Lead Pharma Validation Project Manager (GMP/Lab)

Johnson Controls, Inc.; Virginia; Hybrid; USD 130,000 - 165,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive base salary and bonus

Three weeks paid vacation

Comprehensive benefits: 401K, medical,

Cross training opportunities

Collaborative team environment

Zero Harm policy

Scheduling and management support

Employee discount programs

Job summary

Johnson Controls is seeking a seasoned Project Manager to lead validated environment and laboratory construction projects across multiple campuses. You will oversee IQ/OQ/PQ, equipment qualification, data integrity, and regulatory readiness, coordinating Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors, and Vendors to meet scope, schedule, and budget.

The role reports to the Project Executive and requires strong communication, cross-functional leadership, and travel across sites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in construction, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Business Management, Architecture, or a related field.
• 5–10 years of direct project management experience on large capital projects, including regulated or validated settings (typical project sizes in the $5–$20M range).
• Demonstrated success delivering complex, multi-site projects in validated environments (GMP/GLP/ISO 17025) within labs, biopharma, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, healthcare, or related sectors.
• Understanding of contract language, project accounting, and basic portfolio management as they apply to validated environments.
• Strong executive communication skills; ability to present to senior leadership and diverse stakeholder groups; capable of influencing across functional boundaries.
• Ability to lead and coordinate cross-functional teams (Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors) in regulated contexts.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, monitor, and close validated environment projects across multiple sites, ensuring IQ/OQ/PQ, equipment qualification, data integrity, and regulatory expectations are met.
• Serve as the on-site/day-to-day on-site project lead, coordinating Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors, and Vendors to achieve project objectives within validated-state constraints.
• Collaborate with the Project Executive to define and maintain project scope, schedule, and budget baselines; monitor progress and report deviations.
• Develop and implement validation strategies and documentation aligned with corporate validation policy.
• Identify, assess, and mitigate project-level risks that could impact deliverables, schedules, budgets, data integrity, or compliance; escalate as needed with proposed remedies.
• Track and report project performance to the Project Executive, including schedule status, budget, risk, QA/validation progress, and regulatory readiness.
• Manage and change orders, project delays, procurement, and contract administration for assigned projects; ensure alignment with validated baselines and contract requirements.
• Ensure robust documentation controls that meet contract, QA, and regulatory standards (validation protocols, IQ/OQ/PQ records, SOP alignment, QA approvals).
• Seek opportunities to improve validation workflows, data integrity practices, and delivery quality to enhance client satisfaction.
• Maintain relationships with sponsors and stakeholders; act as a trusted advisor on validated-environment delivery and compliance at the project level.
• Manage vendor and subcontractor performance for assigned projects, selecting qualified partners and ensuring alignment with timelines and objectives.
• Manage project finances at the assignment level, including budgeting, forecasting, progress billings, and payables, ensuring alignment with project baselines.
• Prepare the project team for regulatory inspections and audits through thorough documentation and traceability.
• Foster a safe, compliant, and collaborative project environment; provide guidance to junior team members as needed.

Skills

Executive communication

Project management

Primavera P6

MS Project

MS Office

Travel willingness

Education

Bachelor's degree in construction, civil, mechanical, electrical engineering, construction management, business management, architecture, or related field

Tools

Primavera P6

MS Project

MS Office

Job description

Johnson Controls is seeking a seasoned Project Manager to lead validated environment and laboratory construction projects across multiple campuses. You will oversee IQ/OQ/PQ, equipment qualification, data integrity, and regulatory readiness, coordinating Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors, and Vendors to meet scope, schedule, and budget.

The role reports to the Project Executive and requires strong communication, cross-functional leadership, and travel across sites.