Job Description: Senior Project Manager
Position Summary
The Senior Project Manager is responsible for leading complex customer programs from initial opportunity through commercial production and lifecycle management. This position serves as the primary liaison between customers and internal departments, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, in compliance with regulatory requirements, and aligned with customer expectations.
Working in a contract manufacturing environment, the Senior Project Manager coordinates cross-functional teams including Sales, R&D, Regulatory, Quality, Supply Chain, Purchasing, Planning, Production, Engineering, Warehouse, and Finance. This role also mentors Project Managers and drives continuous improvement within the Project Management Office (PMO).
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Customer Relationship Management
- Serve as the executive-level point of contact for assigned customer accounts.
- Build trusted relationships with customers by providing proactive communication and strategic guidance.
- Lead customer meetings, business reviews, plant visits, and project update calls.
- Manage customer expectations while balancing operational capabilities.
- Escalate critical issues and develop recovery plans when necessary.
Project Leadership
- Lead multiple high-value, complex projects simultaneously.
- Develop detailed project plans including:
- Scope
- Timelines
- Critical milestones
- Deliverables
- Risk assessments
- Manage projects from concept through commercialization and ongoing production.
- Ensure successful technology transfers, scale-up activities, and production launches.
- Coordinate project resources across multiple departments.
Cross-Functional Coordination
Collaborate closely with:
- Sales
- Business Development
- Research & Development
- Regulatory Affairs
- Quality Assurance
- Supply Chain
- Procurement
- Planning
- Manufacturing
- Engineering
- Packaging
- Warehouse
- Finance
to ensure successful execution of all customer projects.
Commercialization
Coordinate and oversee:
- Formula development
- Packaging development
- Artwork approval
- Stability testing
- Validation activities
- Regulatory submissions
- Pilot batches
- Engineering trials
- First Production Runs
Ensure projects move efficiently through each stage gate.
Schedule Management
- Develop and maintain project timelines.
- Monitor milestone completion.
- Identify schedule risks.
- Drive accountability across departments.
- Expedite critical activities to meet customer deadlines.
Risk Management
Identify project risks including:
- Raw material shortages
- Packaging delays
- Equipment limitations
- Capacity constraints
- Quality concerns
- Regulatory issues
Develop mitigation plans before risks impact project timelines.
Financial Management
Monitor project financial performance including:
- Budget adherence
- Margin protection
- Change orders
- Customer-approved cost increases
- Project profitability
Work closely with Finance and Sales on commercial impacts.
Regulatory & Quality Compliance
Ensure projects comply with applicable requirements including:
- FDA Regulations
- cGMP
- ISO Standards
- Customer Specifications
- Internal Quality Systems
- OTC Drug Requirements (where applicable)
- Cosmetic Regulations
Coordinate required documentation throughout commercialization.
Documentation
Maintain accurate project documentation including:
- Project schedules
- Meeting minutes
- Risk logs
- Action item trackers
- Customer communications
- Commercialization checklists
- Launch approvals
- Stage Gate documentation
Continuous Improvement
- Improve project management processes.
- Develop standardized tools and templates.
- Participate in Lean initiatives.
- Improve project metrics and KPIs.
- Recommend process improvements across departments.
Leadership
- Mentor Project Managers and Project Coordinators.
- Assist with onboarding and training.
- Lead cross-functional project meetings.
- Promote accountability and collaboration across the organization.
Required Qualifications
- Bachelor's Degree in Business, Engineering, Chemistry, Supply Chain, Operations Management, or related field.
- 5+ years of project management experience.
- 3+ years in contract manufacturing, pharmaceutical, cosmetic, medical device, consumer packaged goods, or related manufacturing environment.
- Proven experience managing multiple complex customer projects.
- Strong understanding of manufacturing operations.
- Excellent organizational skills.
- Exceptional customer service and communication abilities.
- Strong leadership and conflict resolution skills.
Preferred Qualifications
- PMP Certification
- Lean Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt
- Experience with ERP systems (Microsoft Dynamics, SAP, Oracle, etc.)
- Experience with Microsoft Project or equivalent project software
- Knowledge of FDA, ISO 13485, 21 CFR Part 210/211, cosmetic regulations, and OTC drug requirements
Technical Skills
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Microsoft Project
- ERP Systems
- CRM Systems
- Project Management Software
- Data Analysis
- KPI Reporting
- Budget Tracking
- Risk Management Tools
Core Competencies
- Leadership
- Strategic Thinking
- Customer Focus
- Problem Solving
- Negotiation
- Decision Making
- Communication
- Organization
- Time Management
- Adaptability
- Continuous Improvement
- Cross-functional Collaboration
- Accountability
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)
- On-Time Project Launch Rate
- Customer Satisfaction Score
- Project Milestone Adherence
- Commercialization Cycle Time
- Number of Successful Product Launches
- Budget Performance
- Gross Margin Protection
- Change Order Management
- Project Portfolio Health
- Customer Retention
- Internal Stakeholder Satisfaction
- Corrective Action Closure Time
- Project Documentation Accuracy
Working Conditions
- Office environment with frequent manufacturing floor interaction.
- Occasional travel (10–20%) for customer visits, trade shows, supplier meetings, and manufacturing sites.
- Ability to prioritize multiple high-priority projects in a fast-paced contract manufacturing environment.
- May occasionally work outside standard business hours to support customer launches or production schedules.
Success Profile
A successful Senior Project Manager consistently delivers customer projects on time, maintains exceptional customer relationships, proactively mitigates risks, and coordinates cross-functional teams to ensure flawless execution. This individual is a strategic leader who balances customer expectations with operational realities while driving profitable growth and continuous improvement.
Ideal for Nutrix: This role should act as the "CEO" of each customer account after the sale—owning commercialization, protecting margins, coordinating every internal function, and ensuring customers experience a seamless transition from concept to full-scale production. The Senior Project Manager should be viewed by both customers and internal teams as the single point of accountability for project success.
Pay: $65,000.00 - $75,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- 401(k)
- Dental insurance
- Health insurance
- Paid time off
- Vision insurance
Work Location: In person
