Enterprise Portfolio Manager at Mizkan America, Inc.

Based in Mount Prospect, IL, Mizkan America is a subsidiary of the Mizkan Group, a global, family-owned company that has been Bringing Flavor to Life™ for over 220 years. As one of the leading makers of vinegars, condiments and sauces in the United States, Mizkan America maintains 12 manufacturing facilities that serve the retail, foodservice, specialty-Asian and food-ingredient trade channels. We are committed to following our two core principles: continuously challenging the status quo and delivering only the finest products for our customers. Our leadership seeks out, embraces and implements ideas for improvement from all of its employees. Transparency and accountability are two key factors that drive our company’s overall management approach.

We are looking for people who are seeking to deliver their best so that we can deliver ours. Above all, we’re dedicated to maximizing the potential of our greatest assets—our team members. That’s reflected in our ongoing commitment to recruit, develop, reward and retain our talented, multicultural workforce. We hope to see you as part of our team’s future success!

COMMENTS:  This job description reflects assignment of essential functions.  It does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned.

SUMMARY:   

We are seeking a strategic and highly organized Enterprise Portfolio Manager to help establish and evolve a Portfolio Management Office (PMO) within our organization. This role will be instrumental in shaping the governance, review, and approval processes for major strategic initiatives—from idea intake through prioritization, governance, and execution oversight. At times, this role may also lead key initiatives such as acquisition integrations, ERP implementations, and other enterprise-wide projects. The ideal candidate will bring strong project management expertise, a deep understanding of change management principles, and proficiency in Smartsheet to drive visibility, alignment, and execution across the portfolio.

Key Responsibilities

PMO Development & Governance

• Design and implement the structure, processes, and tools for a new Portfolio Management Office.
• Define and maintain portfolio governance standards, including project intake, prioritization, and approval workflows.
• Develop and maintain prioritization models that balance innovation, compliance, risk, and operational efficiency.
• Lead portfolio governance forums to ensure initiatives are aligned with strategy and resourced appropriately.

Strategic Alignment & Planning

• Collaborate with executive leadership to define and maintain alignment between corporate strategy and portfolio investments.
• Partner with business leaders to facilitate portfolio-level planning, manage dependencies, and coordinate risk mitigation.
• Ensure cross-functional involvement and stakeholder engagement on major initiatives.

Intake & Demand Management

• Oversee the centralized intake process for new initiatives, enhancements, and requests submitted by internal teams.
• Conduct discovery sessions with stakeholders to assess needs, feasibility, and strategic fit.
• Ensure clear evaluation criteria, business case reviews, and impact assessments are applied consistently.

Project Leadership

• Serve as project manager for enterprise-level initiatives such as acquisition integrations, ERP deployments, and cross-functional transformation efforts.
• Lead project planning, execution, and delivery, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and timelines.

Change Management Support

• Support enterprise-level change initiatives with structured rollout planning, adoption tracking, and stakeholder alignment.
• Develop and execute change management strategies to support adoption and sustainability of new processes and systems.

Risk & Issue Management

• Identify portfolio-level risks and issues, and drive mitigation strategies in collaboration with initiative owners and functional leaders.

Performance & Reporting

• Develop and maintain dashboards, reports, and communications that provide real-time insights into portfolio health, status, ROI, and capacity utilization.
• Build and maintain reporting tools in Smartsheet to enhance visibility and transparency across the organization.

Continuous Improvement & Enablement

• Refine intake, evaluation, and portfolio management processes to increase transparency, predictability, and efficiency.
• Develop training, templates, and resources to help teams understand intake expectations, prioritization criteria, and portfolio processes.
• Train and support teams in Smartsheet usage to enhance collaboration and project execution.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Project Management, or related field; PMP certification preferred.
• 7+ years of experience in project management, portfolio governance, or PMO leadership.
• Proven experience managing complex projects in a CPG or similar fast-paced environment.
• Strong proficiency in Smartsheet and other project management tools.
• Demonstrated success in leading change management initiatives.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach and ability to manage multiple priorities.

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