Project Management Lead - Industrial

This is a rare opportunity to step into a high-impact technical leadership role at a growth-stage industrial company operating at the intersection of engineering excellence and environmental innovation. The Project Manager Lead serves as the operational anchor for a developing project management team, providing the coaching, technical credibility, and process discipline needed to sustain customer confidence and drive project execution across a North American portfolio. This role is ideal for a seasoned project management professional who thrives in complex, multi-stakeholder environments and is energized by building people and systems simultaneously. The organization offers international scope, a collaborative team culture, and the chance to shape the PM function during a critical period of growth and transition.

JOB DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of project managers across the full project lifecycle from order inception through commissioning and startup.
• Serve as the primary technical sounding board and escalation point for complex customer conflicts, schedule disputes, and contractual deliverable challenges.
• Own cross-functional coordination across engineering, sourcing/production, and aftermarket teams to ensure project milestones are met.
• Manage scope, schedule, budget, and contractual compliance across a portfolio of concurrent medium-to-large industrial capital projects.
• Establish KPI frameworks and reporting rhythms that bring structure, visibility, and accountability to the project management function.
• Build and maintain deep understanding of all active project portfolios, contractual obligations, and key customer relationships across the US, Canada, and Mexico.
• Read and interpret P&IDs, layout drawings, and engineering specifications to maintain technical oversight of project execution quality.
• Conduct regularly scheduled project meetings for single and multiple projects and ensure documentation is stored accurately in project management systems.
• Manage claims monitoring, change order management, and commercial risk documentation in coordination with customers and internal stakeholders.
• Coordinate creation and delivery of operating manuals, FAT testing participation, and on-site commissioning support as required.
• Maintain continuous and professional communication with customer project managers, engineering teams, logistics, and operations contacts.
• Support ERP system adoption and workflow stabilization as part of broader operational improvement initiatives.
• Collaborate with operations leadership to update and improve project management workflows, process documentation, and support structures.

QUALIFICATIONS
Required

• Six or more years of progressive project management experience leading medium-to-large industrial or plant engineering projects.
• Demonstrated technical acumen in reading and interpreting P&IDs, layout drawings, and engineering specifications.
• Proven ability to coach and mentor project managers through high-pressure customer conflict situations and deliverable escalations.
• Cross-functional leadership experience coordinating across engineering, operations, and sourcing teams.
• Bachelor's degree in Engineering (Process, Mechanical, or Electrical preferred) or a related technical field.
• Excellent communication skills including written documentation, internal presentations, and customer-facing interactions.
• Proficiency in MS Office/O365 and standard project management tools and systems.
• Willingness to travel up to 30%.

Preferred

• PMI certification (PMP) or equivalent formal project management credential.
• Familiarity with industrial wastewater pre-treatment processes, pulp and paper operations, or adjacent industries such as food and beverage.
• Experience working within a multinational or globally matrixed organization, with the ability to navigate headquarters dynamics effectively.
• Knowledge of AutoCAD Plant 3D, Autodesk Inventor, or similar engineering design tools.
• Understanding of anaerobic treatment systems or industrial process equipment.

Competencies

• Strong coaching and mentoring instincts; elevates team performance rather than solving problems unilaterally.
• Technically grounded with comfort operating as a sounding board for complex engineering and operational decisions.
• Forward-thinking with the ability to anticipate next steps and act proactively.
• Calculated risk taker with meticulous analytical follow-through.
• Outstanding communicator — persuasive, intuitive, and comfortable with courageous conversations.
• High personal energy with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Emotional intelligence and strategic communication skills to maintain trust internally and with customers.