Project Manager

At Zentis - We are Fruit Masters! Zentis is Europe's number one fruit processing company and one of the leading brand manufacturers of jams, sweets, and custard-based desserts. The Company's North America operations are located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Plymouth, Indiana, where we produce fruit and dairy preparations for a variety of customers including yogurt, ice cream and bakery manufacturers. We are currently looking to recruit a Project Manager for our Plymouth or Philadelphia location. The Project Manager is responsible for overseeing and driving the successful completion of cross-functional projects across Zentis North America. This includes the development of detailed project plans and supporting the execution of these plans in adherence to timelines, budgets, and company quality standards. The role involves coordinating various aspects of project management, including monitoring, reporting, stakeholder coordination and communication, performance analysis, and risk management. The Project Manager works closely with functional departments to ensure seamless integration and collaboration throughout the project lifecycle. Primary Responsibilities: Project Planning & Execution • Develop detailed project plans, ensuring alignment with business objectives, timelines and budgets. • Support & oversee the smooth execution of company projects, ensuring adherence to timelines, budgets, and quality standards. • Coordinate with various departments including IT, operations, Sales, Marketing and others. Project Monitoring & Reporting • Review project plans and status reports and provide proper feedback and recommendations including corrective actions, if needed. • Project status escalation to project sponsors and senior management, where and when necessary as well as consultancy to the teams on project related issues. • Maintain accurate and up-to-date project documentation. Stakeholder Communication • Facilitate clear and consistent communication with all project stakeholders, ensuring their engagement and alignment. • Manage stakeholder expectations and relationships ensuring their involvement in key project decisions. • Provide regular updates on project status, issues and changes. • Adress stakeholder concerns and feedback promptly and effectively. Performance Analysis • Conduct thorough analysis of project performance, identifying areas for improvement and efficiencies. • Evaluate project outcomes against predefined metrics and objectives. • Support implementation of best practices and lessons learned to enhance future project performance. Risk Management • Identify potential project risks and develop mitigation strategies to address them proactively. • Monitor and manage risks throughout the project lifecycle, ensuring minimal impact on project objectives. Education & Experience Requirements: • Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field. • 2-5 years Commercial /Business experience. • Proven experience in managing projects from initiation to completion or in a similar role, preferably within a similar industry. • Proven experience in IT and/or manufacturing projects. • Competency in Microsoft applications including Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint to provide graphical / visual presentation of information. Skills and Abilities Required: The Project Manager must have the ability to focus on details and technicalities while simultaneously retaining a comprehensive vision of the big picture. The Project Manager should have the ability to deal with ambiguity, have great interpersonal skills and be able to juggle several different projects and responsibilities. Skill sets for the project manager include: • Communication Skills: strong verbal and written communication skills to effectively convey project goals, updates, and issues to stakeholders • Leadership: ability to lead and motivate cross-functional teams, fostering collaboration and productivity • Organizational Skills: excellent organizational skills to manage multiple projects simultaneously and ensure all tasks are completed on time • Problem-Solving: strong analytical and problem-solving skills to address project challenges and find effective solutions • Time Management: ability to prioritize tasks and manage time efficiently to meet project deadlines Desired skills include: • Knowledge of the food/fruit preparations industry • Project Management Professional (PMP) certification EOE/M/F/H/V