Senior Project Manager – Food Processing Machinery

Sapien; Cambridgeshire and Peterborough; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pool car available

Mileage reimbursement

Job summary

Sapien in Cambridge is seeking an experienced Project Manager to own complex engineering projects from concept through installation, commissioning and final sign‑off. The role requires a strong understanding of industrial machinery and the ability to manage the full lifecycle, coordinating design, manufacturing and service teams to deliver on time and to customer specifications.

You will develop plans, budgets and risk assessments, maintain customer relationships and ensure compliance with

Qualifications

• HND, degree or equivalent in Mechanical, Manufacturing or Industrial Engineering.
• Proven experience as Project Manager or Senior Engineer in food processing machinery, capital equipment, industrial automation or related engineering sector.
• Track record delivering complex engineering projects from concept through to manufacture, installation and commissioning.
• Strong understanding of industrial machinery, production line equipment and associated engineering processes.
• Experience specifying mechanical components, including conveyors, motors, pneumatics and fabricated structures.
• Commercial awareness, including project budgeting, cost control and customer management.
• Ability to interpret engineering drawings and work closely with design and manufacturing teams.
• Experience using CAD software, ideally SolidWorks, alongside project planning tools such as MS Project.
• Direct experience within the food processing machinery sector (Desirable).

Responsibilities

• Manage projects from award through design, manufacture, installation, commissioning and customer sign‑off.
• Develop and maintain project plans, budgets, timelines and risk assessments, ensuring on-time delivery within budget.
• Act as main point of contact for customers, managing expectations and relationships.
• Collaborate with Sales to understand requirements and develop production line layouts and solutions.
• Specify mechanical and electrical components (conveyors, motors, pneumatics).
• Liaise with Design Engineers, supporting SolidWorks models and manufacturing drawings.
• Ensure designs meet customer specs, legislation and hygiene standards.
• Work with Manufacturing to monitor build progress, quality and deadlines.
• Oversee installation and commissioning at customer sites.
• Identify and resolve technical issues and cost pressures; seek design improvements.
• Maintain project documentation and smooth handover to Service team.

Skills

Project management

Mechanical engineering

Industrial engineering

Budgeting

Client management

Team collaboration

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

SolidWorks

MS Project

Job description

Sapien in Cambridge is seeking an experienced Project Manager to own complex engineering projects from concept through installation, commissioning and final sign‑off. The role requires a strong understanding of industrial machinery and the ability to manage the full lifecycle, coordinating design, manufacturing and service teams to deliver on time and to customer specifications.

You will develop plans, budgets and risk assessments, maintain customer relationships and ensure compliance with