Director, Commercialization
- [job_card.full_time]
Job Description
What's it like to work at Kinder's? Well, there's a lot of snacking and geeking out over what we all cooked over the weekend. Beyond that, there's also plenty of hard work. Because we don't just like flavor, we're obsessed with it.
With over 100 products sold nationwide, we're now a top-five brand in multiple flavor categories at Costco, Walmart, Whole Foods, and more. We're not your typical CPG company. Privately held and founder-led, we like to think of ourselves as a pirate ship in a sea of cruise ships. Our crew is adventurous and fearless. We chart our own course and chase big ideas to make food unforgettable.
As we expand globally and approach $1 billion in revenue, we need more smart-and-scrappy, flavor-obsessed people to come aboard. If you're looking for a place where you can see the real impact of your work... this is it! Every day, you'll be part of a journey to add flavor to millions of meals and lives.
How You'll Have Impact at Kinder's: The Director of Commercialization plays a pivotal role in bridging innovation and execution and turning product concepts into successful in-market launches. You will lead a high-performing team of project managers and cross-functional partners to ensure every new product or renovation moves seamlessly from development through production and into retail execution.
This role requires a strategic and hands-on leader who thrives in a fast-paced environment, balancing long-term process improvements with day-to-day delivery. You'll drive alignment, mitigate risks, and uphold Kinder's standards for quality, cost, and speed, ensuring each launch reflects our relentless pursuit of flavor and excellence.
What You'll Be Doing:
COMMERCIALIZATION STRATEGY & EXECUTION
- Lead the end-to-end commercialization process, ensuring successful product delivery from pilot to first production and distribution.
- Align cross-functional teams on feasibility, scope, and timing for all product launches and renovations.
- Oversee project plans in Wrike, clearly defining milestones, dependencies, and critical paths.
- Partner with Product Development and Supply Chain to validate formulations, packaging, and manufacturing capabilities before launch.
- Anticipate and mitigate risks—technical, operational, financial, or regulatory—and communicate proactive solutions to leadership.
- Provide consistent visibility to stakeholders through dashboards, reports, and readiness trackers.
TEAM LEADERSHIP & DEVELOPMENT
- Lead, coach, and inspire a team of Project Managers and Commercialization Specialists to achieve executional excellence.
- Foster a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration.
- Balance team capacity with Kinder's innovation pipeline to optimize workload and efficiency.
- Partner with the Head of Project Management to evolve workflows, playbooks, and digital tools that support scalable success.
CROSS-FUNCTIONAL ALIGNMENT & PARTNERSHIP
- Serve as the central connection point between Product Development, Brand, Sourcing, Operations, Planning, Quality, and Sales.
- Partner with Supply Chain and Operations to confirm plant readiness, raw material availability, and co-manufacturer timelines.
- Deliver clear, proactive communication to executive leadership on launch status, risks, and mitigation strategies.
PROCESS OPTIMIZATION & CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
- Evaluate and refine Kinder's commercialization process to enhance visibility, speed, and cross-category scalability.
- Support digital transformation by maximizing Wrike and other tools for real-time collaboration and tracking.
- Partner with Finance and Operations to develop KPIs for commercialization success—focusing on cost, margin, and delivery performance.
What You Bring to the Table:
SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE:
- 10+ years of experience in commercialization, operations, or project management within CPG or food manufacturing.
- Demonstrated success leading complex product launches from concept through retail execution.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing, packaging, and supply chain processes.
- Proven ability to manage multiple, fast-moving projects in a high-growth environment.
- Proficiency in project management tools; Wrike experience preferred.
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Food Science, Engineering, or related field (MBA a plus).
PERSONAL CHARACTERISTICS:
- Passionate about food, flavor, and operational excellence.
- Strategic yet hands-on—able to balance big-picture thinking with flawless execution.
- Collaborative and influential leader who builds trust across teams and partners.
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and results-driven.
- Thrives in an entrepreneurial, fast-paced environment with evolving priorities.
The expected starting salary range for this role is $180,000- $190,000 per year. We may ultimately pay more or less than the posted range based on the location of the role. The amount a particular employee will earn within the salary range will be based on factors such as relevant education, qualifications, performance and business needs.
- No two days here are the same.
- We try to be good team members and good communicators, but we don't live by hierarchy and structure – everyone is a difference maker here.
- We make a lot of decisions in the face of incomplete information – our team embraces ambiguity and tries to make good decisions fast rather than great decisions slow.
- We believe our job is to take smart risk, not to eliminate risk.
- We believe in growing our skills and becoming a better company with more managerial expertise, but we are an entrepreneurial company at heart.
- We aren't trying to be average – we want to do exceptional things, and we are willing to work hard to achieve them.
We offer a range of total rewards that may include paid time off, 401k, bonus / incentive eligibility, equity grants, competitive health benefits, and other family-friendly benefits, including parental leave. Kinder's benefits vary based on eligibility and can be reviewed in more detail during the interview process.
OUR RECIPE FOR BALANCE:We believe great culture starts with people. We're a people-first company built on connection, collaboration, and balance. Most of our work happens in the office to spark creativity and community, but we also offer flexibility so team members have the autonomy to work outside the office when needed to support their work-life balance and personal commitments.
WHERE EVERY INGREDIENT MATTERS:Kinder's is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, gender, citizenship, marital status, religion, age, disability, gender identity, results of genetic testing, veteran status, as well as any other legally-protected characteristic. If you have a disability under the Americans with Disabilities Act or similar law, and you need any accommodation during the application process or to perform these job requirements, please reach out to us at careers@kinders.com
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