Experience designing, implementing, and optimizing operational processes (e.g.,…