Factory Closure Project Manager

Initial 6–8 Week Engagement + Ongoing Consultancy (2–4 Days per Month)

Futures are partnering with a well-established UK manufacturing business embarking on a significant operational transformation programme. As part of a planned manufacturing transition, our client is seeking an experienced Interim Factory Closure Project Manager to provide specialist leadership throughout the closure of one of its manufacturing facilities.

This is not a traditional project management role. We are looking for someone who has successfully managed factory closures, manufacturing transfers, site consolidations or similar operational transformation programmes and can quickly identify risks, opportunities and the most effective route to delivery.

The project will be delivered in two distinct phases.

Working on-site with key stakeholders, you will undertake a comprehensive review of every aspect of the planned closure before developing a detailed implementation plan.

You will be expected to:

• Review existing supplier, service and facilities contracts.
• Assess property obligations, lease commitments and exit requirements.
• Evaluate utilities, maintenance agreements and site services.
• Produce a comprehensive register of manufacturing assets.
• Liaise with machinery dealers, auction houses and disposal specialists to establish likely asset values and disposal routes.
• Review environmental, compliance and statutory obligations.
• Assess inventory reduction opportunities and production run-down strategies.
• Support planning for the transition from domestic manufacture to alternative supply arrangements.
• Identify risks, dependencies, critical milestones and potential cost savings.
• Produce a fully costed, board-level roadmap detailing exactly what needs to happen, when it needs to happen, who owns each activity and the associated commercial implications.

The outcome of this phase will be a practical implementation plan that enables the business to progress with confidence.

Following approval of the roadmap, your involvement will reduce to approximately 2–4 days per month, providing experienced oversight as the programme progresses.

You will:

• Monitor delivery against agreed milestones.
• Chair or support regular project review meetings.
• Manage risks, issues and dependencies.
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external suppliers.
• Provide independent challenge where required.
• Update project plans and governance documentation.
• Escalate issues before they become business-critical.
• Increase your involvement during key phases of the programme where additional support is required.

This flexible approach allows the business to retain access to specialist expertise throughout the programme without maintaining a full-time project management resource.

We are interested in speaking with experienced interim professionals who can demonstrate previous success delivering complex manufacturing change programmes.

You are likely to have experience in:

• Factory closures or site decommissioning.
• Manufacturing transfers or plant consolidation.
• Engineering or manufacturing operations.
• Capital equipment disposal and asset recovery.
• Facilities and property exit planning.
• Supplier and contract negotiations.
• Operational project management.
• Manufacturing supply chains.
• Programme governance and stakeholder management.

You'll be commercially minded, highly organised and comfortable working with senior operational, engineering and finance stakeholders.

• £475-525 per day (all-inclusive).
• Initial 6–8 week intensive engagement followed by approximately 2–4 consultancy days per month.
• A high-profile transformation programme with significant strategic impact.
• The opportunity to apply specialist factory closure expertise in a role where your experience will directly influence the success of the project.
• Flexible engagement throughout the implementation phase.

If you have successfully delivered factory closures, manufacturing transfers or similar operational transformation projects and are looking for your next interim assignment, we'd like to hear from you.

Please do apply now!