Project Manager - Packaging

Title: Project Manager - Packaging

Position Type: Contract

Location: North East

Categories: Project Management, Engineering

PM Group requires a Packing Lines Delivery Project Manager with experience in secondary pharmaceutical projects to lead a client team based in Northumberland.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the delivery of the capital packing line scope for the project
• Develop detailed project execution plans, schedules and risk register
• Ensure compliance with site engineering standards, GMP, SHE, and environmental regulations
• Ensures scope is delivered on schedule and within cost parameters
• Feed project updates and KPIs into overall project governance structure
• Review and approve vendor design information, equipment specifications, and vendor drawings
• Lead FAT (Factory Acceptance testing), SAT (Site Acceptance Testing, and commissioning
• Coordinate installation contractors, OEMs, and internal delivery team
• Support equipment qualification (DQ, IQ, OQ, OQ) in partnership with validation team
• Support Operational Start-up Leader to ensure seamless integration of new packing lines into production systems
• Deliver lines capable of achieving agreed OEE, throughput, and quality performance KPIs
• Single point of contact with OEMs to ensure delivery of technical and contractual requirements
• Single point of contact with facility and installation contractors to ensure correct and timely hook-up and integration of the packing lines with utilities and the facility
• Ensures equipment standardisation across the packing lines
• Drives lessons learned and continuous improvement across capital project delivery, including opportunities across the wider project

Qualifications

• Degree level engineering qualification or similar equivalent experience
• Proven experience of delivering packaging equipment or production equipment projects in a regulated industry (Pharmaceuticals, FMCG, or similar)
• Knowledge of packing line equipment (cartoners, labellers, blister machines, case packers, vision systems, serialisation, etc.)
• Experience of leading and coordinating a project team through design reviews, vendor acceptance tests, and commissioning
• Experience of managing equipment vendors, including those outside the UK
• Experience with commissioning, validation, and GMP compliance
• Strong stakeholder management and contractor supervision skills
• Formal Project Management qualification (Prince2, PMP, or similar) desirable but not essential if a track-record of capital project delivery can be demonstrated
• The role will require travel to equipment vendors in the EU for design reviews, progress visits, and factory acceptance testing (FAT). The monthly travel % will vary depending on project phase, peaking at FATs, where multiple one to two week trips will be required, sometimes during the summer holiday period.