Commercialization Manager, Food Manufacturing

Who we are

Skjodt-Barrett is a world-class manufacturer of food solutions and custom ingredients for North America's most beloved and trusted brands. We take pride in working closely with our customers to understand their unique needs and create innovative, individualized solutions that deliver joy to their customers.

A family-founded company started over 35 years ago, we are backed by the investment company Axel Johnson Inc (AJI). With their investment and support, we are well-positioned to foster growth and explore new opportunities.

Our customers, blue-chip international brands and mid-sized producers alike, are why we exist. Our teams of innovators, communicators, and managers are the people who meet their needs, build trust, and exceed their expectations. 

Who we need

Reporting to the Commercialization Director, we are seeking a Commercialization Manager to join us at our cutting-edge facility in Brampton, Ontario. You will lead the end-to-end process of bringing new products from concept to market. You will collaborate across teams, working with R&D, Operations, Marketing, and Sales to ensure successful product launches that meet customer expectations and business goals. This is an exciting opportunity to leverage data, deliverables, and performance to create, define, and influence the commercialization processes and function as a whole.

Whether you share our obsession with caramel or your tastes run closer to on-the-go snacking options like apple sauce and protein smoothies, this is an influential role, with direct results from your work, appearing on grocery shelves across North America. Your contributions will be instrumental in making concepts tangible and exceeding the needs of name-brand clients.

This is a full-time, hybrid role working on-site in Brampton 2-3 days a week. There is approximately 10% travel involved.

What’s in it for you

Ownership. You want to play a pivotal role bringing delicious, high-quality food products to life. From shaping product development strategies to executing successful launches, you will have the authority to make critical decisions that directly impact business growth and customer satisfaction.

Autonomy. You will have the autonomy to drive initiatives forward, solve challenges proactively, and ensure commercialization efforts meet strategic objectives. You will play a key role in building and optimizing commercialization processes. With the ability to identify gaps and implement improvements, you will have the freedom to introduce best practices, enhance efficiency, and shape how new products are brought from boardroom to shelf.

Career development. At Skjodt-Barrett, we value the drive to bring ideas to life and the resilience to be accountable for your actions. You will work closely with a manager who strongly believes in empowering his team and providing mentorship. You will gain exposure across virtually every function in the business, building deep connections and growing your understanding of our organization. We have a proven history of supporting the professional development and career growth of our people. Joining us now is a chance to scale your career with us, whether on this team or in another area.

How you will make an impact:

• Launch new products. You will successfully launch new product commercialization to reach new revenue targets. You will monitor and report on the performance of commercialized products, identifying areas for improvement. 
• Collaborate. You will build and maintain relationships with key stakeholders, including customers, partners, and internal teams. You will liaise between internal teams and customers to meet all product specifications and development timelines.
• Lead. You will manage the commercialization process for new products from concept to launch, ensuring they are delivered on time and within scope and budget. You will identify and mitigate risks and resolve issues arising during commercialization. You will lead project status meetings, updates, and any changes to internal and external stakeholders.
• Optimize. You will support the continuous improvement and evolution of our commercialization tools and processes. You will identify gaps and implement best practices into ongoing processes.

What you bring: 

• The experience. You have extensive experience in product commercialization, preferably in the food or CPG industry. You have worked closely with R&D, Production, and Sales teams to bring concepts to life in alignment with customer needs and high-quality standards. You have an in-depth understanding of market research, product development, and go-to-market strategies.
• The project management skills. You have proven experience leading manufacturing product development launches and managing programs. You are a highly effective leader who can assign and manage resources and deliverables, mitigate scope creep and risk, and meet client commitments on time and budget. You have outstanding decision-making skills and can address challenges in a fast-paced, results-driven environment. You can balance multiple priorities, navigating complex problems with efficiency and focus.
• The leadership. You have a results-oriented mindset focusing on achieving objectives and driving business success. You operate with high integrity, attention to detail, and a commitment to upholding ethical and regulatory standards. You can influence without authority and have been directly involved in strategic conversations. You have the confidence to take new ideas forward and productively challenge the status quo. You think logically and execute when managing complex and ambiguous problems.
• The interpersonal skills. You have outstanding professional written and verbal skills. You excel at gaining trust and building relationships with internal teams and can influence without authority. You have finely tuned collaboration and negotiation skills. You genuinely appreciate diverse experiences and backgrounds and are interested in understanding others, hearing their perspectives, and addressing their concerns.

Why join?

We've got great taste. We care deeply about fostering a culture of transparency, responsibility, and integrity. It’s what drives us to make great-tasting, convenient, and healthy ingredients that our customers depend on. With a focus on nurturing and growing our employees' careers and professional satisfaction, we believe in open communication, idea sharing, and knowledge building. Skjodt-Barrett is committed to building an inclusive culture that helps to create longevity, growth, and innovation in the food industry.

We are working towards a sustainable future. We believe that what’s good for people and the planet is good for profit. It is everyone’s responsibility to do their part. We recognize the growing need to prioritize sustainability in manufacturing, and we continue to take steps to evolve. We strive to accelerate the adoption of sustainable packaging and food products to be a responsible partner for our customers and for the greater good. We take our role as a supply chain partner to heart and adhere to a strict Supplier Code of Conduct to ensure that our vendors uphold the integrity and values we live by.

We believe actions speak louder than words. Every day, we come together to exceed the expectations of our customers, each other and ourselves, inspired by our values:

• We care. About family, honesty, and respect.
• We communicate. Across every level, often, effectively, and clearly.
• We Empower. With trust, integrity, and accountability.
• We Deliver. Every time, through teamwork, innovation, and results.

Apply now.

At Skjodt-Barrett, we aim for diversity, equality, accessibility and inclusion in all of our operations and interactions. We welcome and appreciate candidates with a range of backgrounds and experiences. If you have 70% of the qualifications we are looking for and want to play an integral role in delivering innovative food product solutions, apply to express your interest. 

What you can expect from our interview process:

1. A virtual interview with a Talent Advisor to discuss your interest in the role and to learn more about the organization.
2. A virtual interview with the Commercialization Director and a representative from HR to discuss your experience in product commercialization and working with internal and external stakeholders. This is an opportunity to learn more about the culture and organization.
3. A follow-up interview with the CRO to discuss how your strengths align with the needs of the team and the company’s growth trajectory.

Skjodt-Barrett welcomes and encourages applications from people with disabilities. Please let us know what accommodations you require across the selection process.

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