Factory Project Manager

Job Purpose:

Lead the end-to-end delivery of a new greenfield food manufacturing facility covering chicken marination, vegetable and salad processing, and donut manufacturing. The role is accountable for coordinating design, construction, utilities, equipment installation, commissioning and handover, while managing contractors and cross-functional stakeholders to deliver the project safely, on time, within the approved budget and to the required quality, food safety, regulatory and operational standards.

Responsibilities:

• Develop and maintain the integrated project execution plan covering scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, procurement, construction, commissioning and operational handover.
• Translate business and operational requirements into a robust facility brief, ensuring appropriate segregation and hygienic design for raw poultry marination, ready-to-eat vegetable and salad processing, and donut manufacturing.
• Coordinate concept, detailed design and design reviews with consultants, contractors, equipment suppliers, operations, food safety, quality, engineering, supply chain, IT, finance and brand stakeholders.
• Manage the main contractor and specialist subcontractors against contractual scope, milestones, deliverables, quality standards and approved change-control processes.
• Monitor the critical path and progress against baseline schedule; identify delays early, implement recovery plans and escalate material risks with clear recommendations.
• Own project cost control, including budget tracking, cash-flow forecasting, commitment reporting, variation assessment, invoice validation and final-account support.
• Establish project governance, reporting cadence, decision logs, risk and issue registers, action trackers, document control and stage-gate approvals.
• Ensure construction quality through approved specifications, inspection and test plans, material submittals, method statements, site inspections, snagging and closure of non-conformities.
• Promote a strong safety culture and verify contractor compliance with site health, safety and environmental requirements throughout construction and commissioning.
• Ensure facility, process and utility designs comply with applicable authority requirements, building codes, food safety expectations, environmental obligations and internal standards.
• Coordinate factory utilities and infrastructure, including power, water, drainage, refrigeration, ventilation, compressed air, steam or hot water, fire protection, waste handling and effluent systems, as applicable.
• Lead the interface between building works and process equipment, ensuring accurate layouts, services, access, maintainability, workflow, capacity and future expansion provisions.
• Coordinate procurement, factory acceptance testing, delivery, installation, site acceptance testing and commissioning of process, packaging, cold-chain and support equipment.
• Plan and lead commissioning readiness, including utilities verification, equipment trials, integrated process testing, punch-list closure and performance verification.
• Coordinate operational readiness activities, including SOPs, maintenance plans, spare parts, training, sanitation programs, food safety validation and start-up support with the relevant functions.
• Manage structured handover, ensuring complete as-built drawings, operating manuals, warranties, certificates, licenses, training records and asset documentation.
• Provide concise project updates to leadership on progress, commercial status, safety, quality, key decisions, risks and required interventions.
• Capture lessons learned and ensure post-project review and close-out obligations are completed.

Stakeholders Management

Internal:

Executive leadership; Food Technology & Commercialization; Operations; Quality Assurance; CAPEX; Engineering and Maintenance; Supply Chain and Procurement; Finance; Legal; IT; HR; Security; Brand and Country teams.

External:

Design consultants; project management consultants; main contractor and subcontractors; process and packaging equipment suppliers; utility providers; testing and commissioning specialists; laboratories; insurers; landlords or developers; and relevant regulatory and approval authorities.

Job Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering, Construction Management, Project Management, Food Engineering or a related technical discipline; a postgraduate qualification is an advantage.
• 10 to 12 years of experience in similar role.
• Professional project management certification such as PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent is preferred.
• Strong experience delivering greenfield industrial or food-manufacturing projects from design through construction, commissioning and handover.
• Demonstrated contractor, consultant and multidisciplinary stakeholder management capability, including commercial awareness and contract administration.
• Working knowledge of hygienic design, food safety, zoning, personnel and material flows, cold-chain requirements and sanitation considerations in food facilities.
• Experience with poultry or meat processing, fresh-cut vegetables and salads, bakery or donut production, or other multi-process food facilities is highly advantageous.
• Proficiency in project scheduling, budget management, risk management, change control, progress reporting and document control.
• Ability to interpret layouts, drawings, specifications, equipment data and contractor submissions and to challenge technical proposals constructively.
• Strong leadership, negotiation, problem-solving, decision-making and communication skills, with the ability to remain effective under demanding project conditions.
• High integrity, attention to detail and commitment to safety, quality, food safety, cost discipline and timely delivery.
• Fluent written and spoken English; additional regional language capability is an advantage.
• Willingness to work primarily at the project site and travel as required during design, procurement, factory testing and start-up phases.