Capital Project Manager

Vantage Specialty Chemicals; Gurnee (IL); On-site; USD 128,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical, HSA, dental, vision

401(k) with company match

Paid time off

Job summary

Vantage Specialty Chemicals in Gurnee, IL is seeking a Capital Project Manager to lead the end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of major capital projects. You will ensure business objectives, process and safety requirements, and regulatory compliance while controlling cost, schedule, and quality across teams and contractors.

The role requires 5–10 years of capital project leadership in chemical manufacturing, a mechanical engineering degree, and strong experience in scope, scheduling,

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering preferred.
• 5–10 years of experience managing capital projects in chemical manufacturing or related process industries.
• Experience with large-scale construction, process upgrades or new facility build-outs.

Responsibilities

• Translate business objectives into capital project goals; set team direction and expectations; acquire/release resources as needed.
• Develop and maintain project scope, estimates, schedules, and budgets; identify dependencies and critical path items; manage scope creep and risks.
• Manage project cost, schedule, and quality; oversee vendor selection and performance; coordinate with engineering, construction, maintenance, and operations teams.
• Ensure adherence to chemical industry regulations, building codes, cGMP validation requirements, and environmental/safety standards.
• Serve as primary interface between project teams and business unit steering committees; report progress, issues, and risks; facilitate cross-functional collaboration.
• Evaluate non-capital alternatives; apply value engineering and equipment selection to optimize cost and performance.
• Oversee commissioning, handover, and operational readiness; conduct post-project reviews and lessons learned.

Skills

Chemical processes

Project management

Regulatory compliance

Engineering tools

Education

Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering

Tools

MS Office

Project management software

Engineering tools

Job description

Position Summary

The Capital Project Manager leads the end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of major capital projects, ensuring they meet business objectives, technical requirements, safety standards, and regulatory compliance while controlling cost, schedule, and quality.

The Role

Position Title: Capital Project Manager

The Capital Project Manager leads the end-to-end planning, execution, and delivery of major capital projects, ensuring they meet business objectives, technical requirements, safety standards, and regulatory compliance while controlling cost, schedule, and quality.

Position Scope: This is an in-office position that works out of the Gurnee, IL manufacturing site that reports directly to our Site Manager.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Leadership: Translate business objectives into capital project goals; set team direction and expectations; acquire/release resources as needed
• Scope & Planning: Develop and maintain project scope, estimates, schedules, and budgets; identify dependencies and critical path items; manage scope creep and risks
• Execution & Oversight: Manage project cost, schedule, and quality; oversee vendor selection and performance; coordinate with engineering, construction, maintenance, and operations teams
• Compliance & Safety: Ensure adherence to chemical industry regulations, building codes, cGMP validation requirements, and environmental/safety standards
• Stakeholder Management: Serve as primary interface between project teams and business unit steering committees; report progress, issues, and risks; facilitate cross-functional collaboration
• Value Engineering: Evaluate non-capital alternatives; apply value engineering and equipment selection to optimize cost and performance
• Post-Project: Oversee commissioning, handover, and operational readiness; conduct post-project reviews and lessons learned

Key Skills & Knowledge

• Technical: Deep understanding of chemical manufacturing processes, process engineering, and facility/equipment validation
• Project Management: Need strong scheduling, cost control, and risk management skills
• Regulatory: Knowledge of OSHA, EPA, and industry-specific safety and environmental compliance requirements
• Tools: Experience with project management software, MS Office, and industry-specific engineering tools

Education & Experience

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering preferred; other engineering degrees will be considered.
• Experience: 5-10 years of proven track record managing from 50K to 5MM capital projects in chemical manufacturing or related process industries; experience with large-scale construction, process upgrades or new facility build-outs.

Pay And Benefits

The estimated base pay range for this position is: $128,000 - $150,000 annually. Actual pay will be determined based on education, certifications, experience, qualifications, skills, and geographic location. This position is eligible to participate in a short-term incentive program.

Vantage offers a comprehensive benefits package to eligible employees, including:

• Medical, HSA, dental, vision
• FSA (limited purpose, dependent care, and commuter/parking)
• Life and AD&D insurance
• Accident, hospital indemnity and critical illness insurance
• Short- and long-term disability
• EAP, identity theft protection
• Paid time off, Parental Leave
• 401(k) with company match

Equal Employment Opportunity

Vantage is an equal opportunity employer. Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, protected veteran status or any other protected category.

About Vantage

Vantage provides natural solutions to our customers’ technical performance and marketing needs through a unique combination of chemistry, application expertise and service. Underpinned by our broad portfolio of formulations, ingredients and actives that are built on a backbone of sustainable oils, fats and their derivatives, Vantage targets selected markets and applications including personal care, food, surface treatment, agriculture, pharma, and consumer and industrial performance. Vantage is headquartered in Deerfield, IL., operates in 11 countries worldwide and employs more than 1,000 talented professionals focused on delivering exceptional customer experiences with every interaction.

We are a dynamic people-centered organization where you’ll be part of a collaborative global team. Embracing our cultural diversity, we learn from each other to constantly improve, adapt and iterate. We value the voices and talents of our colleagues, empowering them to drive their unique ideas to completion. We’re convinced that exceptionally motivated employees produce outstanding results, and we celebrate them by fostering a culture of recognition, development, learning, excellence and shared achievement. Most importantly, we know you’re going to like it here. For more information visit: vantagegrp.com or LinkedIn/vantage.