Pharmaceutical Project Executive

Johnson Controls • Allentown, PA

1d • Onsite

About The Position

The Pharmaceutical Project Executive provides executive-level leadership for a campus portfolio of validated-environment and laboratory construction programs, including cleanrooms, BSCs, containment suites, biocontainment labs, and associated utilities. The role is the domain authority for programs requiring rigorous validation lifecycles (IQ/OQ/PQ), equipment qualification, and compliant deployment of regulated systems, ensuring alignment with corporate validation strategy and regulatory expectations.

The position sets strategic direction and governance for the validated program portfolio and leads the campus Project Management Office for validated environments. It partners with QA/Validation, Project Development, Delivery, Sponsors, and regional leadership; oversees compliance with contracts, validation plans, and data-integrity standards; manages portfolio risks and recovery plans; and reports portfolio performance to executive management. Responsibilities also include client relationship management and business development, strategic vendor and subcontractor relationships, campus-level financial governance, documentation controls, audit support, and continuous improvement of validation workflows and customer satisfaction.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in construction, Civil, Mechanical, or Electrical Engineering, Construction Management, Business Management, Architecture, or a related field.
• 15+ years of direct Project/Program Management experience, including large capital projects in regulated or validated settings; minimum $10M per project, with portfolio-level responsibility preferred.
• Demonstrated success delivering complex, multi-site programs in validated environments such as GMP/GLP/ISO 17025 within labs, biopharma, pharmaceutical manufacturing, medical devices, healthcare, or related sectors.
• Deep understanding of contract language, project accounting, and portfolio management as applied to validated environments.
• Strong executive communication skills and proven ability to present to senior leadership and diverse stakeholder groups and influence across functional boundaries.
• Proven ability to lead and align cross-functional teams including Owners, Architects, Engineers, QA/Validation, and Contractors in regulated contexts.
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Primavera P6 and MS Project, reporting platforms, and advanced MS Office skills for executive dashboards and presentations.
• Working knowledge of validation concepts, commissioning/qualification processes, data-integrity best practices, and regulatory expectations for validated facilities.
• Ability to establish and maintain professional relationships with stakeholders and subcontractors in validated environments.
• Willingness to travel and work across multiple sites as needed.

Nice To Haves

• Master’s degree.
• PMI certification (PMP) or equivalent.
• Certifications or hands-on experience in CQV; CSV awareness; familiarity with FDA 21 CFR Part 11, EU Annex 11, and related regulatory frameworks.
• Experience delivering validated environments such as GMP/GLP labs, ISO 14644 cleanrooms, ISO 17025 laboratories, or similar.
• Experience leading programs in datacenter-adjacent facilities requiring stringent validation regimes.
• Demonstrated ability to develop and implement continuous-improvement programs for validation processes and data integrity across a portfolio.

Responsibilities

• Provide executive-level leadership for a portfolio of validated-environment and laboratory construction programs across a campus.
• Serve as the domain authority for programs requiring validation lifecycles, equipment qualification, and compliant deployment of regulated systems.
• Set strategic direction and governance for the validated program portfolio in partnership with QA/Validation, Project Development, Delivery, Sponsors, and regional leadership.
• Lead the campus Project Management Office for validated environments, ensuring compliance with contract requirements, validation plans, and data-integrity standards, and coordinating enterprise performance reporting.
• Anticipate, escalate, mitigate, and resolve risks affecting validation deliverables, schedules, budgets, data integrity, or regulatory compliance.
• Oversee campus portfolio risk management and direct recovery and remediation plans that preserve validated status and project impact metrics.
• Provide accurate, timely, actionable portfolio-performance reporting to Executive Management, including financial performance, validation milestones, compliance status, and risk controls.
• Manage client relationships and business development in the validated-environment sector, identifying opportunities to expand scope, deepen partnerships, and improve customer satisfaction.
• Lead strategic vendor and subcontractor relationships, selecting qualified partners and aligning them with project goals and timelines.
• Govern campus-level program financials, including budgeting, forecasting, progress billings, and payables.
• Ensure program documentation controls meet contract, regulatory, and QA requirements, and support regulatory inspections and audits.
• Identify opportunities to improve client satisfaction, streamline validation workflows, and strengthen competitive position through compliant, high-quality delivery.
• Travel and operate across multiple sites as needed.

Benefits

• Competitive base salary and comprehensive bonus program.
• Three weeks of paid vacation per calendar year, holidays, sick time, and three PTO days per calendar year.
• Comprehensive benefits package including 401(k), 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 the Zero Harm policy.
• Scheduling and management support.
• JCI employee discount programs (The Loop by Perk Spot).

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Executive