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 Senior Director, Portfolio Management is a critical enterprise leadership role responsible for bridging innovation and execution and turning product concepts into successful in-market launches.
This leader oversees project management across the innovation lifecycle, from early-stage category incubation through development, production, and retail execution across core and emerging businesses. You will lead a high-performing team of directors, project managers, and cross-functional partners across three verticals within Portfolio Management, including Pre-Commercialization, Commercialization, and Strategic Projects.
You will serve as the thread between Innovation, R&D/Product Development, Brand, Supply Chain, Operations, Creative, Finance, and Executive Leadership, balancing long-term thinking with disciplined operational execution. You will 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. This role requires a highly collaborative, hands-on, and entrepreneurial leader who thrives in ambiguity, builds scalable process improvements, and can guide teams through the day-to-day delivery of both bold innovation and incremental category expansion.
WHAT YOU'LL BE DOING:
Pre-Commercialization & Future Pipeline Development
- Oversee the Pre-Commercialization portfolio management function responsible for overall portfolio analytics as well as early-stage exploration, capability assessment, and development of categories Kinder’s has not yet entered
- Work with the Pre-Commercialization leader to build pre-commercialization processes and governance, facilitate evaluation and early development of white-space opportunities, and ensure readiness once a category is prioritized for commercialization
- Partner with executive leadership to understand potential growth opportunities and relevant operational and go-to-market implications
Commercialization Leadership
- Evolve and lead Kinder’s enterprise commercialization strategy across all product categories and innovation initiatives
- Lead the Portfolio Management team in facilitating the end-to-end commercialization process, ensuring successful product delivery from pilot to first production and distribution for core innovation / renovation (within the dry and liquid portfolio) as well as for high priority strategic projects (e.g., frozen)
- Oversee portfolio resource allocation across commercialization initiatives to maximize organizational effectiveness
- Anticipate and mitigate risks—technical, operational, financial, or regulatory—and communicate proactive solutions to leadership
- Drive visibility and accountability through weekly executive touchpoints and ongoing stakeholder communications
Team Leadership & Development
- Lead, develop, and inspire a high-performing Portfolio Management organization, fostering a culture of accountability, transparency, and collaboration
- Build organizational capabilities that enable Kinder’s to scale innovation complexity while maintaining speed and entrepreneurialism
Cross-Functional Alignment & Partnership
- Serve as the central thread between Innovation, R&D/Product Development, Brand, Sourcing, Operations, Planning, Quality, Finance, and Sales
- Partner cross-functionally across the organization to strengthen ways of working, decision-making processes, and execution discipline across the innovation lifecycle
- Deliver clear, proactive, and actionable communication to executive leadership regarding portfolio health, launch status, investment needs, and strategic risks
Process Optimization & Continuous Improvement
- Evaluate and continuously evolve Kinder’s commercialization and pre-commercialization processes to support increasing scale, complexity, and cross-category growth
- Partner with functional leaders to evolve workflows, playbooks, and digital tools that support scalable success
- Support digital transformation by maximizing Wrike and other tools for real-time collaboration and tracking
- Work with Finance and Operations to develop and monitor relevant KPIs for commercialization success—for example, cost and delivery performance
WHAT YOU BRING TO THE TABLE:
Skills and Experience
- 12-15 years of experience in commercialization, innovation, operations, strategic initiatives, or project management within CPG or food manufacturing
- Proven experience leading complex product launches and cross-functional innovation initiatives from concept through retail execution
- Demonstrated success managing leaders and building high-performing teams in high-growth environments
- Experience commercializing opportunities in new categories strongly preferred
- Deep understanding of manufacturing, packaging, sourcing, supply chain, and operational scale-up processes
- Strong strategic thinking and business acumen paired with exceptional operational execution capabilities
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through organizational ambiguity
- Proficiency in project and portfolio management systems; Wrike experience preferred
- Bachelor’s degree in Business, Food Science, Engineering, Operations, or related field required; MBA preferred
Personal Characteristics
- Passionate about food, flavor, innovation, and operational excellence
- Strategic yet hands-on—able to balance big-picture thinking with flawless execution
- Comfortable navigating ambiguity and building structure where needed
- Exceptional collaborator and influential leader who builds trust across teams and functions
- Highly organized, detail-oriented, and solutions-oriented
- Energized by fast-paced environments, bold ideas, and transformational growth
LOCATION AND TRAVEL:
The position will be based out of our 40,000 sq. foot office in Walnut Creek, CA. We strongly believe in the power of culture and community and have a hybrid work structure with 4 days in the office on a weekly basis to encourage collaboration and personal connections that will allow us to better serve our customers and consumer and to have more fun. We have 1 flex day per week with employees having the opportunity to choose to be either in the office or to work from home based on what makes most sense for them.
PAY TRANSPARENCY:
The expected starting salary range for this role is $235,000 - $255,000 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 [email protected]
Skills Required
- 12-15 years experience in commercialization, innovation, operations, strategic initiatives, or project management within CPG or food manufacturing
- Proven experience leading complex product launches and cross-functional innovation initiatives from concept through retail execution
- Demonstrated success managing leaders and building high-performing teams in high-growth environments
- Experience commercializing opportunities in new categories
- Deep understanding of manufacturing, packaging, sourcing, supply chain, and operational scale-up processes
- Strong strategic thinking, business acumen, and exceptional operational execution capabilities
- Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and lead through organizational ambiguity
- Proficiency in project and portfolio management systems
- Wrike experience
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Food Science, Engineering, Operations, or related field
- MBA
What We Do
In 1946, World War II Navy veteran John Kinder started his own butcher shop in a small storefront in San Pablo, California. Over the next seven decades, John built a reputation for commitment to quality, family service, and amazing flavors. At the age of 90, he was still showing up first and helping customers find quality ingredients to make clean, delicious meals for family and friends. At Kinder’s, we carry on Grandpa John’s legacy by offering the best tasting seasonings, rubs, marinades and sauces in the market. We are growing fast and our products are available at national retailers including Costco, Albertsons, Sam’s Club and Walmart.
