Operational Implementation Project Manager - South East England

Ref: 790 Date Posted: Monday 27 Jul 2026

2020 Recruitment is delighted to be recruiting for an Operational Implementation Project Manager on behalf of our client for a 12-month contract supporting the implementation of operational services across multiple European sites.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone with strong operational project management experience who understands laboratory or scientific environments and can coordinate complex implementations involving multiple stakeholders. While project management experience is important, our client is particularly interested in candidates with practical operational knowledge, particularly within laboratory operations, sample dispatch and regulated logistics.

The Role

You will be responsible for coordinating the successful implementation of operational services across multiple European locations, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently and with minimal disruption to day-to-day operations.

Working closely with internal operational teams, customers and subject matter experts, you will oversee implementation activities from planning through to successful go-live.

Key Responsibilities

Project & Implementation Management

Lead the implementation of operational services across multiple European sites.
Develop and manage implementation plans, timelines and key deliverables.
Coordinate onboarding, training and deployment of operational processes and systems.
Monitor implementation milestones and ensure successful delivery against agreed objectives.
Ensure readiness for successful go-live across all sites.
Identify, manage and escalate project risks and issues where appropriate.

Stakeholder & Governance Management

Support the Programme Manager with overall governance and customer engagement.
Build strong relationships with customers and internal stakeholders throughout each implementation.
Coordinate communication across laboratory, logistics, quality and operational teams.
Prepare implementation updates, status reports and governance documentation.
Attend customer meetings where required, providing implementation updates and operational expertise.

Cross-Functional Coordination

Work closely with internal teams to ensure successful implementation delivery.
Coordinate onboarding and training of onsite personnel.
Collaborate with subject matter experts, including import/export and Dangerous Goods compliance specialists.
Ensure operational systems, documentation and workflows are fully established ahead of implementation.
Support the transition from implementation into business-as-usual operations.

Risk Management & Continuous Improvement

Proactively identify implementation risks and operational challenges.
Manage day-to-day issue resolution throughout implementation and stabilisation.
Support root cause analysis (RCA) and corrective action planning where required.
Minimise disruption to customer operations during implementation and transition.

About You

We're looking for an organised and proactive project professional who enjoys coordinating operational change within a regulated environment.

You will ideally have:

Experience delivering operational implementation projects or service transitions.
Previous experience within a scientific, laboratory or life sciences environment.
Knowledge of laboratory operations and/or sample dispatch processes.
Experience working with Dangerous Goods regulations, including IATA and ADR.
Strong stakeholder management and communication skills.
Excellent planning, organisation and coordination abilities.
Experience working across multiple operational teams and functions.
The ability to identify risks and drive practical solutions.

Formal project management qualifications are welcomed but are not essential. Our client is happy to consider candidates with strong operational implementation experience who have successfully coordinated projects within laboratory, scientific or regulated environments.

Desirable Experience

Pharmaceutical or Life Sciences industry experience.
Laboratory operations or sample logistics.
Import/export or regulated supply chain experience.
Multi-site or European implementation experience.
Knowledge of GDP, GMP or other regulated operating environments.

Success in this Role

Success will be measured by:

Successful delivery of implementation milestones across multiple European sites.
Smooth operational go-live with minimal disruption.
Strong collaboration across customers, operational teams and stakeholders.
Effective transition from implementation into business-as-usual operations.
High levels of customer and stakeholder satisfaction throughout the implementation process.

Location: Stevenage & Ware (Regular onsite presence required)

Salary