Project Manager (24-month contract)

Champion Petfoods is expanding! We are excited to announce we are looking for a Project Manager (24-month contract) to join our rapidly growing company. 

Champion Petfoods is an award-winning pet food maker with a reputation of trust spanning 35+ years. Founded in a small town in Alberta, Canada, Champion – with its ORIJEN® and ACANA® brands – is a key player in the global premium pet food industry across three major geographic regions. 

We would love to hear from you if you are passionate about personal and professional growth and see yourself as a key player contributing to our continued success as an award-winning company. 

Here's the Scoop – Summary 

The Project Manager (24-month contract) for Brand Refresh on Packaging will support the end-to-end creative process and spearhead commercial execution of our global brand packaging refresh.

This role is central to our brand’s evolution, leading the functional

transformation of our packaging across our premium product portfolio.

The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the entire workflow, from design to execution, ensuring our new packaging amplifies our brand equity, shelf presence, and the premium performance our customers expect.

As a critical part of this brand-led initiative, this role will also guide the integration of our sustainability goals into the new packaging. This includes managing the transition to more sustainable materials and ensuring the refreshed packaging complies with key environmental regulations, such as the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) and California’s Senate Bill 54 (SB 54).

This position requires a highly organized, cross-functional leader who can coordinate creative agencies, marketing brand managers, technical packaging engineers, and supply chain partners to deliver a commercially successful and visually stunning brand refresh.

The Project Manager (24-month contract) works out of our Corporate office in Louisville (CO), Nashville (TN) or Edmonton (AB) and works a hybrid schedule with 3 days in-person. 

What a typical day looks like: 
 

Brand Packaging Refresh & Creative Execution

• Creative & Artwork Workflow Management Support: Work closely with the Marketing Operations Manager for the operational workflow for a major brand packaging refresh, working to overlie timelines and action items acting as the bridge between designs, prepress, and final technical execution.
• SKU Portfolio Architecture: Manage the complexity of updating artwork and structural designs across an extensive SKU catalog, ensuring flawless consistency with new brand guidelines and regulatory labeling across all international markets.
• Material-to-Design Qualification: Ensure that new packaging materials, including sustainable options, successfully support the premium printing, finishing, and structural aesthetics required by the brand refresh.

Cross-Functional Project Management

• Stage-Gate Governance: Lead cross-functional project teams through the complete product commercialization process, ensuring on-time delivery from concept validation and trial runs through to a successful commercial launch.
• Timeline & Risk Management: Author and manage comprehensive project timelines (e.g., Gantt charts), proactively identifying potential bottlenecks, supply chain risks, or design challenges, and developing robust mitigation plans to keep the brand refresh on track.
• Research and Innovation: Act as the primary project management link with Kitchen, Ingredient supply, Regulatory, and material suppliers to ensure quality, specifications, and timelines meet project milestones.

Sustainable Packaging Integration

• Regulatory Roadmap Execution: As part of the packaging redesign, projectmanage the transition of our portfolio to meet the mandates of EU PPWR and California’s SB 54, ensuring all new packaging is recyclable, compostable, or reusable by the required deadlines.
• Material Circularity & Recycled Content: Partner with Packaging R&D to track and validate projects that integrate sustainable materials, such as Post-Consumer Recycled (PCR) content, into the new brand packaging designs.
• Compliance Data Management: Establish and maintain tracking systems for packaging metrics (weights, material types, etc.) required for internal sustainability goals and regulatory reporting.

Commercial & Operational Excellence

• Transition & Write-off Mitigation: Partner with Sales & Operations Planning (S&OP) and Supply Chain to design run-out strategies for existing inventory, minimizing write-offs of obsolete packaging during the roll-out of the new brand designs.
• Multi-Channel Packaging Integrity: Ensure that redesigned packaging retains its structural integrity and durability across all distribution channels, including retail and high-velocity e-commerce (e.g., Amazon, Chewy).
• Quality & Trial Coordination: Confirm the execution of shipping tests, transit trials (e.g., ISTA testing), and packaging line trials to guarantee the new packaging performs flawlessly from the factory to the consumer

What are we looking for? 

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business, Marketing, Supply Chain, or a related field.
• Experience: 5+ years of dedicated project management experience within the Consumer Packaged Goods (CPG) or a related industry.
• Industry Focus: Proven track record of managing large-scale projects, particularly packaging artwork refreshes, new product launches, or brand renovations.
• Project Management Tools: Proficiency with modern PM software (e.g., Asana, Smartsheet, MS Project) and artwork management/approval platforms.
• Stakeholder Communication: Exceptional communication, negotiation, and presentation skills, with the ability to influence cross-functional peers and senior leadership.
• Sustainability & Regulatory Knowledge: A practical understanding of packaging sustainability trends and regulations is a strong asset.
• Certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent project management certification is highly preferred

What can you expect from Champion? 

Safety: a strong commitment to ensure all people are provided with a safe, healthy and respectful environment. 

Earnings: 

US: Salary range from USD$88,000 to USD$121,000, 401k with Company, and donation matching. 

Canada: Salary range from CAD$100,000 to CAD$137,000, RRSP with Company matching.

Industry Competitive Benefits: Medical, Dental, Vision and Employee Assistance Programs to meet your individual or family needs. 

Continuing Education: In House & Online Learning & Development, as well as an Education Assistance Program. 

Quality: a dedication to uphold the highest standards of authenticity, nutritional integrity, and food safety, to earn the trust of Pet Lovers everywhere. 

Other Perks: Free Bag of Premium Pet Food each month, Free Parking and more! 

What are you waiting for? Join the pack! 

Come as you are. 

We value diversity in all forms and know the power it can bring. Workplace equality allows for creative ideas to bloom, diverse points of views to be heard, and increases overall happiness. That sounds pretty good to us. 

Champion is an equal opportunity employer. Regardless of your race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, age, veteran status, or any other creed, you are wanted here. 

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