Project Manager, Operations Management, Regulatory Compliance Specialist

Location: Sioux City, IA Salary: $ USD Annually - $ USD Annually Description:
Project Manager - Food Manufacturing (Confidential)

Our client, a well-established and growing food manufacturing company, is seeking a Project Manager to drive capital and operational projects at the plant level. This is a hands-on, technical role with full ownership of projects from initial scoping and contractor selection through construction, commissioning, and turnover to operations.

The person in this seat runs their projects independently - managing scope, timeline, budget, and quality with minimal oversight - and escalates to the Plant Projects Manager only when significant risk, policy questions, or resource conflicts arise. Success looks like projects delivered on schedule and on budget, with strong communication and collaboration across the plant.

What You'll Do

Project Leadership

• Establish project scope, goals, deliverables, and success measures in line with plant leadership priorities.
• Build and maintain detailed schedules; track progress and stay ahead of timeline risks.
• Guide cross-functional teams spanning operations, maintenance, quality, and engineering - influencing without direct authority.
• Run structured project meetings and issue clear, action-driven minutes.
• Keep complete project records: specs, drawings, change orders, minutes, and schedule updates.
• Spot roadblocks early and solve them independently; bring critical issues to the Plant Projects Manager with recommended solutions in hand.
• Ensure permits, licenses, and regulatory documentation are secured and kept current.
• Help build repeatable playbooks for common project types.

Technical Execution

• Use engineering judgment to review designs, contractor submittals, and installation approaches against specs and plant standards.
• Perform or direct field inspections during construction and installation; correct deficiencies as they surface.
• Assist with equipment selection and partner with vendors and engineers to confirm technical requirements are satisfied.
• Ensure all work meets applicable codes, regulations, and food safety requirements, including GMP and HACCP.

Contracts & Budget

• Review contracts for gaps between written terms and real-world execution needs; raise discrepancies before signing.
• Monitor spend against approved budgets and route change orders through proper approvals.
• Process vendor payments on schedule and clear up invoice issues promptly.

Startup & Handoff

• Build startup plans covering SOPs, equipment validation, training, and staffing.
• Coordinate readiness with production and quality teams for a clean transition.
• Close out punch lists and startup issues; formally hand projects to operations once stable performance is documented.

What You'll Bring

• 3-5 years of project management experience in a manufacturing setting, with a proven record of independently delivering technical projects on time and on budget.
• Bachelor's in Engineering (Mechanical, Chemical, Industrial, or related) or Operations Management preferred; equivalent hands-on technical project experience considered.
• Strong technical grounding in manufacturing processes, mechanical/process systems, and facility construction, plus working knowledge of automated controls, production equipment, and plant utilities.
• GMP, HACCP, or food safety regulatory knowledge required; food & beverage manufacturing background strongly preferred.
• Ability to read and interpret engineering drawings, P&IDs, specs, and technical submittals.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Excel, Word, Project); PM software and ERP familiarity (Microsoft Dynamics or similar) a plus.
• Self-directed, detail-oriented, and organized under pressure - comfortable juggling multiple projects and presenting to plant leadership.

Work Environment

• Manufacturing facility; PPE required in production and construction areas.
• Field inspections involve walking work surfaces, climbing ladders, and accessing equipment areas.
• Flexibility for off-shift and weekend availability to support project milestones and contractor access.

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