Project Director

About the Opportunity

A global biopharmaceutical organization is looking for an experienced Project Director. This is a senior, high-visibility role for someone who has delivered large, complex life sciences facilities from early phases through startup and wants to own the outcome.This person will guide projects through their remaining build-out, commissioning, qualification, and handover to operations. You will work with a cross-functional team of internal stakeholders, design partners, and contractors.

Summary:

• Lead and govern the project. Act as the accountable leader for delivery. Set the execution strategy, governance model, and decision framework. Chair steering committees and executive reviews, and build a team culture of ownership and transparency.

• Put safety and compliance first. Own the project's safety performance and expectations. Ensure all work meets GMP, regulatory, environmental, and internal standards, with quality built in from design through startup.

• Manage scope and execution. Define scope, goals, and success measures. Make key design and execution decisions. Oversee engineering, procurement, construction, CQV, and startup, and clear obstacles when issues arise.

• Own the budget. Hold accountability for CAPEX, forecasts, contingency, and change control. Track cost trends and cash flow, manage contracts and commercial risk, and deliver within the approved funding.

• Drive schedule performance. Set milestones and performance targets, track progress through project controls and executive reporting, and lead recovery planning when needed.

• Manage risk. Lead identification and mitigation of strategic, financial, operational, and execution risks, with contingency plans in place for critical threats.

• Align stakeholders. Serve as the main link between the project team and the operational groups who will run the facility, including Manufacturing, Quality, MSAT, Supply Chain, Facilities, and EHS. Make sure their requirements are captured in the design. Work through competing priorities, and keep long-term operability, reliability, and future expansion in view.

• Lead operational readiness. Own the readiness strategy and the transition from project to operations, including commissioning, qualification, validation, training, turnover, and startup.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Architecture, Project Management, or a related field. An MBA or Master's in Engineering Management is a plus.

• 10-15 + years of capital project management experience, with significant time in pharmaceutical or biopharmaceutical facilities.

• Strong technical knowledge of biopharma processes, such as drug substance/API and fill-finish.

• Hands-on experience managing design, construction, vendors, and C&Q.

• Familiarity with EPC, CM-at-Risk, Design-Build, and owner-led delivery models.

• Experience in biotech, semiconductor, advanced manufacturing, or other complex industrial facilities is also valued.

• Proficiency in MS Office and MS Project. Experience with Primavera P6, Visio, or AutoCAD is a plus.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, and comfort working with global, cross-cultural teams.

• A collaborative, hands-on style, the ability to manage competing priorities under pressure, and willingness to travel as needed.