Senior Project Manager

The Judge Group is seeking a Senior Project Manager for a client in Santa Fe Springs, CA. This is a full time, on site, direct hire role with a salary range of $130k-$140k.We're seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead the full lifecycle of high-impact strategic and operational initiatives across R&D, manufacturing, and supply chain. This role owns complex, multi-phase programs, drives Agile delivery, mentors project management staff, and serves as the primary point of accountability for project governance, portfolio performance, and PM capability development.You'll partner closely with executive leadership to align initiatives with company strategy while championing best-in-class project management and Agile practices across the organization.Key ResponsibilitiesStrategic Planning & Portfolio ManagementLead project intake, prioritization, and portfolio planning aligned with business objectivesDefine project charters, OKRs, scope, and success metrics at project kickoffBuild and manage integrated master schedules using WBS and critical path analysisApply PLM frameworks to govern stage-gate reviews and milestone approvalsImplement automated tracking systems with real-time KPI dashboardsAgile ExecutionChampion Scrum, Kanban, and hybrid Agile frameworks across cross-functional teamsFacilitate sprint planning, daily stand-ups, reviews, and retrospectivesManage and groom product backlogs; maintain burndown charts and velocity metricsBalance Agile delivery with food/pharma regulatory and compliance requirementsRisk ManagementOwn the project risk register: identification, scoring, assignment, and trackingDevelop proactive risk response and mitigation plans with defined trigger criteriaApply root cause analysis techniques (5 Whys, Fishbone) to prevent recurrenceConduct pre-mortem analyses for high-risk initiatives prior to executionQuality & Continuous ImprovementIntegrate quality gates aligned with SQF, GMP, and internal quality standardsApply Lean and Six Sigma methodologies (DMAIC, Kaizen) to streamline workflowsLead structured lessons-learned sessions and institutionalize improvementsTeam Leadership, Mentorship & ManagementDirectly manage Associate Project Managers and Project CoordinatorsSet goals, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct performance reviewsMentor team members through 1:1 coaching and structured development plansFoster a high-trust, high-accountability team cultureIdentify skills gaps and drive training, certification, and cross-functional learningResource & Capacity ManagementMaintain and optimize resource capacity models across the project portfolioSurface constraints early; negotiate priorities across departmentsManage vendors and contractors, including SOWs, SLAs, and performance reviewsStakeholder & Executive CommunicationBuild stakeholder engagement plans tailored to diverse audiencesDeliver executive dashboards, milestone updates, and steering committee reportsFacilitate cross-functional alignment and resolve conflict through negotiationProject Closure & Knowledge ManagementLead formal project closure including deliverable acceptance and financial reconciliationRecognize team contributions and ensure smooth transitions to operationsArchive documentation and maintain a shared PM knowledge repositoryProduce final reports summarizing ROI, schedule performance, and quality outcomesQualificationsEducation & CertificationsBachelor's degree in Business, Engineering, Food Science, or a related field (required)MBA or Master's in Project Management (preferred)PMP certification requiredPMI-ACP or Certified Scrum Master (CSM) strongly preferredLean Six Sigma Green Belt or higher preferredTechnical SkillsProficiency with Monday.com, Jira, MS Project, or SmartsheetExperience with ERP, CRM, and/or PLM systems (NetSuite or similar)Strong KPI dashboarding, reporting, and data analysis skillsAdvanced Microsoft 365 skills (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint)Working proficiency with AI tools and platforms (e.g., Claude, similar)Experience7+ years of project management experience5+ years in food, nutraceuticals, CPG, or other regulated manufacturing environmentsDemonstrated success delivering Agile/Scrum projects across cross-functional teamsPortfolio-scale experience managing 100+ concurrent projects totaling $30M+ in valueProven people management and mentorship experience