Site project lead

Site Project Lead

About the Job

The Site Project Lead will lead strategic, mid-term site projects, typically spanning up to three years, with a primary focus on New Product Introduction (NPI), Technology Transfer and the introduction of new production capabilities to the site.

Acting as the NPI Lead/Project Manager, the role serves as the key interface between site functions, the Sending Unit and the Technology Transfer Leader, ensuring end-to-end coordination and overall site operational readiness for successful process start-up.

The Site Project Lead will be accountable for project strategy, planning and execution, ensuring projects are delivered safely, compliantly and effectively against agreed scope, timelines, cost, quality, HSE and industrial performance objectives.

Key Responsibilities

NPI, Technology Transfer & Operational Readiness

• Lead site projects associated with New Product Introduction (NPI), Technology Transfer and new production introduction.

• Act as the key site interface between cross-functional site teams, Sending Units and Technology Transfer Leaders.

• Drive overall site operational readiness for process start-up, ensuring key functions, deliverables and dependencies are aligned.

• Work with key stakeholders to establish the project objectives, scope, execution strategy and success criteria.

• Maintain an end-to-end project mindset, ensuring dependencies across technical, operational and support functions are effectively managed.

Project Planning & Execution

• Accountable for comprehensive project planning covering scope, timelines, cost, resources, risks and key milestones.

• Lead and monitor the execution of one or multiple complex projects from initiation through implementation and completion.

• Establish appropriate project controls to monitor deliverables, expenditure, milestones, risks, issues and dependencies.

• Proactively identify project risks and develop appropriate mitigation and contingency plans.

• Manage project changes in a structured manner, ensuring potential impacts to scope, cost, timelines and business objectives are appropriately assessed.

• Ensure overall achievement of project objectives across design fundamentals, cost, schedule, quality, HSE and industrial performance.

Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Leadership

• Lead project communication and alignment across site and global stakeholders.

• Serve as the key project interface with relevant site operational and support functions, external operational contacts and related projects.

• Build and lead effective cross-functional project teams, creating clear accountability and alignment around project priorities and deliverables.

• Facilitate timely escalation and resolution of issues requiring senior stakeholder or governance decisions.

• Maintain effective communication between site teams, global functions and external stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.

Project Governance & Reporting

• Provide regular project status reporting to key stakeholders, including the project client, Site Project Portfolio Management (PPM) team and Global PPM team, where applicable.

• Present project status, risks, key decisions and recommendations to the appropriate project governance committees for review and decision-making.

• Maintain accurate and transparent project documentation, progress reporting and performance tracking.

• Ensure project information is kept current within relevant project management tools, including SHINE.

Financial & Project Controls

• Manage and monitor project expenditure against approved budgets and business cases.

• Ensure projects comply with applicable financial governance and Group audit requirements.

• Maintain appropriate financial controls relating to cost centres, project numbers, commissioning/scrapping and allocation of expenditure across OPEX/CAPEX and internal/external categories.

• Work with relevant stakeholders to develop robust project strategies and business cases, supported by sound financial and industrial considerations.

Continuous Improvement & Digitalisation

• Promote the sharing and application of project management best practices across projects and teams.

• Leverage appropriate digital tools and solutions to strengthen project planning, execution, monitoring and reporting.

• Drive transparency and accessibility of project information to support effective collaboration and timely decision-making.

• Identify opportunities to continuously improve project execution, governance and ways of working.

About You

Education

• Bachelor's degree in a scientific or engineering discipline, preferably Chemical Engineering, Biochemical Engineering, Pharmaceutical Engineering or a related field.

• Candidates with a relevant Business or Finance degree combined with strong pharmaceutical manufacturing project experience may also be considered.

Experience

• Minimum 5 years of overall industry experience, with exposure to areas such as Production, Supply Chain, Chemical Engineering, Process Technology, Project Investment, Finance, Quality and Regulatory requirements.

• At least 3 years of proven project management experience leading complex projects within a manufacturing site environment, including projects involving significant budgets and/or sizeable cross-functional teams.

• Strong experience in project and project portfolio management, ideally within pharmaceutical, biotechnology or another highly regulated manufacturing environment.

• Demonstrated leadership experience with a proven ability to build, influence and lead cross-functional teams.

• Experience supporting NPI, Technology Transfer, site readiness or manufacturing start-up projects would be highly advantageous.

Technical & Leadership Skills

• Strong understanding of project management methodologies, governance, project controls and risk management.

• Good understanding of pharmaceutical industry requirements and regulatory expectations, including GxP and FDA requirements.

• Strong financial acumen, with an understanding of CAPEX/OPEX, project budgeting, business cases and industrial strategy.

• Ability to manage complex projects involving multiple functions, stakeholders, priorities and dependencies.

• Strong stakeholder management, influencing and communication skills, with the ability to work effectively across both site and global teams.

• Strong leadership capabilities with the ability to drive accountability and alignment across cross-functional teams.

• Comfortable working in a dynamic and complex manufacturing environment with evolving priorities.

• Experience and agility in using digital project management tools to support project execution, monitoring and reporting.

• Strong problem-solving, decision-making and risk-management capabilities.