Senior Project Manager

Overview

Babbage Consultants is hiring three seasoned Senior Project Managers to lead major engineering and manufacturing assignments across the industrial, food processing and dairy sectors. The role is based in Christchurch, with additional office options in Hamilton and Auckland. This is a strong-growth opportunity, with several large projects worth over $50 million due to start in September and October.

The company has delivered more than $4.9 billion worth of dairy and food-industry work, completed over 25 processing plants, and supported a wide range of New Zealand’s major capital investment programmes. The environment is built around technical quality, trusted client partnerships and successful end-to-end project delivery.

What the role involves

In this position, you will own the delivery of complex industrial and manufacturing projects from early concept and planning through construction, commissioning and handover to operations. You will work with clients, contractors and multidisciplinary teams to keep programmes, budgets, resources and technical deliverables on track.

You will also be expected to manage stakeholders, identify and address project risks, oversee construction-stage activity, and apply a practical, outcome-driven approach to moving projects forward. In addition to delivery work, the role contributes to business growth through proposal preparation, client relationship building and spotting future opportunities.

Candidate profile

The ideal person is a confident project leader with strong technical grounding and excellent stakeholder management skills. A degree in Process Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, or a closely related science field is expected.

You should have demonstrated success delivering industrial, manufacturing or processing projects, along with a solid understanding of project delivery across design and construction stages. Strong communication, commercial awareness, budgeting ability, programme control, problem solving and decision-making skills are all important. You should be comfortable working independently while also contributing effectively within a collaborative team.

Experience in dairy, food processing or related manufacturing environments will be viewed very positively.

Working style and fit

Success in this role will suit someone who builds trust quickly, enjoys close client contact, and takes responsibility for project outcomes. The right candidate will be organised, proactive, solution-oriented and committed to producing high-quality work that supports long-term client relationships.

Why join Babbage

At Babbage, you’ll have the chance to lead with autonomy, make decisions with confidence and work alongside a highly experienced multidisciplinary team. The business values the projects it delivers, the relationships it develops and the impact it creates for clients.

Additional information

This opportunity is open to applicants interested in working from Christchurch, Hamilton or Auckland office locations. The ad also notes that interested candidates can reach Lucy Lyttelton at Babbage Consultants for a confidential discussion at lucy.lyttelton@babbage.co.nz.