Senior Manager, Project Delivery

POSITION SUMMARY:

At Rainforest Alliance we believe in customer-centricity. The Product Development Department operating within the Product portfolio is at the forefront of driving transformative growth and impact in the fields of sustainable agriculture climate resilience and ecosystem conservation.

With a strategic focus on innovation collaboration and a customer-centric approach this dynamic department plays a crucial role in crafting and delivering innovative products. From end-to-end product lifecycle management to scalable solutions the team spearheads initiatives that align with overarching business goals. Through interdisciplinary stakeholder consultation continuous improvement and strategic partnerships the Product Development Department stands as a catalyst for achieving the organizations mission.

We seek an accomplished and results-driven Senior Manager to lead a team of six product development/project delivery managers and drive the successful end-to-end development and delivery of complex projects and products. This role demands a strategic leader who thrives on accountability and responsibility for managing individual and team performance ensuring on-time high-quality project outcomes. Collaboration with diverse stakeholders is a critical component of the role as is an unwavering commitment to excellence in project management practices.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Team Leadership and Development:

• Lead mentor and develop team members to achieve their full potential.
• Directly manage and coach a team of six Product Development/Project Managers cultivating a culture of collaboration innovation Transparency and accountability.
• Empower team members through mentorship clear goal-setting and ongoing development opportunities.
• Foster team ownership of objectives and deliverables ensuring alignment with organizational goals.
• Encourage cross functional collaboration within the team to drive product & project success and Innovation.
• Champion diversity equality and inclusion within the team to create a supportive and dynamic environment.
• Demonstrate and support conflict resolution and problem solving to maintain a high performing team environment.

End-to-End Products-Projects Delivery:

• Entirely own and drive the end-to-end delivery of projects and products from requirements gathering and scoping to implementation and post-delivery evaluation.
• Define project roadmaps manage dependencies and ensure all deliverables meet scope quality timeline and budget expectations.
• Proactively identify mitigate and resolve risks and challenges that could impact project delivery.
• Ensure adherence to best practices in project management methodologies tools and standards.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives by analysing project performance and identify and implement lessons learned.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders including engineering design testing marketing and operations teams to ensure execution.
• Oversee resource planning and allocation to ensure teams and projects are effectively resourced and equipped with the correct skills to meet project demands.
• Ensure scalability and sustainability of project management frameworks to support long term business growth.
• Proactively communicate with stakeholders at all levels ensuring that both tactical and strategic updates are shared effectively managing expectations and addressing concerns promptly.
• Work collaboratively with different teams to identify potential risks and roadblocks across the projects and lead efforts to develop mitigation strategies in real time.
• Continuous improvement by partnering with relevant teams to find opportunities for continuous process improvement leveraging feedback loops retrospectives and lessons learnt to refine collaborative efforts and project delivery.

Accountability and Responsibility:

• Take responsibility for the success of all projects under your leadership including personal contributions and team efforts.
• Establish clear metrics for success and monitor progress addressing gaps and driving continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure transparency and effective communication with stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Foster a culture of accountability where team members take ownership of their work and deliverables.
• Hold regular retrospectives and performance reviews to project outcomes and refine processes.
• Act as a key escalation point for project challenges ensuring swift resolution and minimal impact on timelines.
• Ensure compliance with company policies industry standards and regulatory requirements.
• Act as a mediator in resolving conflicts between stakeholders teams or departments ensuring that issues are addressed swiftly and solution are aligned with the projects overall goals and timelines.
• Where required manage 3rd party delivery including contract setup and SoWs

Cross-Functional Collaboration:

• Partner with Product Owners and s managers to align priorities and maintain a shared vision for success.
• Collaborate closely with Process Engineering and Process Modeling teams to streamline workflows and optimize delivery processes.
• Work with the Product Architecture team to ensure alignment with architectural standards and long-term product strategies.
• Lead and motivate cross functional teams without direct authority fostering an environment of collaboration and accountability whilst ensuring all voices are heard.
• Collaborate with the wider business community and stakeholders to ensure that project goals align with the organizations strategic objectives to drive business value and customer- centric outcomes.
• Facilitate cross departmental communications to ensure that all teams are informed engaged and working towards a common goal.
• Build strong relationships with functional teams across the organisation promoting a culture of collaboration transparency and mutual support.

Budget Management:

• Supervise budgeting for the unit ensuring cost-effective resource allocation and adherence to financial targets.
• Monitor and track project expenditures against established budget proactively identifying budget overruns and implementing corrective actions where necessary.
• Collaborate with procurement and finance teams to ensure that vendor contracts and purchase are cost effective and in line with project budgets.
• Maintain strong relationships with financial stakeholders to ensure alignment between financial strategies and project execution.
• Fibd opportunities for cost savings or process improvements to reduce expenses without compromising on project quality or deliverables.

Strategic Planning and Reporting:

• Lead strategic discussions on project prioritization ensuring alignment with business objectives and determining the most efficient use of resources across one or multiple initiatives.
• Collaborate with Senior Leadership to assess resource availability make informed decisions on resource allocation and recommended adjustments to improve organizational impact.
• Proactively identify evaluate and communicate project performance risks dependencies and challenges ensuring that Senior Leadership are informed and stay informed of critical issues and potential delays.
• Provide timely data driven updates and detailed reporting to senior leadership on project performance risks issues dependencies mitigations and outcomes.
• Align team objectives with the organizations strategic goals and vision.
• Facilitate cross functional discussions to resolve interdependencies ensuring alignment between cross functional teams and departments removing potential roadblocks.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• 10 years of experience in product development or project management with at least 5 years in a leadership capacity managing cross-functional teams.
• Successfully managed and delivered complex high-stakes projects end-to-end meeting and exceeding objectives.
• Strong experience in balancing multiple projects simultaneously ensuring timely and successful outcomes.
• Proficiency in project management methodologies (e.g. Agile Scrum Kanban Waterfall).
• Proven ability to implement and champion best practices in project management.
• Professional certifications such as PMP (Project Management Professional) PRINCE2 or Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) are highly desirable.
• Exceptional leadership interpersonal listening and communication skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities with a focus on delivering value.
• Ability to navigate and manage complex and multiple stakeholder relationships.

Level: 2

Deadline: 20 June 2025

Salary: Commensurate with experience

Notes: Only candidates authorized to work in the UK will be considered.

If you have any questions about the job vacancy please contact the HR department:

The Rainforest Alliance encourages diversity and inclusion across the global organization. With this commitment to diversity we are proud to be an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate on the basis of gender race color ethnicity religion sexual orientation gender identity ages disability and any other protected group.