Project Manager-Innovation

Project Manager – Innovation

Location: South of Milwaukee, WI

Employment Type: Contract-to-Hire

Schedule: Monday–Friday | Day Shift

Compensation: $125,000–$150,000 annually, depending on experience

Kelly Science & Clinical is seeking a Project Manager – Innovation (Global/US) to lead customer-driven innovation projects within the natural colors/food ingredients industry. This role will manage projects from product development through commercialization, coordinating cross-functional teams across technical, commercial, supply chain, and operations. The ideal candidate is a strategic, organized project leader with experience in B2B ingredients, food & beverage, natural colors, or related industries.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end project management for strategic customer and innovation projects globally.

• Establish project scope, objectives, timelines, milestones, and success criteria.

• Develop project plans and critical paths across Sales, Applications, Product Development, Regulatory, Sourcing, Supply Chain, and Operations.

• Lead project kickoffs and establish roles, responsibilities, and decision-making processes.

• Identify project risks, dependencies, resource constraints, and potential roadblocks.

• Facilitate resolution of cross-functional and cross-regional challenges and escalate issues when appropriate.

• Maintain visibility into the global Innovation project portfolio and pipeline.

• Establish standardized project management processes, governance, and stage-gate practices.

• Ensure projects remain aligned with customer expectations, commercial priorities, and global Innovation strategy.

What Success Looks Like

• Improved on-time execution of strategic global customer projects.

• Faster progression from opportunity through commercialization.

• Stronger collaboration across regions and functional teams.

• Reduced delays caused by unclear ownership or regional handoffs.

• Improved visibility into project risks, resources, priorities, and overall portfolio status.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Engineering, Food Science, Chemistry, Business, or a related field .

• 7–10 years of project management experience , preferably within food ingredients, natural colors, food & beverage, or a related B2B industry.

• Proven experience leading complex, cross-functional and multi-region projects.

• Experience managing customer projects from development through commercialization.

• Strong stakeholder management skills across technical, commercial, and operational functions.

• Comfortable working within a matrixed, global organization.

• PMP certification or equivalent preferred.

Why Consider This Opportunity?

This is an opportunity to play a key role in global innovation and customer-driven product development , working across technical and commercial functions to move projects from concept to commercialization.

As part of our promise to talent, Kelly supports those who work with us through a variety of benefits, perks, and work-related resources. Please note: The following benefits reflect Kelly's general offerings. Eligibility may vary by assignment, location, and job type. Kelly offers eligible employees voluntary benefit plans including medical, dental, vision, telemedicine, term life, whole life, accident insurance, critical illness, a legal plan, and short-term disability. As a Kelly employee, you will have access to a retirement savings plan, service bonus and holiday pay plans (earn up to eight paid holidays per benefit year), and a transit spending account. In addition, employees are entitled to earn paid sick leave under the applicable state or local plan. Click here (https://www.mykelly.com/help-support-working-with-kelly-us/#Benefits) for more information on benefits and perks that may be available to you as a member of the Kelly Talent Community.

Why Kelly ® Science & Clinical?

Kelly Science & Clinical is your connection to premier scientific and clinical companies looking to hire industry experts just like you. Our team creates expert talent solutions to solve the world’s most critical challenges. Every day, we match science professionals with dream jobs that fit their skills, interests, and career goals—it’s the way we think job searching should be. Nearly 100 percent of our science recruiters have a professional background and education in science, so we know a thing or two about the science market and how to get your expertise noticed.

About Kelly

Work changes everything. And at Kelly, we’re obsessed with where it can take you. To us, it’s about more than simply accepting your next job opportunity. It’s the fuel that powers every next step of your life. It’s the ripple effect that changes and improves everything for your family, your community, and the world. Which is why, here at Kelly, we are dedicated to providing you with limitless opportunities to enrich your life—just ask the 300,000 people we employ each year.

Kelly is committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all qualified employees and applicants regardless of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, age, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other legally protected status, and we take affirmative action to recruit, employ, and advance qualified individuals with disabilities and protected veterans in the workforce. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to the Kelly Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California’s state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment. Kelly participates in E-Verify and will provide the federal government with your Form I-9 information to confirm that you are authorized to work in the U.S.

Kelly may use AI-powered tools during the recruitment and hiring process. For full details, including how Kelly uses AI, your rights, and how to request a reasonable accommodation, visit the Recruitment Artificial Intelligence Notice (https://www.kellyservices.com/hubfs/myKelly/Resources/Employment\_Policies/Recruitment-Artificial-Intelligence-Notice.pdf?hsLang=en) .

Kelly Services is proud to be an Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action employer. We welcome, value, and embrace diversity at all levels and are committed to building a team that is inclusive of a variety of backgrounds, communities, perspectives, and abilities. At Kelly, we believe that the more inclusive we are, the better services we can provide. Requests for accommodation related to our application process can be directed to Kelly’s Human Resource Knowledge Center. Kelly complies with the requirements of California’s state and local Fair Chance laws. A conviction does not automatically bar individuals from employment.