Project Manager - CAPEX (14-month Fixed term contract)

Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited; Auckland; On-site; NZD 120,000 - 180,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

Award-winning culture

Career growth

Five weeks annual leave after six year

Parental leave top-up 16 weeks

Life and income protection insurance

Wellbeing THRIVE programme

Exclusive discounts

Job summary

Douglas Pharmaceuticals Limited is seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead CAPEX initiatives across our manufacturing and R&D sites in New Zealand. You will steer end‑to‑end delivery, coordinating equipment procurement, installation, commissioning, and facility upgrades within a regulated environment.

The role demands strong cross‑functional collaboration, vendor management and stakeholder communication, with a focus on delivering on time, within scope and aligned to strategic objectives.

Qualifications

• Degree in a related field; engineering preferred.
• Proven experience delivering CAPEX projects in regulated industries.
• Strong planning, risk management and vendor coordination capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Lead planning, execution and close-out of CAPEX projects across manufacturing and R&D sites.
• Manage vendors, procurement processes and contractor performance.
• Ensure GMP, HSE and regulatory compliance throughout projects.
• Collaborate with engineering, operations, validation, quality and finance teams.
• Report progress, risks and benefits to senior leadership.

Skills

CAPEX project management

Cross-functional leadership

Vendor management

GMP/regulatory understanding

Stakeholder engagement

Project planning & scheduling

Communication

Continuous improvement

Education

Relevant tertiary degree

Engineering preferred

Job description

Our Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) Programme is a key enabler of our long‑term growth and operational excellence. From upgrading manufacturing equipment to expanding facilities and implementing new technologies, CAPEX projects are critical to ensuring our infrastructure supports the evolving needs of our pharmaceutical and nutraceutical operations.

We are now seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead and coordinate the delivery of CAPEX projects across our manufacturing and R&D sites. These projects span equipment procurement, installation, and commissioning; facility upgrades, compliance-driven modifications; utilities upgrades and new capability builds.

In this cover a 14-month maternity leave contract, you will be responsible for end‑to‑end project execution, applying best‑practice project management methodologies to develop and manage detailed project plans, budgets, risk registers, vendors and stakeholder communications. You’ll ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and aligned with strategic business objectives.

What you’ll do

• Leading cross‑functional teams through the planning, execution, and close‑out of CAPEX projects
• Managing vendor relationships, procurement processes, and contractor performance
• Ensuring compliance with GMP, health & safety, and regulatory requirements
• Collaborating with engineering, operations, validation, quality, and finance teams to ensure seamless project integration
• Reporting on project progress, risks, and benefits to senior leadership

What you’ll bring

• A relevant tertiary degree, preferred engineering.
• Proven experience managing CAPEX projects in a regulated industrial environment (Pharmaceutical [preferred], biotech, FMCG, or nutraceuticals)
• Strong understanding of engineering, facility design, and equipment qualification processes
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication skills
• A proactive, solutions‑focused mindset with a passion for continuous improvement

This is a high‑impact role where your leadership will directly contribute to our ability to innovate, scale, and deliver high‑quality products to market.

• Award‑winning culture- Join a team that's genuinely a great place to work (and we've got the awards to prove it).
• Career growth- We're big on developing our people and promoting from within.
• Extra leave- After six years with us, you'll get five weeks of annual leave.
• Parental perks- Get 16 weeks of top‑up payments during your parental leave.
• Security matters- We've got you covered with life and income protection insurance.
• Feel good with THRIVE- Our wellbeing programme helps you be your best, inside and out.
• Exclusive discounts- Enjoy special deals on big‑name brands like Clinicians, BraveFace, Avene, Ego, and more.

About Us

Douglas is one of New Zealand's greatest pharmaceutical success stories with an ever‑expanding footprint into global markets. We're working to develop, trial, manufacture, test, pack and distribute the very best medicines, nutraceuticals and products to over 40 countries.

At Douglas there are 500 of us - including top scientists, researchers, manufacturers, regulators and engineers, and together we're on a mission to make high quality, effective, accessible and sustainable products for people who need it. We're here to do our life's best work.

We're helping people with conditions like depression, schizophrenia, breast cancer, heart failure, dermatology conditions, as well as people who need antibiotics and medicines to support their immune system.

Come join us on this mission to improve lives!