Pharma Manufacturing Capital Program Director

Project Equity; Houston (TX); On-site; USD 168,300 - 235,633; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical

Dental Insurance

Vision Insurance

401(k)

401(k) Matching

Paid Time Off

Paid Holidays

Disability Insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

Cumming Group is seeking a Senior Project Director to act as owner's representative for a major pharmaceutical manufacturing capital program in Houston, TX. You will lead a portfolio of concurrent projects, ensuring strategic direction and accountability across scope, cost, schedule, safety, quality, risk and readiness.

The ideal candidate has led projects >$100M and brings deep experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology manufacturing facilities, working on-site at client locations.

Qualifications

• Ability to provide executive oversight across multiple concurrent projects and interdependent workstreams.
• Strong command of project governance, project controls, integrated scheduling, forecasting, risk management, contingency and change control.
• Deep understanding of pharmaceutical facility design, construction, commissioning, qualification, validation, start‑up and operational turnover.
• Strong commercial and contractual judgement, including procurement strategy, contractor performance, negotiations, claims and dispute resolution.
• Working knowledge of GMP, OSHA, environmental, permitting and process‑safety requirements.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive oversight for a portfolio of major capital projects and interdependent workstreams.
• Represent the client's interests throughout design, procurement, construction, commissioning, qualification, start‑up and turnover.
• Lead Project Directors, Project Managers, consultants, contractors, vendors and functional project teams.
• Establish portfolio governance, execution strategies, reporting requirements, decision pathways and escalation protocols.
• Integrate project scope, schedules, budgets, risks, resources and cross‑project dependencies into a coordinated execution plan.
• Maintain accountability for portfolio cost, schedule, safety, quality and delivery performance.
• Review project plans, forecasts, schedules, risk registers, change requests and recovery strategies, intervening when performance is at risk.
• Lead resolution of significant technical, commercial, contractual, construction and stakeholder issues.
• Direct value engineering, constructability, design optimisation and life‑cycle‑cost initiatives.
• Ensure project delivery aligns with client standards, manufacturing requirements, GMP expectations and applicable regulatory and safety requirements.
• Oversee contracting and procurement strategies, contractor performance, commercial negotiations, claims and change management.
• Align engineering, construction, quality, validation, operations, maintenance and environmental health and safety stakeholders.
• Provide executive reporting on progress, financial performance, risk exposure, critical decisions and corrective actions.
• Ensure facilities and systems are commissioned, qualified, documented and ready for start‑up and operational turnover.
• Develop and mentor project leadership while driving accountability and consistent execution across the portfolio.

Skills

Executive oversight

Governance & controls

Scheduling & forecasting

Pharmaceutical facility knowledge

Contractual judgement

EHS & GMP familiarity

Education

Bachelor's degree in engineering or related

Job description

Cumming Group is seeking a Senior Project Director to act as owner's representative for a major pharmaceutical manufacturing capital program in Houston, TX. You will lead a portfolio of concurrent projects, ensuring strategic direction and accountability across scope, cost, schedule, safety, quality, risk and readiness.

The ideal candidate has led projects >$100M and brings deep experience in pharmaceutical or biotechnology manufacturing facilities, working on-site at client locations.