Associate Manager, Planning & Business Operations

This position is listed on behalf of a partner company, who manages all applications and next steps. Our partner is looking for an Associate Manager, Planning & Business Operations based in the United States.

This role supports the planning and execution of a dynamic physical product portfolio in a fast-paced consumer environment.

You will serve as a key connector across teams, keeping projects aligned, timelines on track, and priorities moving forward.

From initial product briefs through launches, renovations, and discontinuations, you will help bring structure and visibility to complex workstreams.

The position combines hands-on project management with business operations, process improvement, and cross-functional coordination.

You will work closely with teams across product development, marketing, operations, supply chain, and other business functions.

You will also have the opportunity to experiment with modern AI tools and automation to make project workflows more efficient.

This is an ideal opportunity for an organized, proactive project manager who thrives in a collaborative, evolving environment.

Accountabilities

• Coordinate stakeholders, timelines, milestones, and dependencies across multiple concurrent product and business initiatives, ensuring teams remain aligned and projects maintain momentum.
• Track progress against critical paths, proactively identify risks, blockers, overdue actions, and dependencies, and escalate issues to the appropriate owners.
• Maintain accurate project dashboards, trackers, and sources of truth, ensuring stakeholders have clear and current visibility into portfolio status.
• Follow up with cross-functional partners on outstanding actions and inputs, creating accountability and closing communication loops between formal meetings.
• Prepare and facilitate recurring cross-functional meetings by developing agendas, documenting decisions, capturing action items, and distributing clear next steps.
• Support end-to-end project management for product launches, renovations, label changes, and discontinuations across the portfolio.
• Build and maintain project timelines in Monday.com based on project briefs, initiative types, and launch channels.
• Maintain the Portfolio Change Management process, including tracking active SKU renovations, changes, and discontinuations.
• Coordinate inputs for brief reviews and portfolio alignment meetings, ensuring missing information is identified and collected ahead of deadlines.
• Maintain portfolio resources such as SKU lists, discontinuation trackers, and at-risk or out-of-stock processes.
• Support the ongoing improvement of Airtable bases, Monday.com boards, workflows, and automations to reduce manual work and improve operational efficiency.
• Develop and test AI-enabled solutions, including skills and projects using modern AI platforms, to scale project management capabilities across the broader organization.

Requirements

• 3+ years of experience within a CPG Project Management Office (PMO) or formal project management function, preferably in food and beverage, perishable goods, or other short shelf-life product categories.
• Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects or workstreams simultaneously in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities and evolving requirements.
• Hands-on experience with project management and workflow platforms such as Monday.com, Airtable, or comparable tools.
• Familiarity with physical product development, product launches, innovation processes, or cross-functional environments involving R&D, marketing, operations, manufacturing, or supply chain teams.
• Strong organizational skills and exceptional attention to detail, with the ability to create structure and maintain accurate project information across multiple initiatives.
• Proactive and clear communication style, with strong written communication skills and the ability to produce concise project recaps, follow-ups, and status updates.
• Strong ownership and judgment, including the ability to work independently, identify when additional information is needed, and escalate issues appropriately.
• A self-starter mindset with the curiosity to conduct research, ask thoughtful questions, and develop an initial understanding before seeking support.
• Comfort experimenting with modern AI tools and applying them to improve project management, workflows, and operational efficiency.
• A collaborative, service-oriented approach and genuine enthusiasm for supporting high-performing cross-functional teams.
• Experience with food and beverage or perishable CPG products, including exposure to shelf-life constraints, ingredient sourcing, manufacturing timelines, or co-manufacturer coordination, is highly valued.
• Experience building or maintaining workflow databases, boards, AI-enabled tools, or automation processes is a strong advantage.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation: Anticipated base salary of $85,000-$100,000 USD for NYC-based candidates, with compensation varying for remote and other geographic locations based on experience and market conditions.
• Equity: Stock options for full-time salaried employees, providing an opportunity to share in the organization’s success.
• Health coverage: Medical, dental, and vision plans with multiple options.
• Retirement: 401(k) with a 100% company match on contributions up to 5% of salary, with no waiting period.
• Flexible time off: Flexible PTO with no set cap, plus 11 company holidays.
• Parental leave: At least 12 weeks of paid parental leave, with up to 18 weeks for birthing parents, available after six months of full-time employment.
• Learning and development: $250 per quarter for approved professional development, coaching, courses, subscriptions, or books.
• Team perks: $200 welcome credit, 50% off recurring purchases for your own account, and 20% off recurring purchases to share with friends and family.
• Remote flexibility: Opportunities are available for candidates working remotely within the United States.
• Inclusive workplace: Commitment to creating a diverse, supportive environment and providing reasonable accommodations throughout the interview process.