Project Lead

GEDON™ | Precision Search for Complex Construction; Cork; On-site; EUR 115,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Car allowance

Performance bonus

Pension

Healthcare

Relocation support

Job summary

GEDON™ | Precision Search for Complex Construction is seeking an experienced project leader to take ownership of a flagship life sciences and pharmaceutical construction programme in Ireland. The role involves leading from pre-construction through to handover, coordinating construction, engineering, MEP and commercial teams, and ensuring strict regulation compliance.

You will manage budgets, schedules and resources, act as the client and design team contact, and drive safety, quality and risk

Qualifications

• Proven experience delivering projects at Senior Project Manager, Project Lead or Contracts Manager level.
• Experience with main contractor, specialist contractor or client-side delivery.
• Life sciences/pharma or advanced manufacturing experience beneficial but not essential.
• Strong understanding of programme management, procurement and contract administration.
• Ability to coordinate large multidisciplinary teams across technically complex builds.
• Excellent client and stakeholder management skills.
• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering or related discipline preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of major life sciences and pharmaceutical projects from pre-construction through to handover.
• Manage programme, budget and resource allocation to ensure successful delivery.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across construction, engineering, MEP and commercial functions.
• Act as the principal point of contact for the client, design team and key specialist subcontractors.
• Oversee compliance with validation, quality and regulatory requirements specific to the sector.
• Manage risk, change control and project reporting through to senior leadership.
• Drive health, safety and environmental performance across all site activity.
• Support and mentor project managers and engineers within the delivery team.

Skills

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Programme management

Risk management

Team coordination

Education

Degree in Construction Management/Engineering

Job description

Our client is a well-established Irish contractor with a strong national reputation for delivering technically demanding projects within regulated environments. They work with a portfolio of multinational manufacturers and have become a contractor of choice for complex process and facility construction.

Much of their workload is repeat business, secured through framework arrangements and long-standing client relationships built over successive project cycles. That consistency has given the business an unusually stable forward workload and the confidence to invest in long-term team growth.

The Munster region continues to see significant capital investment across pharmaceutical and life sciences manufacturing, and the business is expanding its delivery capability to meet that demand. This has created an opening for an experienced project leader to take ownership of a flagship programme.

Internally, the business is known for retaining its people. Career paths are structured, promotion from within is the norm, and senior staff are given genuine ownership of their projects rather than being managed from head office.

WORKING ENVIRONMENT & PROJECTS

You will take the lead on major life sciences and pharmaceutical developments, working across process-critical facilities where quality, validation and compliance requirements sit at the heart of the programme. These projects demand close coordination between construction, engineering, MEP and client technical teams.

The working culture is collaborative and technically driven. Project leaders are trusted with real decision-making authority, supported by an experienced central team covering commercial, planning, health and safety and quality functions.

You will gain exposure across the full project lifecycle, from early design coordination and procurement through to construction, commissioning, validation and handover — experience that is highly transferable across the wider pharmaceutical and advanced manufacturing sectors.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead the delivery of major life sciences and pharmaceutical projects from pre-construction through to handover
• Manage project programme, budget and resource allocation to ensure successful delivery
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams across construction, engineering, MEP and commercial functions
• Act as the principal point of contact for the client, design team and key specialist subcontractors
• Oversee compliance with validation, quality and regulatory requirements specific to the sector
• Manage risk, change control and project reporting through to senior leadership
• Drive health, safety and environmental performance across all site activity
• Support and mentor project managers and engineers within the delivery team

WHAT YOU NEED

• Proven experience delivering projects at Senior Project Manager, Project Lead or Contracts Manager level
• Background with a main contractor, specialist contractor or client-side delivery organisation
• Life sciences, pharmaceutical or advanced manufacturing experience is beneficial but not essential — candidates from other complex, technically demanding sectors are equally welcomed
• Strong understanding of programme management, procurement and contract administration
• Ability to coordinate large multidisciplinary teams across technically complex builds
• Excellent client and stakeholder management skills
• Degree in Construction Management, Engineering or a related discipline preferred

WHAT YOU'LL GET IN RETURN

A base salary of €115,000 – €130,000 is on offer, alongside car allowance, performance-related bonus, pension and healthcare. Relocation support is available for candidates moving to the region.

Beyond the package, this is a role with a genuine progression route towards Project Director level, backed by a secured multi-year pipeline of regulated-sector work. For a project leader who wants technical complexity, client-facing ownership and long-term stability in one move, this is a strong opportunity.