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

R3 Lithium operates North America's first commercial-scale lithium carbonate recovery facility, located in Covington, Georgia. Using a lithium-first extraction process, the company recovers, refines, and returns lithium carbonate from recycled black mass into the battery supply chain for energy storage systems, defense applications, and electric vehicles. Founded in 2026 and privately held, R3 Lithium is headquartered at 9176 Industrial Drive NE, Covington, Georgia. For more information, visit www.r3lithium.com.

(Capital Projects Portfolio > $100 Million)

On-site Covington, GA

Position Summary

The Plant Project Manager 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 designFront-End Engineering Design (FEED)Detailed engineeringProcurementConstructionCommissioningStartup and handoverCoordinate 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)HAZOPOSHA regulationsEnvironmental complianceCapital project management methodologiesExperience 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 LeadershipCapital Project ExecutionFinancial AcumenConstruction ManagementRisk ManagementProcess Safety LeadershipStakeholder ManagementNegotiation & Contract ManagementTeam DevelopmentExecutive 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+.