Senior Project Manager - Life Sciences

To be considered for the Senior Project Manager role at FPC Life Sciences, candidates should have extensive experience—typically a minimum of 10 years—in managing capital investment projects specifically within the Life Sciences or Pharmaceutical industries. Additionally, strong client management skills are essential, along with a solid understanding of project management methodologies and software. While PMP or PRINCE2 certification is preferred, a robust technical understanding of Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) facilities is also crucial for success in this position.

The Senior Project Manager at FPC Life Sciences is responsible for leading and managing capital projects from inception to completion. This includes developing strategic project plans that encompass timelines, budgets, and quality controls. The role requires serving as the primary contact for stakeholders, ensuring effective communication regarding project progress, risks, and resolutions. Additionally, the Senior Project Manager will oversee multidisciplinary teams, manage vendor relationships, and ensure all projects adhere to regulatory and quality standards.

At FPC Life Sciences, the Senior Project Manager plays a key role in stakeholder engagement by maintaining clear and effective communication throughout the project lifecycle. This includes regular updates on progress and potential challenges, liaising with senior leadership, cross-functional teams, and contractors. By fostering strong relationships and ensuring transparency, the Senior Project Manager helps to align project execution with client aspirations and expectations.

The working environment for a Senior Project Manager at FPC Life Sciences is dynamic and adaptable, combining work from home with onsite engagements at client locations across the UK and potentially globally. This flexibility allows for a balanced approach to project management, where the Senior Project Manager can assess project needs in real-world contexts while also leveraging remote work capabilities for planning and administration.

Senior Project Managers at FPC Life Sciences have various growth opportunities, including the chance to expand their project management skills in a rapidly evolving industry. By leading diverse projects and engaging with innovative clients, there is potential to progress within FPC Life Sciences' organizational structure. The role also offers avenues for professional networking that can lead to identifying new business opportunities, contributing to both personal and company growth.

In answering this question, provide specific examples of capital investment projects you have managed, highlighting the size and complexity of the projects, key challenges faced, and the outcomes achieved. Focus on your role and contributions, detailing your approach to planning, execution, and stakeholder management.

To effectively answer this, you should explain your process for staying updated with industry regulations. Discuss your experience implementing compliance checks within your project management framework, conducting audits, and collaborating with relevant stakeholders to ensure adherence to regulatory standards throughout the project lifecycle.

Your response should outline your methodology for project planning, including how you set realistic timelines, monitor progress, and adjust budgets as necessary. Highlight any specific project management tools or techniques you use to track these elements and describe how you communicate any changes to your stakeholders.

Prepare a detailed narrative where you discuss a specific instance of stakeholder engagement that presented challenges. Describe the situation, how you approached the communication, the strategies you employed to find common ground, and the eventual resolution to showcase your interpersonal and negotiation skills.

In your answer, discuss your leadership style and the ways in which you encourage collaboration within your teams. Share insights on how you set clear roles and responsibilities, foster open communication and create an inclusive atmosphere that values diverse perspectives in achieving project goals.

Explain your approach to identifying, analyzing, and mitigating risks. Discuss any tools or frameworks you rely on for risk assessment and how you proactively communicate with your team and stakeholders about potential issues, as well as developing contingency plans.

This is an opportunity to illustrate your organizational skills. Discuss your process for evaluating project priorities based on factors such as business impact, timelines, and resource availability. Share tools or techniques you use for effective prioritization in project management.

Reflect on your experiences and articulate what you deem most critical, such as effective communication, stakeholder engagement, or adherence to budget and timelines. Support your viewpoint with examples from your past projects that underline your perspective.

Here, illustrate your ability to combine technical knowledge with management capabilities. Share examples of how your technical background has informed your decision-making in project management and how you leverage this understanding to guide your teams effectively.

In answering this question, provide a thoughtful perspective on current industry trends or challenges such as regulatory changes, technological advancements, or market demand. Offer insights into how you have navigated similar challenges in your previous roles and your outlook on how to approach them moving forward.