Senior Pharmaceutical Project Manager

Johnson Controls · Indianapolis · $130,000–$165,000 (stated in the posting)

Build your best future with the Johnson Controls team!

As a global leader in smart, healthy, and sustainable buildings, our mission is to reimagine the performance of buildings to serve people, places, and the planet. Join a winning team that enables you to build your best future! Our teams are uniquely positioned to support a multitude of industries across the globe. You will have the opportunity to develop yourself through meaningful work projects and learning opportunities. We strive to provide our employees with an experience focused on supporting their physical, financial, and emotional wellbeing. Become a member of the Johnson Controls family and thrive in an empowering company culture where your voice and ideas will be heard – your next great opportunity is just a few clicks away!

What we offer

· Competitive base salary and a comprehensive bonus program.

· Three weeks paid vacation in a calendar year/holidays/sick time/three PTO days in a calendar year.

· Comprehensive benefits package including 401K, medical, dental, and vision care - Available day one.

· Extensive product and on the job/cross training opportunities

· Encouraging and collaborative team environment

· Dedication to safety through our Zero Harm policy

· Providing Scheduling and management support.

· JCI Employee discount programs (The Loop by Perk Spot)

Summary

This role is the senior project leader for validated environment and laboratory construction programs (e.g., cleanrooms, biosafety cabinets, containment suites, biocontainment labs, and related utilities) across a campus or multi-site portfolio. The Senior Project Manager will report to the Project Executive and serve as a key strategic partner to Engineering, QA/Validation, Delivery, Sponsors, and regional leadership, driving complex, high-value projects within a validated-state framework. This role carries elevated accountability for program-level compliance, financial performance, risk management, and mentorship of junior project staff.

What You Will Do

Lead the planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of complex, high-value validated environment projects and programs across multiple sites, ensuring IQ/OQ/PQ, equipment qualification, data integrity, and regulatory expectations are met.
Serve as the senior on-site/day-to-day project lead, directing Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors, and Vendors to achieve program objectives within validated-state constraints, often across concurrent projects or a defined portfolio.
Partner with the Project Executive to establish and own project/program scope, schedule, and budget baselines; proactively identify deviations and drive corrective action plans. Lead schedule execution with urgency while safeguarding quality and compliance.
Own the development and implementation of validation strategies and documentation (validation plans, commissioning/qualification activities, and related records), ensuring alignment with corporate validation policy and continuous improvement of validation practices.
Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program-level risks that could impact deliverables, schedules, budgets, data integrity, or compliance; lead escalation and resolution efforts, proposing and implementing remedies.
Deliver comprehensive, executive-level reporting to the Project Executive and senior leadership, covering schedule status, budget, risk, QA/validation progress, and regulatory readiness across assigned projects/programs.
Oversee change order management, project delays, procurement, and contract administration across assigned projects, ensuring alignment with validated baselines and contract requirements. Ensure all logs and documentation are updated at least weekly and maintained per Solution Navigator standards; audit junior PMs' documentation practices as needed.
Establish and enforce robust documentation controls meeting contract, QA, and regulatory standards (validation protocols, IQ/OQ/PQ records, SOP alignment, QA approvals); serve as a key point of contact for regulatory inspections.
Drive continuous improvement initiatives in validation workflows, data integrity practices, and delivery quality across projects and teams to enhance client satisfaction and operational excellence.
Cultivate and manage senior-level relationships with sponsors and stakeholders; act as a trusted advisor on validated-environment delivery, compliance, and risk at both the project and program level.
Direct vendor and subcontractor performance across assigned projects, including selection, negotiation, and performance management to ensure alignment with timelines and strategic objectives.
Own project and program financial performance, including budgeting, forecasting, progress billings, and payables, ensuring alignment with baselines and profitability targets.
Lead preparation efforts for regulatory inspections and audits, ensuring thorough documentation, traceability, and inspection readiness across assigned projects.
Foster a safe, compliant, and collaborative project environment; mentor, train, and provide technical/professional guidance to project managers, coordinators, and junior team members.

What You Will Need to Be Successful

Required

Bachelor's degree in Construction, Civil, Mechanical, Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Business Management, Architecture, or a related field.
10–15+ years of direct project management experience on large capital projects, including significant experience in regulated or validated settings (typical project sizes in the $20–$50M+ range; portfolio or program-level responsibility expected).
Demonstrated success independently delivering complex, multi-site programs in validated environments (GMP/GLP/ISO 17025) within labs, biopharma, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, healthcare, or related sectors.
Strong command of contract language, project accounting, and portfolio/program management principles as applied to validated environments.
Exceptional communication and influencing skills; proven ability to present to senior leadership, executive sponsors, and diverse stakeholder groups, and to navigate complex organizational dynamics.
Demonstrated leadership of cross-functional teams (Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, Contractors) in regulated contexts, including mentoring and developing junior project managers.
Advanced proficiency with standard project management tools (Primavera P6, MS Project) and reporting platforms; advanced skills in MS Office with the ability to create executive-level dashboards and presentations.
Deep working knowledge of validation concepts, commissioning/qualification processes, data integrity best practices, and regulatory expectations for validated facilities.
Proven ability to build and sustain strategic relationships with key stakeholders, sponsors, and subcontractors in validated environments.
Willingness to travel and operate across multiple sites as needed, with ability to manage competing priorities across a program.

Preferred

Master's degree.
PMI certification (PMP) or equivalent; advanced certification (PgMP or similar) a plus.
Certifications or extensive hands-on experience in CQV; strong CSV expertise; deep familiarity with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and related regulatory frameworks.
Extensive experience delivering validated environments: GMP/GLP labs, ISO 14644 cleanrooms, ISO 17025 laboratories, or similar, across multiple project types.
Experience working on programs in datacenter-adjacent facilities requiring stringent validation regimes.
Demonstrated track record of leading continuous improvement programs for validation processes and data integrity across a project portfolio, with measurable impact.
Experience mentoring or formally supervising project managers or project leads.

Reporting Line

This position reports to the Project Executive. This role is expected to supervise and mentor Project Managers, Project Coordinators, and junior project team members, and may have indirect oversight of project staff across a multi-project portfolio.

HIRING SALARY RANGE: $130,000 – 165,000 (Salary to be determined by the education, experience, knowledge, skills, and
abilities of the applicant, internal equity, location and alignment with market data.) This role offers a competitive Bonus plan that will take into account individual, group, and corporate performance. This position includes a competitive benefits package. For details, please visit the About Us tab on the Johnson
Controls Careers site at https://jobs.johnsoncontrols.com/about-us.

Johnson Controls International plc. is an equal employment opportunity and affirmative action employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, protected veteran status, genetic information, sexual orientation, gender identity, status as a qualified individual with a disability or any other characteristic protected by law. To view more information about your equal opportunity and non-discrimination rights as a candidate, visit EEO is the Law. If you are an individual with a disability and you require an accommodation during the application process, please visit here.

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