Commercializer

Summary

The Commercializer at Bush Brothers is a project leader responsible for driving new products from concept through commercialization. This role leads cross-functional teams through the complete product development lifecycle, including benchtop development, pilot production, full-scale manufacturing, and market launch.

The Commercializer ensures successful execution of projects by applying project management best practices, adhering to stage-gate requirements, and managing timelines, risks, resources, and stakeholder alignment. The role partners closely with R&D, Operations, Quality, Logistics, Manufacturing, Regulatory, Marketing, and Sales teams to deliver products that meet technical, operational, financial, and customer expectations.

The successful candidate is a self-directed leader who excels at enabling cross-functional teams to achieve objectives and milestones.

Major Position Responsibilities

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1. It is an essential requirement of the job that the employee can function in a feedback-rich, team-based environment.
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2. Employees must be able to have dialogue with both technical and non-technical roles
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3. Employees must possess good interpersonal skills and be compatible with co-workers.
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ESSENTIAL

50%

Project Management

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• Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, milestones, and critical path activities to ensure successful project execution.
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• Drive accountability across project teams to achieve project objectives, timelines, and business commitments.
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• Identify project risks, develop mitigation plans, and proactively resolve issues that may impact scope, schedule, cost, or quality.
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• Coordinate and communicate project priorities, decisions, and progress with stakeholders at all levels of the organization.
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• Lead regular project meetings, ensuring clear action plans, ownership, and follow-up of key deliverables.
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• Monitor project performance and provide timely updates on status, risks, and opportunities to leadership.
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• Manage change requests and ensure project scope remains aligned with business objectives.
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40%

Commercialization

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• Lead cross-functional project teams through all phases of the commercialization process, from concept development through launch.
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• Serve as the primary liaison between Research & Development, Supply Chain, Operations, and Business teams, ensuring alignment on project plans, risks, and readiness throughout the commercialization process.
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• Facilitate stage-gate reviews and ensure completion of required deliverables, approvals, and readiness criteria.
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• Partner with technical and operational teams to evaluate manufacturing capabilities, process feasibility, and production readiness.
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• Ensure commercialization activities comply with quality, regulatory, and food safety requirements.
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• Facilitate the transition of products from development to operations through effective knowledge transfer and launch planning, including comanufacturing relationships and agreements.
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• Drive continuous improvement of commercialization processes, tools and practices.
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10%

Misc.

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• Participate as a consultant and advisor in ideation activities as needed
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• Other duties as assigned
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SUPPLEMENTAL

Initiatives with other internal customers: Innovation, Project Managers, Sales, Marketing, Logistics, Procurement, Quality, Food Safety, Regulatory and Plant Quality and Operational Teams

Qualifications

Degrees

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, food science, supply chain or related technical discipline required.

Years of Experience

8+ years of relevant work experience in product commercialization, project management, and manufacturing consumer-packaged goods (Food & Beverage preferred)

Certifications/Licenses (preferred)

Lean Six Sigma or continuous improvement certification

Project management professional (PMP)

Familiarity with food safety and preventative controls

Expected to successfully complete Better Process Control School

Specialized Skills

Systems and process thinking, technical and business writing skills, clear and concise presentation and communication abilities.

Highly collaborate and results oriented in both a corporate and plant environment.

Foundational understanding of statistical process control, manufacturing operations, scale-up processes, financial acumen, and commercialization methodologies.

Ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously.

Experience with project management software and business process improvement tools.

Comfortability utilizing MS Project, navigating a stage-gate innovation process.