Program Manager - Product Commercialization

At Keurig Dr Pepper (KDP) the consumer is at the heart of everything we do. Join the team at KDP and make a difference to consumers with one of America’s leading producers and distributors of hot and cold beverages helping to satisfy every consumer’s beverage need, anytime and anywhere.

We are looking for a Program Manager who will be responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of commercialization projects across the company, focusing on New Product Development (NPD), Line Extensions, Packaging Changes, and Productivity Improvements. This role is essential in managing the cross-functional teams that bring new products to market, ensuring that each project is completed on time, within budget, and according to quality standards. The position requires leading internal teams, collaborating with external stakeholders, and managing all phases of product commercialization—from concept through shelf—while maintaining a high standard of communication and accountability.

Primary Responsibilities:

Project Leadership & Coordination:

• Lead end-to-end commercialization processes for multiple projects, including NPD, line extensions, and packaging changes, ensuring that all are completed on time, within scope, and on budget.
• Develop, manage, and communicate detailed project timelines and key milestones, ensuring alignment with cross-functional teams including Sales, R&D, Operations, Marketing, and Manufacturing.
• Set project deadlines, assign tasks, and manage resources to ensure optimal productivity.
• Organize and facilitate regular project meetings, including "Feasibility" and "Launch" calls, to monitor progress, address challenges, and keep all stakeholders aligned.
• Act as the gatekeeper for a "single source of truth" for all project documentation, ensuring consistent updates, accuracy, and clarity.

Cross-Functional Team Collaboration:

• Coordinate and lead cross-functional teams to drive projects forward, collaborating with teams from Sales, Manufacturing, R&D, Procurement, Engineering, Marketing, and others to ensure seamless execution.
• Communicate status updates to senior management, highlighting progress, risks, and mitigation plans.
• Hold cross-functional team members accountable for delivering tasks on time and meeting agreed-upon milestones.
• Cultivate strong working relationships with external vendors, third-party partners, and stakeholders to ensure effective collaboration and project success.

Risk Management & Process Improvement:

• Proactively identify project risks and develop contingency plans to mitigate potential issues impacting timelines, budgets, or quality standards.
• Lead the development and implementation of process improvements based on feedback and lessons learned, contributing to the overall enhancement of the commercialization process.
• Ensure that all projects comply with relevant industry standards, regulatory requirements, and safety guidelines.

Documentation & Reporting:

• Maintain comprehensive project documentation, including status reports, performance metrics, and final project evaluations for senior leadership.
• Prepare reports summarizing project progress, challenges, and solutions for internal and external stakeholders.
• Track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) to evaluate the success of commercialization efforts.

Project Scope & Deliverables:

• Define project scope, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with key stakeholders.
• Ensure resource availability and allocate resources appropriately to meet project goals.
• Manage changes to project scope, schedule, and costs using verification techniques to maintain project control.
• Ensure products are delivered on time, within specification, and meet market and customer needs.

Benefits:

Our people are the heart of our business, which is why we offer robust benefits to support your health and wellness as well as your personal and financial well-being. We also provide employee programs designed to enhance your professional growth and development while ensuring you feel valued, inspired and appreciated.

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Supply Chain, Engineering, Food Science, or related field (Master’s degree or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification is a plus).
• Minimum 5-7 years of experience in project management, preferably within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or food industry.
• Proven experience managing complex projects from initiation through market launch.
• Familiarity with Stage Gate processes and tools for NPD and line extensions.

Skills & Knowledge:

• Strong leadership and organizational skills, with the ability to manage multiple projects and teams simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, including the ability to present findings and recommendations to senior leadership and cross-functional teams.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Strong problem-solving, risk management, and analytical skills, with a keen ability to identify solutions to issues that arise during project execution.
• High proficiency in managing timelines, budgets, and resources to deliver projects on schedule and within scope.
• Experience with regulatory compliance and familiarity with industry-specific standards (e.g., food safety, labeling requirements).

Key Competencies:

• Results-driven with a high sense of urgency, accountability, and initiative.
• Ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams without direct authority.
• Strong collaboration and interpersonal skills, able to work effectively with a diverse set of stakeholders.
• Adaptability in a rapidly changing and high-growth environment.
• A continuous improvement mindset, actively seeking ways to optimize project management processes.

Keurig Dr Pepper (NASDAQ: KDP) is a leading beverage company in North America, with a portfolio of more than 125 owned, licensed and partners brands and powerful distribution capabilities to provide a beverage for every need, anytime, anywhere. We operate with a differentiated business model and world-class brand portfolio, powered by a talented and engaged team that is anchored in our values. We work with big, exciting beverage brands and the #1 single-serve coffee brewing system in North America at KDP, and we have fun doing it!

Together, we have built a leading beverage company in North America offering hot and cold beverages together at scale. Whatever your area of expertise, at KDP you can be a part of a team that’s proud of its brands, partnerships, innovation, and growth. Will you join us?

We strive to be an employer of choice, providing a culture and opportunities that empower our team of ~29,000 employees to grow and develop.  We offer robust benefits to support your health and wellness as well as your personal and financial well-being. We also provide employee programs designed to enhance your professional growth and development, while ensuring you feel valued, inspired and appreciated at work.

Keurig Dr Pepper is an equal opportunity employer and affirmatively seeks diversity in its workforce. Keurig Dr Pepper recruits qualified applicants and advances in employment its employees without regard to race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, disability or association with a person with a disability, medical condition, genetic information, ethnic or national origin, marital status, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.