Project Manager

What makes this a great opportunity?

•    The alcohol/beverage industry is an exciting, dynamic, and fast paced business. Suntory Global Spirits is a top player in the spirits business and focused on driving both category and brand growth.

•    Drive growth at Suntory Global Spirits through the management of medium to high complexity projects globally from ideation to evaluation.

•    Collaborate with a diverse network of global stakeholders and functions across the organization to commercialize products

•    As part of the Global R&D team, ability to provide input and support to overall global process improvements

**This position can be located in Chicago, Kentucky or New York**

Role Responsibilities

As part of the Global Project and Portfolio Management team, the Project Manager will enable global business growth through the development and execution of Innovation and Renovation projects from ideation through post launch evaluation. The Project Manager will lead discussions between Innovation, Commercial, R&D, Supply Chain, and other relevant internal and external global stakeholders to deliver projects on time while escalating project risks and mitigation plans throughout project lifecycles. This role provides broad exposure to every facet of the organization and requires strong written and verbal communication skills to drive meaningful discussions with global cross functional stakeholders as it relates to project risk, timeline, and quality.
This position requires a person with initiative, independent judgment, strong organizational and leadership skills, attention to detail and the capability to manage multiple projects and priorities while maintaining commitment to quality in processes, products, and services.

Role Responsibilities: 

•    Leverages our project management system to plan, track and execute projects of varying complexity from ideation through post launch evaluation by developing & maintaining project specific timelines
•    Identifies critical path milestones across various project types and project scenarios, leveraging support from cross functional teams to detect early-stage risks and determine options for mitigation
•    Schedules & leads project status meetings with cross-functional stakeholders, coordinating project details, agendas and action items in accordance with our communication principles
•    Leverages strong written and verbal communication skills to provide timely & consistent updates in project management system and to global project teams across other internal forums to maintain stakeholder visibility to relevant project data
•    Proactively prepares for and presents projects at gate meetings by ensuring accuracy of gate documents, adherence to gate principals, P&L, risks, and Gantt chart for each project throughout the stage gate process
•    Champions the purpose & principles of the stage gate process that drives our business by guiding cross-functional stakeholders in process adherence and influencing how projects progress
•    Identifies and proposes improvements that streamline process and/or project execution
•    Drives solutions forward by uniting key stakeholders to identify and evaluate options and their implications, steering actions towards enhanced ways of working
•    Works effectively with peers and cross functional stakeholders by seeking diverse perspectives and encouraging unity through relationship building 
•    Ability to lead in a global environment with multi-cultural teams 
•    Participates in team building within Global R&D, broader Suntory Global Spirits initiatives and external seminars for engagement and development

Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree in project management or business-related field  
Certifications/Licensure- Experienced in Microsoft Project or other PPM software; Six Sigma & Project Management Certifications desired
Level of experience- 3+ years of demonstrated performance in Project Management with experience using Microsoft project or other PPM software
Industry experience- Spirits and or food industry experience a plus 
Must be fluent in the English language (speak, read, write)
Travel 5%-10% globally as needed
Desire to help build and maintain a diverse, equitable, and inclusive culture within Global R&D and broader Suntory Global Spirits

The salary range for this role, based in Chicago is $95,000- $110,000 along with an annual bonus, 401K match, profit sharing, and medical and wellness benefits. The salary range is commensurate with the candidate’s location, experience, and skillset. The range will vary if outside of this location.