Manager, Plant Projects in Covington, Georgia at R3 Lithium Inc.

In 2025, a facility in Covington, Georgia became the first in U.S. history to produce commercial-scale, technical-grade lithium entirely from recycled battery materials. R3 Lithium acquired the Covington facility in 2026, retaining the leadership team that achieved that production milestone. We are now investing to bring the facility to continuous commercial operation, with a clear mandate to produce battery-grade lithium carbonate domestically, at scale, from recycled feedstock.

(Capital Projects Portfolio > $100 Million)

On-site Covington, GA

Position Summary

The Manager, Plant Projects is responsible for the leadership, planning, execution, and successful delivery of multiple concurrent capital projects with a combined value exceeding $100 million. This role provides strategic direction and oversight from project conception through commissioning and startup, ensuring projects are completed safely, on schedule, within budget, and in compliance with all regulatory and environmental requirements.

The ideal candidate is a proven leader with extensive experience managing large-scale capital projects in chemical manufacturing, petrochemical, specialty chemical, refining, or industrial processing environments. This individual will collaborate with cross-functional teams, engineering firms, contractors, operations leadership, and executive stakeholders to drive project excellence and achieve business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Project Portfolio Management

• Lead and manage multiple capital projects ranging from $5 million to over $100 million in total portfolio value.
• Develop project execution strategies aligned with business goals and production requirements.
• Establish project priorities, resource allocation plans, and portfolio governance processes.
• Monitor project performance through key metrics including cost, schedule, scope, quality, safety, and risk.

Engineering & Construction Management

• Oversee all phases of project development, including:
• • Conceptual design
  • Front-End Engineering Design (FEED)
  • Detailed engineering
  • Procurement
  • Construction
  • Commissioning
  • Startup and handover
• Coordinate internal engineering teams and external EPC/EPCM contractors.
• Review and approve engineering deliverables, construction plans, and technical specifications.
• Ensure compliance with industry standards, company policies, and regulatory requirements.

Financial Management

• Develop and manage project budgets exceeding $100 million.
• Maintain accurate capital forecasting and expenditure tracking.
• Identify cost-saving opportunities while maintaining project objectives.
• Prepare financial reports and business cases for executive leadership.
• Manage project change control processes and capital authorization requests.

Safety & Regulatory Compliance

• Champion a culture of safety and operational excellence.
• Ensure compliance with OSHA, EPA, Process Safety Management (PSM), environmental regulations, and corporate safety standards.
• Lead project risk assessments, HAZOP studies, PSSR activities, and contractor safety programs.
• Drive incident prevention and continuous improvement initiatives.

Stakeholder Leadership

• Serve as the primary liaison among operations, maintenance, engineering, procurement, contractors, and executive leadership.
• Present project updates, risks, and recommendations to senior management.
• Build strong relationships with plant leadership and external partners.
• Facilitate effective communication across all project stakeholders.

Risk Management

• Develop comprehensive risk management and mitigation plans.
• Identify and proactively address schedule, cost, technical, and operational risks.
• Lead contingency planning and recovery strategies when necessary.

Team Leadership

• Lead multidisciplinary project teams including engineers, project controls specialists, construction managers, and contractors.
• Mentor junior project managers and engineering staff.
• Foster a high-performance culture focused on accountability, collaboration, and execution excellence.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Chemical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering, Industrial Engineering, or related technical discipline.
• Minimum 10-15 years of project management experience in chemical manufacturing, petrochemical, refining, or heavy industrial environments.
• Proven track record managing capital projects and portfolios exceeding $100 million.
• Experience leading projects through the complete project lifecycle from concept through startup.
• Strong knowledge of:
• • Process Safety Management (PSM)
  • HAZOP
  • OSHA regulations
  • Environmental compliance
  • Capital project management methodologies
• Experience managing EPC and EPCM contractors.
• Proficiency with project scheduling and cost-control software.

Preferred Qualifications

• PMP (Project Management Professional) certification.
• MBA or advanced engineering degree.
• Experience with large-scale plant expansions, process improvements, debottlenecking, and greenfield/brownfield projects.
• Familiarity with Lean Manufacturing and Operational Excellence principles.

Core Competencies

• Strategic Leadership
• Capital Project Execution
• Financial Acumen
• Construction Management
• Risk Management
• Process Safety Leadership
• Stakeholder Management
• Negotiation & Contract Management
• Team Development
• Executive Communication

Performance Expectations

• Deliver projects safely with zero significant safety incidents.
• Maintain project portfolio performance within approved cost and schedule targets.
• Achieve successful project startup and operational readiness objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement in project execution and capital efficiency.
• Build and sustain strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Contribute to the organization's long-term growth through successful capital project delivery.

Reporting Relationship: VP of Projects, or Plant Manager

Direct Reports: Project Engineers, Construction Managers, Project Controls Specialists, and Contracted Project Resources

Project Responsibility: Simultaneous management of multiple capital projects with a combined value exceeding $100 million+.