Project Manager, Packaging

Simple Mills is leading the clean food movement, revolutionizing grocery aisles with delicious products made from purposeful, nutrient-packed ingredients. Founded by Katlin Smith in 2012 from her kitchen, this female-founded brand has quickly become the #1 natural choice for baking mixes, crackers, and cookies. 

With a mission to enhance holistic health for people and the planet, Simple Mills products are available in 25,000+ stores nationwide—including Whole Foods, Target, Walmart, and Costco—and online via Amazon and Thrive Market. Their innovative lineup includes Organic Seed Flour Crackers, Seed & Nut Flour Sweet Thins, and Soft-Baked Almond Flour Bars. 

Featured by top outlets like Vogue, Forbes, and NPR’s How I Built This, Simple Mills has earned recognition as one of Inc.’s  “Best Workplaces for 2024” and Fast Company’s “Brands That Matter” and “Most Innovative Companies.” This is more than food—it’s a movement. 

Role Description

The Project Manager, Packaging will lead and manage the end-to-end artwork development process and packaging change initiatives, serving as the primary point of contact for both the design agency and printer network. This role requires strong project management acumen, on-press printing experience, and technical understanding of the color management process to ensure seamless execution.

 In addition, this position will act as the key liaison between Marketing, Quality, and Procurement, proactively identifying and resolving design and packaging challenges to maintain project timelines. The ideal candidate will bring agility in problem-solving, a continuous improvement mindset, and the ability to standardize communication across teams, driving process efficiencies and creative solutions that enhance execution and collaboration.

The position will report to the Director of Commercialization and responsibilities will include:

Design Project Management

• Lead and manage the end-to-end packaging graphics process, navigating varying levels of complexity—from simple copy changes to full brand architecture refreshes—while ensuring alignment with branding, technical feasibility, print production requirements, and adherence to established workflows.
• Act as a primary point of contact with artwork agency and printing partners to ensure high-quality execution of packaging changes.
• Optimize processes and systems involved in packaging execution, ensuring that design versions are properly managed, tracked, and easily accessible.

Packaging/Change Project Management

• Collaborate with cross-functional project teams to develop comprehensive timelines integrating artwork creation, platemaking, and printing processes.
• Work cross-functionally to understand project needs, intake briefs, and lead spec collection for packaging updates.
• Leverage packaging and printing expertise to troubleshoot print, material, and production issues, ensuring compliance with regulatory and sustainability standards.

General Project Management Responsibilities

• Lead project team meetings to review timelines, risks, and changes, ensuring cross-functional alignment and on-time execution.
• Develop, track, and align project timelines
• Hold internal and external teams accountable for on-time task completion and communicate progress updates.
• Lead project communication, clarifying issues, risks, actions, and decisions required for successful execution.
• Gather feedback and drive the development and implementation of process improvements to enhance efficiency and collaboration.
• Performs other projects as assigned

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required
• 3-5 years of experience in packaging development, graphics production, or project management
• Strong technical understanding of packaging design, artwork development, and printing processes.
• Experience managing packaging graphics, artwork approvals, print production; on-press printing experience a plus!
• Proven ability to lead complex, cross-functional projects to successful completion
• Familiarity with automated workflow systems (e.g., Blue) and packaging change management processes.
• A passion for natural food and healthy eating as well as a desire to change the way we think about ingredient labels

Key Skills & Competencies:

• Project management: ability to develop robust timelines, drive project progress, manage risks, and align stakeholders to meet deadlines.
• Technical packaging & print knowledge: understanding of materials, print processes, and color management.
• Cross-functional collaboration: experience working with design agencies, printers, and internal teams to execute packaging changes.
• Problem-solving & process improvement: ability to troubleshoot challenges and streamline workflows.
• Strong communication: clear, concise project updates and stakeholder management.

Working at Simple Mills  

• You will make a huge impact as a key member of an emerging brand that’s changing the way we eat and facing explosive growth 

• Working with a vibrant community of passionate team members that are driven by healthy food that tastes good and fuels your body 

• We strive to foster and embed a culture of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our organization. We know it is not only critical to the success of diversity initiatives - but instrumental in creating an equitable and inclusive workplace! It also creates a positive employee experience. DEI will remain at the center of our people strategy as grow and scale our organization.  

• Our culture is aligned with doing good in the world and we are committed to the environment, fairness to employees and to our customers 

• Integrating into a company that is passionate about its people and their development, with consistent training and multiple forums/platforms to participate in, contribute to and learn from.

Benefits

• The ideal candidate will receive a competitive compensation package, with a salary range of $100,000 to $115,000. 
• This role includes eligibility for an annual bonus, determined by individual and company performance, with the total award calculated at the end of the fiscal year.
• Employees receive comprehensive health and financial benefits, including robust health plans and a 401(k) plan to support long-term well-being. 
• Work-life flexibility is prioritized with unlimited PTO, a one-time home workspace setup stipend, and monthly cell phone/internet stipends. 
• Health, wellness, and product perks include stipends to support your lifestyle and additional benefits to enrich your daily life. 
• Remote working may be considered for qualified candidates from a designated location in the United States (the new hire’s permanent residence, as documented in our HR System, Rippling) if willing and able to travel regularly to the Chicago office. Sufficient internet access to support video conferencing required.

At Simple Mills, we are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect and inclusion. Equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants and teammates without regard to race, color, religion, national origin, gender (including pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, age, past or present military service, physical or mental disability, or other applicable legally protected characteristics. All aspects of employment are decided on the basis of business need, job requirements, and individual qualifications. #LI-DNI 

Simple Mills is committed to the full inclusion of all qualified individuals. As part of this commitment, Simple Mills will ensure that persons with disabilities are provided reasonable accommodations. If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, to perform essential job functions, and/or to receive other benefits and privileges of employment, please contact careers@simplemills.com.