JOB SUMMARY
The Global Head of Project Management is accountable for the leadership, governance, performance, and continuous improvement of the global project management organization. The role ensures the successful delivery of projects across multiple regions, business units, and functions while operating within a global cross-functional matrix environment.
The incumbent leads a global team of Regional Project Management Leaders and Project Managers responsible for delivering projects safely, on time, on budget, and to the required quality standards while meeting contractual obligations and exceeding customer expectations.
This position serves as the primary leader for project execution excellence, fostering collaboration among Engineering, Installation & Commissioning, Project Controls, Supply Chain, Manufacturing, Quality, and Customer stakeholders to achieve business objectives and sustainable profitability. The role draws upon leadership responsibilities, delivery governance, safety ownership, customer focus, and portfolio management principles reflected in the existing project management framework.
PRINCIPAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
On-Time Delivery (OTD)
- Own and improve global On-Time Delivery performance across the project portfolio.
- Oversee project planning, scheduling, and governance standards.
- Ensure critical path identification and proactive schedule risk management.
- Drive milestone adherence through robust project review and escalation processes.
- Monitor portfolio health and resource capacity to ensure successful execution.
- Implement lessons learned and best practices to improve schedule predictability.
- Develop and maintain project execution frameworks that ensure consistent delivery performance globally.
On-Cost Delivery
- Ensure projects achieve approved budgets, margin expectations, and financial objectives.
- Drive consistent forecasting, Estimate-at-Completion (EAC), cash flow, and cost control processes.
- Establish financial governance across project portfolios.
- Lead proactive identification and mitigation of commercial and execution risks.
- Partner with Systems Execution Functional leaders and Supply Chain to improve project profitability.
- Drive accountability for change management and scope control.
On-Quality Delivery
- Reinforce and exceed global project quality standards and execution excellence processes.
- Ensure compliance with contractual, technical, regulatory, and customer requirements.
- Drive quality planning, assurance, and control throughout project lifecycles.
- Lead corrective and preventive action initiatives across the project organization.
- Promote "right-first-time" execution through standardization and continuous improvement.
- Ensure robust commissioning, validation, handover, and project close-out processes.
Safety
- Act as the executive safety champion for all project activities globally.
- Ensure all projects are delivered in accordance with company, customer, and regulatory safety requirements.
- Promote a proactive safety culture that prioritizes risk identification and mitigation.
- Ensure project teams actively support the objective of zero incidents and injuries.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives in project safety performance.
- Ensure contractors, suppliers, and project partners operate to required safety standards.
Leadership Responsibilities
- Lead, develop, and inspire a global team of Regional Project Management Leaders and Project Managers.
- Establish succession planning and talent development programs.
- Provide coaching, mentoring, and career development opportunities.
- Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration and execution excellence.
- Develop project management competencies across the organization.
- Ensure project teams have the tools, processes, training, and resources required for success.
- Influence cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority within a global matrix organization to align project priorities, resolve resource conflicts, drive accountability, create collaboration execution strategies, lead governance reviews/steering committees and influence global business decisions that impact project delivery.
Strategic Responsibilities
- Champion the global Project Management strategy while working to always improve.
- Enforce the standardization of project execution methodologies and governance processes.
- Drive digitalization and project management best practices.
- Establish and monitor project performance KPIs.
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives.
- Support business growth through improved execution capability and customer satisfaction.
- Provide executive-level reporting on portfolio performance, risks, and opportunities.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & ABILITIES
Business Leadership
Delivery Excellence
People Leadership
- Influencing and negotiation
Personal Effectiveness
- Integrity and compliance mindset
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
Essential:
- 15+ years of Senior project management leadership experience in industrial, engineering or EPC sectors.
- Proven leadership of global project organizations.
- Demonstrated success managing large and complex project portfolios.
- Strong experience delivering projects within matrix organizations.
- Experience leading geographically dispersed teams.
- Advanced financial and commercial acumen.
- Experience engaging senior customers and executive stakeholders.
Desirable
- Experience in process technologies, food processing, pharmaceutical, chemical, industrial systems, or capital equipment industries.
- International project delivery experience.
- PMP, PMI, APM, PRINCE2, or equivalent certification.
- MBA or advanced business qualification.
Salary pay range: 90,000euros – 130,000euros
