Project Manager (Protein)

Position Overview

A growing U.S.-based meat and protein business is seeking an experienced Project Manager to plan, coordinate and deliver strategic, operational and capital projects across the organization.

The Project Manager will manage projects from initial concept and business case development through planning, procurement, construction or installation, commissioning, implementation and final handover.

A key component of the role will be responsibility for CAPEX projects, including the development of capital budgets, project schedules, equipment procurement, contractor coordination and delivery of approved investments.

Projects may include facility expansions, production-line installations, equipment upgrades, automation, refrigeration, cold storage, warehouse improvements, new product launches, process improvements, technology implementation and broader business-expansion initiatives.

The successful candidate will be highly organized, commercially aware and comfortable working in a fast-paced food manufacturing environment. They will coordinate internal teams, contractors, suppliers and external partners to ensure projects are delivered safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management

• Manage projects from initial scope and business case through completion and handover.
• Define project objectives, deliverables, timelines, budgets and resource requirements.
• Develop detailed project plans, schedules, milestones and critical paths.
• Establish clear responsibilities and accountability across project teams.
• Monitor project progress, costs and performance and provide regular updates to senior management.
• Identify project risks, dependencies and potential delays and develop mitigation plans.
• Manage project documentation, reporting, approvals and change control.
• Ensure projects remain aligned with agreed business objectives and financial targets.
• Coordinate commissioning, implementation, handover and project closeout.
• Maintain a clear project pipeline and provide visibility of upcoming capital and operational requirements.

CAPEX & Capital Projects

• Take day-to-day project management responsibility for approved CAPEX investments.
• Support the development of annual and long-term CAPEX plans in conjunction with Operations, Finance and senior leadership.
• Develop project scopes, preliminary budgets, business cases and return-on-investment assessments.
• Prepare and maintain detailed CAPEX budgets and monitor actual expenditure against approved budgets.
• Manage project costs, commitments, purchase orders, invoices and forecasts.
• Coordinate equipment selection, technical specifications and procurement activities.
• Obtain and evaluate supplier and contractor quotations.
• Manage competitive bidding and vendor-selection processes where appropriate.
• Coordinate engineers, architects, contractors, equipment manufacturers and specialist consultants.
• Negotiate project schedules, deliverables and commercial terms within delegated authority.
• Track capital expenditure and identify cost overruns or savings opportunities at an early stage.
• Manage project change orders and ensure appropriate approval before additional expenditure is committed.
• Ensure capital assets are delivered, commissioned and handed over effectively to Operations and Maintenance.
• Conduct post-project reviews to assess actual costs, operational benefits and ROI against the original business case.
• Maintain accurate CAPEX reporting for Finance and senior management.

Operations & Manufacturing Projects

• Manage projects relating to meat/protein processing, production, packaging, warehousing and distribution.
• Coordinate equipment installations, production-line modifications and facility improvements.
• Support projects involving automation, robotics, material handling and process optimization.
• Work with Operations to minimize disruption to ongoing production.
• Coordinate shutdowns, installations and commissioning activities where required.
• Ensure new equipment and processes are integrated effectively into existing operations.
• Identify opportunities to improve plant capacity, throughput, yield, labor productivity and efficiency.

Food Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Ensure projects consider applicable U.S. food-safety, health and safety, environmental and regulatory requirements.
• Work closely with Quality and Food Safety teams during facility, equipment and process changes.
• Ensure appropriate validation, sanitation, hygiene and food-safety considerations are incorporated into project plans.
• Support regulatory approvals, inspections and documentation where required.
• Ensure capital projects are delivered without compromising product safety or quality.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Work closely with Operations, Engineering, Maintenance, Quality, Food Safety, Supply Chain, Procurement, Finance, IT and Commercial teams.
• Coordinate internal and external stakeholders throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead regular project meetings and maintain action logs.
• Ensure clear communication of project status, risks, costs and decisions.
• Escalate critical issues, risks and budget concerns to senior leadership when required.

Supplier & Contractor Management

• Manage relationships with equipment suppliers, contractors, consultants and other third parties.
• Monitor supplier and contractor performance against agreed scope, cost, quality and schedule.
• Ensure equipment, materials and services are delivered according to specification.
• Manage contractor access, site activities and project coordination.
• Resolve supplier and contractor issues promptly.
• Ensure appropriate documentation, warranties, manuals and training are obtained at project completion.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve productivity, efficiency, quality, yield and cost.
• Lead process-improvement initiatives using appropriate methodologies.
• Analyze current processes and develop practical improvement plans.
• Measure project outcomes against agreed KPIs and financial targets.
• Support the implementation of standardized processes and best practices across operations.

Typical CAPEX & Operational Projects

The successful candidate may be responsible for projects including:

• New processing and production lines.
• Plant expansions and facility upgrades.
• Packaging-line installations.
• Automation and robotics.
• Refrigeration systems.
• Cold-storage and freezer expansion.
• Warehouse improvements and material-handling systems.
• Production equipment replacement or upgrades.
• Utility and infrastructure improvements.
• Energy-efficiency projects.
• New facility development.
• Production-capacity expansion.
• New product or SKU launches.
• ERP, WMS, MES or other technology implementations.
• Process and yield-improvement initiatives.
• Acquisition integration projects.

Required Qualifications & Experience

• 5+ years of project management experience, preferably within food manufacturing, meat/protein processing, CPG, manufacturing or a related industry.
• Demonstrated experience managing projects from concept through implementation.
• Experience managing CAPEX projects and capital budgets.
• Experience managing project budgets, schedules, resources and external contractors.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing and operational environments.
• Experience working with equipment suppliers, contractors and engineering teams.
• Excellent organizational and planning skills.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Ability to manage multiple projects and competing priorities.
• Strong commercial awareness and financial discipline.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, particularly Excel and project-planning tools.
• Willingness to travel within the United States as required.