Senior Manager - Research & Innovation Product Lifecycle Management (R&D)

As the Sr. Manager – R&I PLM you will be the R&I NORAM (Research & Innovation North America, including the US and Canada) expert business process owner and functional liaison between R&I, IT, the global team, and 3rd party vendors carrying out the mission of a new specifications and PLM programs for R&I NORAM.

Specifications Program:

The mission of the specifications program is to globally implement one unique digital platform to develop and manage recipes & specifications (*) and organize the digital data flow and business processes of those specifications from R&I to Manufacturing and Artwork.

(*): raw and pack material specifications, product and pack recipe specifications, process specifications and label specifications, finished goods specifications.

The chosen digital platform is an industry standard PLM system that will be configured to our category needs, with minor customization, capable to be seamlessly integrated into the application landscape of Danone, in particular ERP, MDM, Supplier Portal, Advanced Formulation tool, LIMS, Artwork, Data & Analytics platform, Project Portfolio Management.

The aim of the next 3 years is to implement the core solution in all R&I centers, together with piloting the integration into the application landscape in a few key factories. The implementation at full scale should happen in years 3 and 4 of the program.

Main Responsibilities:

• Collaborate with NORAM cross-functional and global business process owners to ensure management, administration, and integration of the new R&I PLM system meet R&I NORAM needs
• Gathering and documenting system requirements to meet business objectives within the R&I, Quality and Regulatory teams to fully utilize the new PLM systems and processes

• Work closely with IT and business partners to assure the timeliness for the completion of projects and change requests
• Work with IT team and/or 3rd party vendor to interpret the needs of the business to deliver business solutions
• Prepare project plans detailing out the delivery, testing and implementation tasks and timelines

• Lead R&I NORAM migration, system integration and roll out of new PLM system
• Champion and lead change management within R&I NORAM for new system best-practices, ways of working, and enforce process alignment

• Develop and execute integrated testing and coordinate testing with R&I SMEs (Product Developers and Packaging Engineers)
• Actively attend workshops as R&I NORAM lead to ensure perfect adhesion of NORAM community to what is built in the tool. Drive standardization & simplification of WoW.

• Stay informed of the pilot CBU in the ETL/preparation of the data, related to the “product” scope.

• Develop reporting needs and requirements for ease of data export
• Provide hands-on review and training sessions for R&I NORAM

• Contribute to improving processes and ways of working within specification management internally and externally
• Mentor and collaborate with Manager of R&I Portfolio, Systems & Specification Management, and Specification Team
• Drive specification upgrading process: functional specification, new regulatory global requirements, safety risks anticipation
• Manage SAP Master Data creation and maintenance requests using a defined process.

The base compensation range for this position is $110,000-165,000 commensurate with experience. Danone North America additionally offers a performance-based bonus and has a strong benefits package including Medical, Dental, Vision, Prescription Drug Coverage, 401k Plan, Wellness Program, Life Insurance, Tuition Reimbursement, Flexible Time Off, and Paid Parental Bonding Leave, among other benefit plan options. To give our employees flexibility, Danone is a hybrid work environment.

Requirements / Qualifications:

• Bachelor or master’s degree in a relevant field of study Engineering, Food Science, Supply Chain Management, Computer Science or related field
• 10+ years of professional experience in Process Industry in the field of Product/Packaging Development, Quality or Manufacturing
• Experience in PLM (or similar) implementation projects in highly complex corporate organization will be a benefit
• Capacity to create an internal network to find answers quickly
• Capability to effectively communicate to align cross functional stakeholders
• Project management skills (incl. planning, organization, resource coordination and risk management)
• Ability to drive change in an organization
• Experience in coaching and managing other
• Be a team player and enjoy collaboration with other engineers and teams
• Taking leadership in cross-team situations with no hierarchical link
• Autonomy, initiative, and critical thinking
• Process & conceptual thinker with an analytical mindset
• Ability to work in an international environment
• Strong knowledge of CPG, PLM, PPM, SAP/INFOR data concepts
• Clear understanding of business process to support technical requirements for system build and gap analysis
• Advanced knowledge and experience with system migration and implementation
• Functional knowledge and understanding of the end to end process related to R&I, Quality and Regulatory teams’ process flow

At Danone North America, you’ll work with some of the best-known food and beverage brands in the world like Activia, Silk, Horizon Organic, Two Good, Oikos, evian, and Happy Family. You’ll be part of one of the largest Certified B Corps™ in the world, working together to make sure our brands create real benefits for people, communities, and the planet. We have 6,000+ employees across the U.S. and Canada. Come join our movement for a healthier world: One Planet. One Health BY YOU.

Danone North America doesn’t just welcome what makes you unique, we value it. We’re proud to be an equal opportunity and affirmative action employer. All hires to our team are based on qualifications, merit and business needs. We recruit, employ, train and promote regardless of race, color, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, veteran status, genetic characteristic or any other protected status. Faithful to our values of openness and humanism, all of our employees share in the commitment to engage one another with dignity and respect. http://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf

https://www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/OFCCP_EEO_Supplement_Final_JRF_QA_508c.pdf

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