Senior Project Manager, Innovation

Senior Project Manager – Innovation

Reports to:

Director, PMO

Location:

Evanston, IL (Hybrid)

The most important element of our company background is our purpose. We are a dairy cooperative of cooperatives. That means we exist to create value for our cooperatives and the 14,000 Irish family dairy farms they support. This purpose shapes how we operate, fuels our ambition to win, and anchors our commitment to long‑term sustainability.

Ornua is Ireland’s largest exporter of Irish dairy, exporting to over 110 countries with annualised sales of €3.4 billion.

We are multinational, operating from 19 subsidiaries worldwide and employing over 2,600 staff. Ornua has teams working in‑market across the globe, from Algiers to Beijing, to Lagos and LA. You may recognize the iconic Kerrygold brand, as well as the Pilgrims Choice, Dubliner, Forto, and BEO Milk Powder brands. Our Ingredients division supplies superior quality dairy ingredients to leading global food manufacturers from technically advanced manufacturing and pre‑packing facilities located in Africa, China, Ireland, Germany, Saudi Arabia, Spain, the UK, and the US.

Ornua Foods North America Inc. is headquartered in Evanston, IL, with additional teams located across the US. The consumer foods portfolio spans butter, cheese, and dairy powders.

The North America division is a powerhouse within Ornua, with an iconic and beloved brand and a highly engaged, inclusive, and high-performing team that has delivered double‑digit, profitable growth for the last twenty years.

The Senior Project Manager – Innovation is a critical member of the Ornua Foods North America PMO team. This role is essential to driving Kerrygold’s continued growth through consumer‑centric innovation and operational improvement initiatives. The Senior Project Manager leads cross‑functional teams to deliver new products and business capabilities with excellence, ensuring alignment with brand strategy and organizational priorities.

• End‑to‑End Project Leadership: Lead the delivery of high‑impact innovation and operational projects from concept through commercialization, ensuring alignment with strategic brand and business objectives.
• Cross‑Functional
  
  Collaboration:
  
  Drive cross‑functional teams — including R&D, Marketing, Supply Chain, and Commercial — to deliver innovation at pace, balancing speed‑to‑market with quality and compliance.
• Project Planning & Governance: Develop robust project plans, timelines, budgets, and risk frameworks using best‑in‑class CPG project management methodologies and tools.
• Agile Ways of Working: Champion agile methodologies, fostering a culture of experimentation, rapid learning, and continuous improvement.
• Stakeholder Engagement: Engage and influence senior stakeholders, translating strategic objectives into actionable project plans and measurable deliverables.
• Risk Management: Proactively identify barriers to project success and lead mitigation strategies to maintain momentum and delivery excellence.
• Communication & Reporting: Ensure clear communication throughout the project lifecycle, tailoring messaging for diverse audiences from production teams to executive leadership.
• Change Leadership &
  
  Coaching:
  
  Support and coach team members and people managers through change, building capability for innovation and resilience.
• Process Excellence: Share best practices and help standardize innovation processes across the business.
• Governance & Support: Provide structured governance, reporting, and coaching for innovation projects in line with business requirements.

• 6+ years of Project Management experience, ideally within CPG or a fast‑paced consumer brand environment, with a proven track record in innovation delivery.
• PMP or comparable Project Management certification preferred.
• Demonstrated leadership of large‑scale transformation, new product development, or change management programs.
• Proven ability to build strong cross‑functional relationships and influence at all organizational levels.
• Highly collaborative, with a passion for creating and delivering consumer‑centric innovation.
• Strong problem‑solving skills…