AIS Professional & Technical Solutions (AIS) is a multidisciplinary consulting firm providing strategy planning, project management, engineering, and design services to the pharmaceutical, industrial, commercial, and clinical sectors. For more than two decades, AIS has supported established organizations by delivering comprehensive, enterprise‑wide solutions that integrate industry best practices and minimize operational risk.
Our client is seeking a highly skilled Project Management Office (PMO) Lead to support Capital Projects in a pharmaceutical manufacturing environment. The Site PMO Lead ensures the consistent application of project management methodologies and processes, even under challenging circumstances. This individual acts as a key control point, leveraging extensive experience and methodological expertise to advise and guide project managers and team members, thereby promoting high-quality project execution. Furthermore, this officer leads the PMO team, cultivates team collaboration, and manages internal quality assurance.
The Site PMO Lead provides expert guidance to project managers on methodology selection and facilitates structured planning, monitoring, and control of project activities to ensure successful delivery.
This role requires strong collaboration with all departments within Global Supply and Group Functions, including Engineering, Quality, IT, Procurement, Finance and Controlling, Legal, and HR. Collaboration with external service providers, including system suppliers, commissioning service providers, and PMO service providers, is also essential for successful program implementation.
Key Roles & Responsibilities
- Mentors project teams in the effective application of PMO project management methods, leveraging tool-supported solutions and best practices across complex projects and programs, from planning through execution and control.
- Drives successful change and communication initiatives by providing coaching and targeted support in the planning, implementation, and C&Q phases, both for individual projects and across the organization.
- Collaborates with project managers and their teams to design, develop, and deliver effective workshops, providing expert guidance and support throughout the entire process, including coordination, preparation, implementation, and moderation.
- Partnered with project and line managers to ensure effective PMO resource allocation, contributing to successful project delivery and achievement of organizational goals.
- Analyzed and synthesized project data to provide program-level insights and reporting, fostering transparency, comparability, and the development of actionable recommendations.
- Developed and delivered high-quality, decision-focused project PMO documentation and presentations for executive status committees, directly supporting strategic decision-making.
- Managed the full lifecycle of internal stakeholder surveys, from design and implementation through data analysis, reporting, and the development of actionable recommendations for optimization.
- Builds consensus among diverse cultures, functions, leadership levels, and organizational maturity to develop a common global mindset. Collaborates with global functions to ensure consistency in overall PMO execution and coordinates the interfaces to the Global Asset Implementation Program (AIP) PMO.
Required qualifications & experience
- Bachelor's in Engineering, Business Administration, Economics, or related fields, Master's Degree preferred.
- Minimum 10+ years of experience in PMO and project management framework/methodologies supporting high-speed pharmaceutical manufacturing, packaging, or industrial processing environments.
- Extensive experience leading medium- to large-scale transformation (CapEx) projects, preferably within the pharmaceutical industry.
- Strong understanding of cost & change management, risk management, planning/scheduling, and dependency management principles.
- Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously within a program structure.
- Experience working across cross-functional and global teams, including external partners such as A/E firms.
- Solid understanding of project lifecycle phases, including FEL, design, construction, commissioning, and qualification.
- Bilingual (English/Spanish), written and verbal, is required. Proficiency in German, French, or Portuguese is a plus.
- 15% Domestic and international travel required.
Preferred skills & certifications
- Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite and project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira).
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities
- Strong presentation skills.
- Ability to work independently while driving collaboration and alignment across diverse teams.
- Experience with ERP systems (e.g., SAP) is a plus.
- PMP or other relevant project management certifications are a plus.
Physical & Work Requirements
- Ability to sit for extended periods and operate standard office equipment.
- May require occasional walking through industrial or construction areas.
- Wear Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) when required.
- Ability to work on-site at manufacturing facilities.
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Health insurance
- Parental leave
- Referral program
- Vision insurance
Education:
Experience:
- Project Management Office: 5 years (Required)
Language:
Location:
Work Location: In person