Project Manager - PFA India Strategic projects

IN02 GEA Process Engineering (India) Pvt. Ltd.; Vadodara; On-site; INR 3,000,000 - 6,000,000; Full time

Job summary

GEA Germany GmbH in India seeks a Senior Strategic Project Manager to drive end-to-end execution of Pharma BU’s India 2.0 agenda. You will turn strategy into prioritized programs, oversee governance across Product Management, Engineering, Localization, Procurement, QA, Regulatory, Manufacturing and Service, and ensure measurable value realization.

You will translate strategy into a structured portfolio, build integrated master plans, drive business cases, and monitor benefits with Finance.

Qualifications

• 8–12+ years in strategic program/project management in industrial equipment / engineering / pharma manufacturing / automation.
• Experience delivering cross-functional programs: localization, NPI, cost-out/value engineering, supply chain transformation, or operational excellence.
• Strong understanding of end-to-end product lifecycle from requirements to service.
• Experience with global stakeholders and matrix organizations.

Responsibilities

• Translate strategy into a structured portfolio with charters, milestones and business cases.
• Build and maintain an integrated master plan across functions, vendors and global stakeholders.
• Run governance: cadence, RAID logs, decision registers; ensure on-time deliverables and documentation.
• Drive initiative business cases: margin impact, cost-out, lead-time reduction and working capital.
• Set up benefits tracking with Finance: baseline, targets and monthly realization.
• Align leadership on priorities, drive adoption of new processes and SOPs.
• Proactively manage risk, quality and compliance; establish go/no-go criteria and stage gates.

Skills

Program management

Business case & value tracking

Cross-functional leadership

Structured problem solving

Executive communication

Operational discipline

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology

MBA or PMP/PRINCE2 preferred

Job description

Responsibilities / Tasks

Role Purpose The Strategic Project Manager will drive end-to-end execution of Pharma BU’s India 2.0 agenda — turning strategy into prioritized programs, shipped outcomes, measurable value, and institutionalized ways of working. The role acts as the execution engine and governance anchor, ensuring cross-functional alignment across Product Management, Engineering/R&D, Localization, Procurement, Quality/Regulatory, Manufacturing/Partners, Digital/Automation, Order-to-Delivery, and Service.

Core mission

Deliver profitable growth + speed + competitiveness through a structured portfolio of initiatives (localization, product/solution fit, cost-out, supply readiness, service capability, digital/automation enablement, and operating-model upgrades).

Portfolio & Program Leadership (Strategy → Execution)

Translate India 2.0 Pharma strategy into a well-structured initiative portfolio: charters, milestones, business cases, dependencies. Build and maintain an integrated master plan across functions, vendors, and global stakeholders. Run workstream governance: cadence, reviews, RAID logs (Risks/Assumptions/Issues/Dependencies), decision registers.

Business Case & Value Realization (Make it measurable)

Drive initiative business cases: margin impact, cost-out, lead-time reduction, working capital, revenue acceleration. Set up benefits tracking with Finance: baseline, targets, monthly realization, variance analysis, corrective actions. Ensure initiatives are sequenced for value (quick wins + structural improvements).

Cross-Functional Execution & Delivery Management

Orchestrate collaboration across Product Management, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing/Partners, QA, Regulatory, Sales, Service, Finance. Ensure deliverables are delivered on time: specs, drawings, supplier qualification, QA plans, validation packs, documentation, training. Identify and remove blockers, elevate early, and drive decision-making.

Stakeholder & Change Management (Make adoption real)

Align leadership on priorities and trade-offs; manage conflicts through structured decision pathways. Drive adoption of new processes and tools; create SOPs/playbooks where needed. Communicate progress via sharp weekly updates and executive-ready monthly dashboards.

Risk, Quality, and Compliance Assurance

Proactively manage risk in localization and execution: supplier readiness, quality audits, critical components, documentation. Ensure alignment with relevant Pharma quality expectations (e.g., validation readiness, traceability, documentation discipline). Maintain clear go/no-go criteria, stage gates, and escalation thresholds.

Deliverables

Pharma & Food Applications Portfolio Roadmap Initiative Charters + Business Cases SteerCo Pack & Dashboard (progress, decisions required, benefits, risks)

Your Profile / Qualifications

Required Experience & Qualifications 8–12+ years in strategic program/project management in industrial equipment / engineering / pharma manufacturing / automation environments. Proven track record of delivering cross-functional programs: localization, NPI, cost-out/value engineering, supply chain transformation, or operational excellence. Strong understanding of end-to-end product lifecycle (requirements → engineering → sourcing → build → quality → delivery → service). Experience working with global stakeholders and matrix organizations. Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology; MBA or PMP/PRINCE2 preferred.

Key Skills (Must-Have) Program management mastery: planning, critical path, RAID, stage gates, governance Business case & value tracking: financial fluency, benefits realization discipline Cross-functional leadership: influence without authority, conflict resolution, facilitation Structured problem-solving: root cause, hypothesis-driven execution, decision memos Communication: crisp executive updates, narrative, and “so-what” insights Operational rigor: documentation discipline, handover readiness, quality mindset

GEA is one of the largest suppliers of process technology for the food industry and a wide range of other industries. The international technology group focuses on process technology and components for sophisticated production processes in various end-user markets.