Position Summary
Within Operations Services, the Manager, Project Management leads complex cross-functional initiatives from inception through full rollout. The role translates business objectives into executable plans and ensures initiatives are delivered on time, within budget, and to the expectations of the executive sponsor and organization.
The Manager partners across Panera to manage dependencies, resolve barriers, prepare the organization for change, and deliver measurable business outcomes.
Location: Newton, MA moving to Weston, MA (hybrid)
Key Responsibilities
Project Leadership & Execution
· Lead projects through discovery, business case development, scope definition, planning, design, testing, pilot, deployment, rollout, stabilization, and closeout.
· Develop integrated plans covering scope, milestones, workstreams, dependencies, resources, budgets, decisions, communications, risks, and success measures.
· Create accountability across project teams and ensure owners deliver against commitments.
· Manage multiple projects or workstreams while maintaining focus on business value, quality, timing, and cost.
Cross-Functional Partnership & Governance
· Serve as the central coordination point across Operations, Marketing, Digital, Technology, Supply Chain, Finance, Human Resources, Development, Learning & Development, and other partners.
· Align stakeholders around objectives, scope, decision rights, timelines, deliverables, and success measures.
· Facilitate project meetings, working sessions, steering committees, and executive sponsor updates.
· Drive timely decisions, surface tradeoffs, and resolve cross-functional issues.
Risk, Change & Readiness
· Identify and manage risks, issues, dependencies, resource constraints, and barriers.
· Develop mitigation and contingency plans and escalate appropriately.
· Manage scope changes through disciplined impact assessment and documentation.
· Build rollout and operational-readiness plans addressing people, process, tools, training, communications, field support, and adoption.
Communication, Financial & Vendor Management
· Provide accurate project updates and executive-ready presentations, dashboards, and decision documents.
· Manage approved budgets, forecasts, expenditures, vendors, and financial risks.
· Maintain complete project documentation, decisions, approvals, governance materials, and closeout records.
Qualifications
Education & Experience
· Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience required.
· 3+ years of project management experience leading cross-functional initiatives through implementation and rollout.
· Experience managing scope, schedules, resources, risks, vendors, and budgets.
· Restaurant, retail, hospitality, franchise, or multi-unit operations experience preferred.
· Project-management certification preferred.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities
· Exceptional project planning, organization, prioritization, and follow-through.
· Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, judgment, and creative problem-solving.
· Ability to influence without authority, navigate ambiguity, and build stakeholder alignment.
· Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and executive presentation skills.
· Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project-management tools.
· Ability to travel based on business needs
Equal Opportunity Employer: Disabled/Veterans
Competitive Pay $92,055 - $110,466 annually
The actual pay offered will be determined by multiple factors, including but not limited to the candidate’s relevant experience, job-related knowledge, skills, and geographical location. Individual compensation decisions are dependent upon the facts and circumstances of each position and candidate.
Newton Support CenterSkills Required
- Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience
- 3+ years of project management experience leading cross-functional initiatives through implementation and rollout
- Experience managing scope, schedules, resources, risks, vendors, and budgets
- Restaurant, retail, hospitality, franchise, or multi-unit operations experience
- Project-management certification
- Exceptional project planning, organization, prioritization, and follow-through
- Strong business acumen, analytical thinking, judgment, and creative problem-solving
- Ability to influence without authority, navigate ambiguity, and build stakeholder alignment
- Excellent written, verbal, facilitation, and executive presentation skills
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office and project-management tools
- Ability to travel based on business needs
What We Do
Panera began in 1987 as St. Louis Bread Company, a humble community bakery founded with a sourdough starter from San Francisco and a dream of putting a loaf of bread in every arm. While our business has expanded well beyond St. Louis since then, that same sourdough starter is still used in our iconic sourdough bread and the craft of baking bread fresh each day remains at the heart of Panera Bread. Each day, our trained bakers fill our bakery shelves with delicious freshly baked cookies, pastries, bagels, and a range of breads from focaccia to classic baguettes. We believe in serving delicious, freshly prepared, clean food made with carefully selected ingredients that we are proud to serve our own families. Our menu, crafted by chefs and bakers, features classic, comforting dishes, each with an intriguing twist. We respect our planet and take measures to lessen our impacts. We believe in treating people with warmth, kindness, and respect, whether it’s a guest in our cafe or one of our associates. And we believe in helping our local communities, especially in times of need. We’re also focused on improving quality and convenience. With investments in technology and operations, we offer omni-channel access to your Panera favorites – like mobile ordering, catering, and Rapid Pick-Up® for to-go orders, Curbside pick-up and delivery – all designed to make things easier for our guests. Today, Panera operates as both Panera Bread® or Saint Louis Bread Co St. Louis Bread Company in 48 states, the District of Columbia and Canada. Panera Bread is privately held by JAB Holding Company. Panera Bread is part of Panera Brands, one of the largest fast-casual restaurant platforms in the U.S., comprised of Panera Bread®, Caribou Coffee® and Einstein Bros.® Bagels.
