VP Project Management Office

Job Summary: 

The PMO Leader is a key strategic role responsible for heading the Project Management Office, driving initiatives across commercial expansion, operational efficiency, ESG sustainability, and CapEx projects. This role ensures that projects not only align with the company's market and efficiency goals but also adhere to ethical practices and involve strategic investment in the company's growth and infrastructure. In the formative stage, the PMO Leader will work in concert with the CEO and other Senior Leadership Team (SLT) members to establish a unified direction for the PMO and assist in prioritizing projects/initiatives across the enterprise, ensuring company-wide project strategies are optimized. In this high-impact role, the PMO Leader is poised to troubleshoot and guide teams through difficulties, underpinning the successful delivery of projects. Although not an executive officer of the Company, this role will require direct engagement with the SLT and include participation in recurring SLT meetings to guarantee that activities are synchronized and carried out in accordance with the Company's strategic objectives. As the PMO matures, the Leader's role in strategic partnership and resolving impediments will continue under the guidance of the designated SLT member tasked with PMO oversight.

Key Responsibilities:

• Design, implement, and oversee the PMO strategy and processes, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and industry best practices.
• Engage in direct collaboration with the CEO and senior leadership team to ensure cohesive strategic alignment of project priorities with the broader organizational vision.
• Lead the planning, execution, and delivery of the Company’s most significant and impactful projects, ensuring adherence to budgets and schedules, resource availability, and coordination with internal resources and third parties. Such high-impact projects will include:
  • Capex projects from conceptualization, planning, tracking, executing and finally completion.
  • Commercial projects demanding cross-functional support and significant enough to the enterprise to demand SLT level attention.
  • Operational projects aimed at manufacturing enhancements, technology upgrades, and process automation.
  • Business development initiatives including product and/or new customer launches.
• Perform risk management to minimize project risks and maintain comprehensive project documentation.
• Integrate ESG objectives into all project phases, promoting sustainable and responsible business practices tied to corporate governance.
• Create and maintain a project portfolio dashboard to monitor and report on progress, issues, and successes of all projects to senior management.
• Assist senior leadership in identifying and overcoming roadblocks, thereby ensuring fluid project progression and timely delivery of objectives.
• Transition to reporting to an assigned SLT leader to continuously align the PMO’s strategic direction with the company's evolving operational imperatives.

 Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, Finance, Environmental Science, or related field.
• Professional project management certification (e.g., PMP, PgMP, PRINCE2) is mandatory.
• Additional certifications or recognized training in financial management, asset management, or capital budgeting would be advantageous.
• Minimum of 5 years of experience in managing CapEx projects, preferably within the food contract manufacturing or a related industry.
• Demonstrated understanding of commercial dynamics and how CapEx, productivity, commercial and customer projects influence business growth and competitive positioning.
• Robust knowledge of ESG frameworks and the ability to intertwine ESG principles with PMO projects.
• Thorough experience in project financials, investment analysis, and maximizing returns on investments.
• Strong leadership skills, capable of driving teams toward achieving complex project goals involving extensive stakeholder management.
• Proven expertise in collaborating with C-level executives and senior leadership to align project management efforts with company strategies.
• Demonstrated ability to navigate complex project challenges and remove obstacles in a dynamic food contract manufacturing environment.

Preferred Additional Qualifications:

• Experience with advanced financial modeling and investment appraisal techniques pertinent to large-scale CapEx projects.
• Demonstrated success in influencing enterprise-wide project management initiatives over multiple locations and geographies.

Supervisory Responsibilities: Responsible for leading 2 project managers. 

Initial Reporting To: Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

Subsequent Reporting To: TBD SLT member

Transition Plan: The PMO Leader will initially report to the CEO to steer the PMO towards strategic alignment with top-tier organizational goals. Once the PMO is well-established, the role will transition to report to an identified SLT leader to maintain the strategic continuum and operational integration.   

Additional Considerations:

• Travel Expectation: Travel is required to various SunOpta locations and for meetings or other job-related functions; can be approximately 25%.
• This position will be in Eden Prairie, MN.

Work Environment/Physical Demands:

• Approximately 80% of the work is performed in an office environment. 20% of work is in the manufacturing environment.

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time, with or without notice.

AN EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

EOE M/W/VET/DISABLED