Senior Project Manager
The Senior Project Manager is responsible for the successful execution and delivery of complex, engineered-to-order industrial equipment projects, ensuring contractual commitments, financial objectives, schedules, and quality standards are achieved.
This senior-level position requires a strong technical understanding of industrial equipment and mechanical systems, combined with demonstrated experience managing multidisciplinary engineering and manufacturing projects. The successful candidate will bring experience from industrial equipment manufacturing, mining, mineral processing, EPC/EPCM engineering, or other heavy industrial environments.
Taking full ownership of assigned projects from contract award through engineering, procurement, manufacturing, testing, delivery, and close-out, the Senior Project Manager provides leadership and direction to cross-functional teams while serving as the primary commercial and project management contact for customers.
The role requires a high degree of independence, sound commercial judgment, and the ability to anticipate and resolve complex technical, contractual, and operational challenges. The Senior Project Manager is accountable for project financial performance, risk management, customer relationships, and the successful delivery of projects in accordance with contractual obligations.
Key Responsibilities:
Project Leadership & Execution
- Assume full accountability for the planning, execution, monitoring, and successful delivery of complex industrial equipment projects from contract award through completion.
- Lead multiple concurrent projects, establishing execution strategies, priorities, resource requirements, and key milestones.
- Provide senior-level direction and coordination across engineering, procurement, manufacturing, quality, and operations to ensure project objectives are achieved.
- Exercise independent judgment in resolving complex project challenges, escalating critical commercial or operational risks to senior management when appropriate.
- Identify project execution constraints and proactively develop solutions to protect contractual commitments, profitability, and customer relationships.
Commercial & Contract Management
- Take ownership of contractual obligations, ensuring project deliverables align with agreed scope, specifications, schedules, and commercial terms.
- Identify, negotiate, and manage scope changes, contract variations, and customer change orders to protect project margins and minimize commercial exposure.
- Manage project budgets, cost forecasts, and financial performance, identifying and addressing cost overruns and opportunities to improve profitability.
- Oversee project billing milestones, invoicing, collections, and cash flow to support financial objectives.
- Lead commercial discussions with customers and key suppliers to resolve contractual disputes, delivery challenges, and project-related claims.
Technical Project & Equipment Management
- Oversee project execution involving engineered industrial equipment, mechanical systems, and associated components.
- Coordinate technical deliverables across engineering disciplines, ensuring equipment designs, specifications, procurement, and manufacturing activities align with project requirements.
- Manage the interfaces between equipment suppliers, engineering teams, manufacturing operations, and customers to ensure technical and operational requirements are met.
- Oversee key project milestones, including design reviews, procurement, fabrication, inspections, factory acceptance testing (FAT), delivery, and commissioning support, as applicable.
- Identify and resolve technical coordination challenges that could impact equipment performance, project schedules, or contractual deliverables.
Customer & Stakeholder Management
- Serve as the primary project contact for customers, building strong working relationships and maintaining clear communication throughout project execution.
- Lead customer project meetings, progress reviews, and discussions involving technical, contractual, schedule, and commercial matters.
- Manage customer expectations while balancing contractual requirements, operational capabilities, and business objectives.
- Provide timely, accurate reporting to senior leadership on project performance, financial status, risks, and critical decisions.
Risk, Schedule & Supplier Management
- Develop and maintain comprehensive project schedules, identifying critical paths, dependencies, and potential delivery risks.
- Proactively assess technical, financial, contractual, and operational risks, implementing effective mitigation and recovery strategies.
- Oversee critical supplier and subcontractor deliverables, addressing quality, cost, and schedule issues that could affect project execution.
- Work closely with procurement and manufacturing teams to monitor equipment and component lead times, production progress, and delivery commitments.
- Ensure compliance with contractual requirements, applicable quality standards, company policies, and safety expectations.
Continuous Improvement & Leadership
- Provide guidance and mentorship to less experienced project managers and project team members, sharing best practices and supporting professional development.
- Contribute to the improvement of project management processes, reporting systems, commercial controls, and project execution standards.
- Lead project close-out reviews and lessons-learned initiatives to strengthen future project delivery.
- Demonstrate accountability, sound judgment, and a proactive approach to identifying and resolving challenges across the organization.
Requirements:
- Minimum 10 years of progressive project management experience, including significant responsibility for complex engineering, industrial equipment, manufacturing, or capital projects.
- Degree or diploma in engineering, project management, or a related technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
- Demonstrated experience managing projects involving industrial equipment, rotating equipment, mechanical systems, or equipment-intensive industrial facilities, such as those found in mining, mineral processing, heavy manufacturing, or related industries.
- Experience working within an industrial equipment manufacturer, engineering firm, EPC/EPCM organization, or heavy industrial operation with direct involvement in equipment-related project delivery.
- Proven ability to independently manage complex projects involving multidisciplinary engineering teams, procurement, suppliers, and technical stakeholders.
- Strong understanding of project financial management, including budgeting, cost forecasting, cash flow, contract administration, and change management.
- Demonstrated experience managing project schedules, technical deliverables, supplier performance, and contractual obligations.
- Strong commercial judgment, negotiation skills, and ability to manage complex customer relationships.
- Excellent leadership, communication, organizational, and problem-solving skills.
Preferred
- Experience managing projects involving rotating equipment such as pumps, compressors, turbines, or other industrial mechanical equipment.
- Project management experience within mining, mineral processing, slurry handling, water treatment, or other heavy industrial applications.
- Experience with engineered-to-order equipment, equipment packages, or custom industrial manufacturing.
- EPC/EPCM experience involving mechanical equipment procurement, fabrication, installation, or commissioning.
- Familiarity with equipment manufacturing processes, technical specifications, inspections, and factory acceptance testing.
- Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent professional designation.
