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Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Product Project Manager

A Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Product Project Manager is responsible for overseeing the development, production and distribution of medication/pharmaceutical products.

They work closely with other departments to ensure that products are manufactured efficiently, meet regulation standards and are marketed effectively.  

Some of the specific duties of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Product Project Manager include: 

  • overseeing the product development process, ensuring that products are manufactured to meet quality standards and safety regulations 
  • working across departments to ensure alignment with the company’s goals and objectives. Collaboration with other departments to ensure manufacturing, quality and regulations followed in an effective and efficient manner is essential  
  • conducting research to identify pharmaceutical market trends, competitor’s advances and also customer needs.  This information can then be used to develop new products and improve existing ones 
  • overseeing any launches of new products and helping to develop marketing strategies and ensure any medications are launched on time and on budget 
  • monitoring product performance, including sales and customer feedback to identify opportunities for improvement and make adjustments if needed 

Responsibilities

As a Product Project Manager you will need to: 

  • take overall responsibility for the success of the medication/pharmaceutical product 
  • create timelines to ensure all departments are aware of completion dates 
  • manage budgets 
  • gather data from users and analysing the data to give feedback 
  • contribute towards product strategy 
  • ensure all deadlines are met to help move production forward 
  • meet with all departments to ensure production is moving forward 
  • support any changes to the product

Skills

To be a successful Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Product Project Manager you need to have a combination of technical, interpersonal and leadership skills.   

Below are some of the essential skills that a Product Project Manager should have: 

  • project management skills, for example, being able to oversee the development and launch of new medications.  Being able to create timelines, manage budgets, and coordinate the different departments involved in the process 
  • technical knowledge is very important in order to have an excellent understanding of pharmaceutical manufacturing processes and also the regulatory requirements   
  • analytical skills are also important as the Product Project Manager needs to be able to analyse competition, customer needs and also market trends  
  • excellent communication skills are needed as you work with a wide range of people.  There is a need to communicate effectively and adapt communication styles to suit specific audiences.  For example, technical discussions with those that understand the processes and appropriate terminology for those who may not  
  • leadership skills are also very important as there is a need to provide guidance and direction to different departments to ensure deadlines and budgets are met  
  • the ability to inspire and motivate a team 

Salary

The salary for a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager in the UK can vary depending on different factors, such as, experience, education, specific industry and location.  

The salary can range between £35,000 and £60,000 per year.  Senior managers with several years of experience and responsibility for large teams and budgets can earn more than £80,000 per year. 

Salaries may also vary depending on the size of the company and the region where the job is located. Additionally, those managers that hold advanced degrees, professional qualifications or have several years experience in the field may be able to negotiate higher salaries.  

Working hours

The working hours of a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager can vary depending on the specific company and industry.  

Typically, a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Manager will work standard full-time hours of 40 hours per week, usually Monday to Friday. However, some companies may require additional hours and occasional weekend or evening work may be necessary. Pharmaceutical manufacturing facilities may also operate on a 24/7 basis, and Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Health and Safety Managers may need to be available outside of regular hours to manage safety issues or emergency situations. Overall, the specific working hours may vary depending on the needs of the employer and demands of the job.  

Employers

There are a number of pharmaceutical manufacturing companies in the North East who have Product Project Manager roles.   Not all of them have full time Product Project Managers, as some employ Product Project Managers for short term contracts.  

Larger firms employ graduates to support larger projects.  

Most Product Project Manager progress through support or technical roles as project work is carried out alongside day to day work. 

Sterling Pharma Solutions 

Quotient Sciences 

Glaxo Smith Kline 

Piramal

Accord Healthcare

Recipharm

Lecia Biosystems 

Organon 

Thermo Fisher 

High Force Research 

 

Work experience

Most companies require Product Project Managers to have some experience in the pharmaceutical industry in roles such as: 

  • manufacturing or operations management – you need to understand the manufacturing process, production and resources allocated to a project 
  • project management experience is needed to be able to lead the project 
  • quality assurance or regulatory experience is needed to be able to meet all guidelines and regulations  
  • research and development experience can provide the Product Project Manager with better understanding of the processes 

What to expect

A Pharmaceutical Health and Safety Manager plays a critical role in ensuring a safe and healthy working environment for employees and ensuring that the company is compliant with all relevant health and safety regulations and standards. The job can be demanding and may require the ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks simultaneously. 

Career Progression

There are a number of qualifications that can be achieved with experience through the Chartered Management Institute (CMI),  Association for Project Management (APM), and the Project Management Institute (PMI). 

Chartered Management Institute Association for Project Management Project Management Institute

Routes to become a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing Product Project Manager:

There are many ways to become a Product Project Manager.  

You can work your way up from an entry level position, such as a Production Technician to a Project Manager role by gaining experience and developing skills. 

Degrees or Masters degrees in either pharmaceutical sciences, engineering, or business administration allow you to gain the knowledge needed to work in a Pharmaceutical Manufacturing facility.  

Gaining qualifications relevant to the Product Project Manager role, for example the Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification can help develop skills needed to manage pharmaceutical manufacturing projects. 

University

BSc or MSc in relevant Life Science qualification 

Possible PhD in Life Sciences 

Entry requirements: 

If employed in a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility, work experience in the Health and Safety department may allow internal transition, however relevant degree qualifications will still apply. 

Other degree subjects are linked to this role, for example, a Bachelor’s degree in Sustainability, Environmental Management/Science, Engineering, Geography, or Natural Science (e.g., biology, chemistry, physics, etc.). 

 

Apprenticeship

4 or 5 GCSEs at grades 9 to 4 (A* to C) and A levels, or equivalent, for a higher or degree apprenticeship. 

If you have worked in engineering or other relevant sectors you may be able to apply to work in the pharmaceutical manufacturing sector. 

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