Your responsibilities and tasks
Role Purpose
The Strategic Project Manager will drive end-to-end execution of Pharma BU’s India 2.0 agenda — turning strategy into prioritized programs, shipped outcomes, measurable value, and institutionalized ways of working. The role acts as the execution engine and governance anchor, ensuring cross-functional alignment across Product Management, Engineering/R&D, Localization, Procurement, Quality/Regulatory, Manufacturing/Partners, Digital/Automation, Order-to-Delivery, and Service.
Core mission:
Deliver profitable growth + speed + competitiveness through a structured portfolio of initiatives (localization, product/solution fit, cost-out, supply readiness, service capability, digital/automation enablement, and operating-model upgrades).
1) Portfolio & Program Leadership (Strategy → Execution)
Translate India 2.0 Pharma strategy into a well-structured initiative portfolio: charters, milestones, business cases, dependencies.
Build and maintain an integrated master plan across functions, vendors, and global stakeholders.
Run workstream governance: cadence, reviews, RAID logs (Risks/Assumptions/Issues/Dependencies), decision registers.
2) Business Case & Value Realization (Make it measurable)
Drive initiative business cases: margin impact, cost-out, lead-time reduction, working capital, revenue acceleration.
Set up benefits tracking with Finance: baseline, targets, monthly realization, variance analysis, corrective actions.
Ensure initiatives are sequenced for value (quick wins + structural improvements).
3) Cross-Functional Execution & Delivery Management
Orchestrate collaboration across Product Management, Engineering, Procurement, Manufacturing/Partners, QA, Regulatory, Sales, Service, Finance.
Ensure deliverables are delivered on time: specs, drawings, supplier qualification, QA plans, validation packs, documentation, training.
Identify and remove blockers, escalate early, and drive decision-making.
4) Stakeholder & Change Management (Make adoption real)
Align leadership on priorities and trade-offs; manage conflicts through structured decision pathways.
Drive adoption of new processes and tools; create SOPs/playbooks where needed.
Communicate progress via sharp weekly updates and executive-ready monthly dashboards.
5) Risk, Quality, and Compliance Assurance
Proactively manage risk in localization and execution: supplier readiness, quality audits, critical components, documentation.
Ensure alignment with relevant Pharma quality expectations (e.g., validation readiness, traceability, documentation discipline).
Maintain clear go/no-go criteria, stage gates, and escalation thresholds.
Deliverables
Pharma & Food Applications Portfolio Roadmap
Initiative Charters + Business Cases
SteerCo Pack & Dashboard (progress, decisions required, benefits, risks)
Your profile and qualifications
Required Experience & Qualifications
8–12+ years in strategic program/project management in industrial equipment / engineering / pharma manufacturing / automation environments.
Proven track record of delivering cross-functional programs: localization, NPI, cost-out/value engineering, supply chain transformation, or operational excellence.
Strong understanding of end-to-end product lifecycle (requirements → engineering → sourcing → build → quality → delivery → service).
Experience working with global stakeholders and matrix organizations.
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering / Technology; MBA or PMP/PRINCE2 preferred.
Key Skills (Must-Have)
Program management mastery: planning, critical path, RAID, stage gates, governance
Business case & value tracking: financial fluency, benefits realization discipline
Cross-functional leadership: influence without authority, conflict resolution, facilitation
Structured problem-solving: root cause, hypothesis-driven execution, decision memos
Communication: crisp executive updates, narrative, and “so-what” insights
Operational rigor: documentation discipline, handover readiness, quality mindset
About GEA
GEA is one of the largest suppliers for the food and beverage processing industry and a wide range of other process industries. Approximately 18,000 employees in more than 60 countries contribute significantly to GEA’s success – come and join them! We offer interesting and challenging tasks, a positive working environment in international teams and opportunities for personal development and growth in a global company.
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GEA’s heritage stretches back more than 140 years. Today, we operate in resilient customer industries with a dedicated workforce of more than 18,000 employees and conduct business with more than 150 countries.
