Project Manager Engineering

About VAT Group

At VAT, we change the world with vacuum solutions. As the world’s leading supplier of high-performance vacuum valves, we have been driving innovation for more than 60 years. With over 3,200 employees worldwide, we operate from our headquarters in Haag, Switzerland, with manufacturing sites in Switzerland, Malaysia and Romania, as well as sales and service hubs around the world. We are guided by our passions integrity, teamwork, customer centricity, and innovation – always working together as #oneVAT.

Joining us means becoming part of a passionate, international team where your voice is heard, your ideas matter, and your career growth is supported.

We are looking for a Team Leader Engineering - Project Management to lead our local Project Management team and drive successful execution of the strategic multi-project portfolio at VAT Manufacturing Malaysia. The role is accountable for ensuring projects and programs are delivered within agreed scope, schedule, cost and quality while applying the (IP) innovative Product project process, governance requirements and execution standards.

In this role, you will combine people leadership, portfolio oversight and direct management of selected strategic projects or programs. You will align resources and priorities, strengthen project management capability, maintain transparent portfolio reporting and continuously improve our project delivery approach. You will work across local and global functions in a matrix environment to support product industrialization, product and technology transfer, production ramp-up and other business-critical initiatives. Success requires strong program leadership, disciplined execution, effective stakeholder management and the ability to deliver sustainable organizational performance through others.

Your responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Lead, coach and develop the local Project Management team, establishing clear objectives, accountability and development plans.
• Own execution of the strategic multi-project portfolio and maintain visibility of priorities, dependencies, risks and resource constraints.
• Ensure projects and programs are delivered within agreed scope, schedule, cost and quality.
• Allocate project management resources and balance team capacity with portfolio and business priorities.
• Ensure applicable projects follow the IP (Innovative Product) process and defined project governance requirements.
• Own and continuously improve local project management standards, Signavio processes, templates, tools and delivery practices.
• Directly manage selected complex, cross-functional or strategically important projects and programs when required.
• Lead matrix project teams and align stakeholders across functions, manufacturing sites and management levels.
• Support product industrialization, significant customer projects, product relocation, validation and production ramp-up.
• Coordinate with department leaders to ensure availability of qualified personnel, machining, assembly and other required capacity.
• Drive structured management of scope, schedules, costs, quality, risks, issues, dependencies and project changes.
• Act as an escalation point for critical portfolio and project issues, driving timely decisions and corrective actions.
• Provide accurate weekly and monthly portfolio reporting, including status, risks, decisions and required management actions.
• Build project and program management capability through coaching, training and exchange of best practices across VAT sites.
• Promote a culture of ownership, collaboration, continuous improvement and execution excellence.

Minimum Qualification:

• Bachelor's or Master's Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Industrial Engineering, Project Management or a related discipline.
• Minimum 10 years of proven project or program leadership experience in manufacturing, engineering or a comparable technology environment.
• Minimum 5 years of people, team or department management experience.
• Proven ability to lead multiple concurrent, complex and interdisciplinary projects.
• Experience leading cross-functional and intercultural teams in a matrix organization.
• Strong knowledge of project planning, portfolio reporting, risk management, stakeholder management and change control.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills in English.
• Strong organizational, analytical, facilitation and decision-making skills.
• Ability to influence without direct authority and make sound decisions under pressure.
• Availability for short-term assignment to product transfer sites when required

Preferred Qualification:

• PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent project management certification.
• Experience in new product introduction, industrialization, product transfer, product validation or production ramp-up
• Experience in strategic portfolio or program management and steering committee governance.
• Knowledge of ISO compliance and project process governance.
• Practical understanding of lean manufacturing principles and statistics
• Experience communicating with customers, suppliers and external stakeholders.
• Experience with Signavio or comparable process-management tools.
• Demonstrated capability in team development, succession planning and organizational improvement

Our commitment to inclusion, fairness and equal opportunities

We believe in meaningful careers, continuous learning, and equal opportunities for everyone to drive our innovation and success. We welcome applicants from all backgrounds and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and respectful workplace. If you have concerns, our compliance channel is available at our website. All reports are handled with strict confidentiality and in accordance with our Code of Conduct.