Project Manager – Manufacturing

The PMO Squad; Phoenix (AZ); On-site; USD 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Job summary

The PMO Squad seeks an onsite Project Manager to deliver a new manufacturing line in Phoenix, coordinating the GC, engineers, and equipment vendors toward a March go-live. A senior PMO Squad advisor will support throughout the engagement.

You will own the integrated schedule, budget discipline, and risk tracking, ensuring milestones are met while communicating status and decisions to executives. Ideal candidates have 7+ years in manufacturing PM, strong scheduling (MS Project/Smartsheet), and a

Qualifications

• 7+ years of project management experience on manufacturing projects such as production line installations, plant expansions, or capital projects.
• Experience managing third-party vendors and contractors on a facility or production build-out.
• Experience owning a project budget, including change orders and vendor invoice review.
• Track record of delivering to a fixed go-live date.

Responsibilities

• Drive end-to-end delivery of a new manufacturing line from facility readiness through equipment install, commissioning, and start-up.
• Manage third-party vendors, GC, engineering consultants, subcontractors, and equipment suppliers to ensure scope, schedule, and quality adherence.
• Manage project budget: track spend, review invoices and change orders, flag variances early.

Skills

Project management

Vendor management

Budget control

Scheduling

Executive communication

Education

Bachelor's degree in relevant field

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

Job description

Our client, an established life-sciences manufacturer in Phoenix, is building a new production line inside a facility that is already mid-renovation. The engineering consultants, general contractor, and subcontractors are in place. What's missing is the onsite project manager who orchestrates them. You'll own delivery of the line against a firm March go-live, with a second line expected to follow. You'll be backed by a senior PMO Squad advisor throughout the engagement.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Drive end-to-end delivery of a new manufacturing line, from facility readiness through equipment install, commissioning, and start-up.
• Manage third-party vendors, including the GC, engineering consultants, subcontractors, and equipment suppliers, holding each accountable to scope, schedule, and quality.
• Manage the project budget: track spend against plan, review vendor invoices and change orders, and flag variances early.
• Build and own the integrated schedule, critical path, and milestone plan to the March go-live.
• Stand up right-sized tracking, reporting, and risk/issue tools for a lean team.
• Run the onsite meeting cadence and give leadership clear status, risks, and decisions needed.
• Recommend process improvements that position the client to scale to its next line.

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS

• 7+ years of project management experience on manufacturing projects, such as production line installations, plant expansions, or capital projects.
• Hands-on experience managing third-party vendors and contractors on a facility or production build-out.
• Experience owning a project budget, including change orders and vendor invoice review.
• Track record of delivering to a fixed go-live date.
• Strong scheduling skills (Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, or similar).
• Confident communicator with executives, including a CEO.
• Local to the Phoenix area and able to work onsite 3–4 days per week.

NICE-TO-HAVE QUALIFICATIONS

• Pharmaceutical, nutraceutical, or other cGMP/FDA-regulated manufacturing experience.
• Commissioning and qualification (IQ/OQ/PQ) exposure.
• Liquid filling, packaging, or dry-goods line experience.
• PMP certification.

TOOLS & ENVIRONMENT

Microsoft Project or Smartsheet; Microsoft 365 (Excel, PowerPoint, Teams).

IDEAL CANDIDATE PROFILE

You've stood in a half-finished facility and been the one who got the GC, engineers, and equipment vendors pulling in the same direction. You're a project manager, not a facilities manager: your value is orchestration, sequencing, budget discipline, and accountability. You set up just enough structure to keep a lean team moving, tell executives what they need to hear early, and stay steady when the deadline is fixed and the dependencies aren't.

This position will require a pre-employment background check and drug test to be administered by the clients preferred partners. All screening is required to be completed prior to start but will not be conducted until an offer has been made.