Project Manager – New Installations & Service

Why join the ABI LTD team?

Since 1989, ABI has been at the forefront of developing cutting-edge technology to revolutionize the way bakeries produce high-quality food efficiently. As a global integrator of automated bakery equipment, we have garnered a reputation for excellence, servicing some of the largest bakeries worldwide.

Our extensive product range spans every stage of the baking process, from ingredients handling to the packaging of finished goods. Whether it's providing standalone equipment for small and medium-sized wholesale bakeries or designing and integrating full end-to-end lines for industrial baking centers, ABI is dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that exceed customer expectations.

We take pride in our work and the satisfaction of our global clientele.

Looking ahead, we recognize the transformative impact of robotics on industries worldwide. As a Preferred Partner and integrator for ABB, the world's leading robotics manufacturer, ABI is at the forefront of this technological revolution. This expertise enables us to offer our customers unparalleled precision and efficiency in their bakeries.

JOB PURPOSE

As Project Manager – New Installations & Service, you will plan, execute and deliver equipment projects across both the ABI and MECATHERM product ranges, on time, within scope and budget, from order receipt through to a clean handover into service. You will coordinate cross-functional teams in Canada and at the MECATHERM parent factory, and give customers a single consistent project experience regardless of which company supplied the equipment.

The role is installations-led: approximately 70% of your time is spent on new equipment and complete-line projects, and 30% on service and aftersales projects - retrofits, upgrades, rebuilds and line modifications on installed equipment, delivered within short shutdown windows.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

New Installation Projects (primary)

• Manage projects from order receipt through engineering, fabrication, assembly, factory acceptance testing (FAT), shipping, installation and commissioning, applying the Phase Gate Process at each stage
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans and schedules in MS Project or equivalent, covering long-lead procurement, fabrication, shipping, site readiness, installation sequence and commissioning
• Coordinate internal departments - engineering, procurement, production, logistics, installation and commissioning - and the MECATHERM parent-company project and engineering teams in France
• Define, schedule and accept the work of installation contractors, riggers, millwrights and trades on site
• Verify site readiness ahead of shipment and confirm any deviations with the customer in writing
• Close out punch lists and deliver a documented handover to Service, including as-built documentation, spare parts lists, training records and confirmed warranty start dates

Commercial and Technical Control

• Review contracts, purchase orders and project scope to identify risks and develop mitigation plans before work begins
• Track committed and forecast cost against the quoted cost base, report variances early and protect project margin
• Identify scope changes as they arise, quantify them and process change orders with Sales and Customer Solutions before the additional work is performed
• Ensure engineering, layout and electrical drawings and technical specifications are properly reviewed and implemented, including utilities, foundations, access and interfaces with adjacent equipment
• Coordinate mechanical, electrical and controls interfaces between ABI equipment, MECATHERM equipment and third-party equipment on mixed lines

Service and Aftersales Projects (secondary)

• Manage retrofit, upgrade, rebuild and line-modification projects on installed ABI and MECATHERM equipment, applying the same phase-gate and documentation discipline in a compressed timeframe
• Plan service projects around customer production schedules and planned shutdowns, recognising that the binding constraint is available downtime and that overrun costs the customer production
• Support the Service team on warranty claims and post-commissioning issues traceable to project scope, design or execution, and act as escalation support on equipment within your project history
• Support delivery of service-contract commitments - planned maintenance campaigns, inspections and parts programmes - where these are run as projects

Customer Relationships and Cross-Brand Consistency

• Own the project-level customer relationship, including meetings, factory and site visits, updates and management of requirements through to acceptance
• Provide clear internal and external status reporting against timelines and budgets, escalating slippage early rather than at the gate
• Lead resolution of project issues and risks in pursuit of maintaining schedule and budget, drawing in engineering, service and management as required
• Apply one common project process, documentation set and reporting format across both ABI and MECATHERM equipment, and contribute to shared templates, checklists and lessons learned
• Conduct post-project evaluations and drive the resulting improvement actions to closure

Health, Safety and Compliance

• Perform all duties in compliance with company policies, the Occupational Health and Safety Act, customer site rules and applicable safety standards
• Verify contractor documentation before mobilisation, including insurance, WSIB clearance, training records and job hazard analyses, and ensure lockout/tagout, working-at-heights and hot-work requirements are respected
• Ensure equipment meets applicable safety and certification requirements at handover, including guarding, electrical certification or field evaluation, and pre-start health and safety review obligations where these apply

MEASURES OF SUCCESS

• Schedule and budget - projects commissioned by the contracted date; actual cost and margin against the quoted cost base; scope changes approved before execution rather than absorbed
• Customer satisfaction and handover quality - acceptance achieved without unresolved major items; punch lists closed within the agreed period; complete handover pack to Service; warranty cost and callbacks in the first twelve months
• Cross-brand consistency - ABI and MECATHERM projects run to the same phase-gate, documentation and reporting standard, with complete and auditable records regardless of brand
• Safety and compliance on site - no lost-time incidents on projects under your control; contractor pre-qualification complete before mobilisation; compliance documentation complete at handover

QUALIFICATIONS

Education & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree or diploma in Mechanical, Electrical, Mechatronics or Industrial Engineering, business, or a related field
• Minimum [5]+ years of experience in a project or program management role, including hands-on responsibility for on-site installation and commissioning
• Experience in a manufacturing environment; experience with industrial bakery, food processing or packaging equipment is strongly preferred
• PMP certification is preferred
• Experience using project scheduling software (e.g., MS Project) and proficiency with the Microsoft Office Suite
• Ability to read and interpret mechanical assembly drawings, electrical schematics and plant layouts
• Valid passport, valid driver’s licence, and legal entitlement to work in Canada
• Working knowledge of French is an asset, given MECATHERM parent operations and technical documentation

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

• Strong project planning, organization and time management skills
• Excellent communication and presentation skills, including status, risk and scope-change communications that a customer and an internal team read the same way
• Ability to manage multiple projects and priorities simultaneously
• Strong problem-solving and decision-making skills, with sound commercial judgement on scope change
• Ability to secure commitment from engineering, production, service and a parent factory without direct line authority
• Strong interpersonal skills and credibility with plant managers, maintenance leads and operators
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively, under pressure and to tight deadlines
• High level of attention to detail and accuracy
• Professional demeanour when representing either company

Key Qualities for Success

• Results driven and personally accountable for project outcomes, including the parts that depend on others
• Solutions oriented mindset with a focus on continuous improvement
• Composure under escalation - methodical when a line is down and several parties disagree on the cause
• Effective communicator across all levels of the organization, and comfortable working across Canadian and French organizational cultures and time zones
• Adaptability in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, with a customer focused approach

WORKING CONDITIONS

• Split between an office base, the assembly floor and customer production sites
• Travel of approximately [30]% on average, including multi-week commissioning trips within Canada and the United States and periodic travel to Europe
• Work outside normal business hours is required during commissioning, planned shutdowns and start-ups, including evenings, nights and weekends; occasional early calls with European colleagues
• Customer environments include moving machinery, elevated platforms, high temperatures near ovens, noise and food-production hygiene requirements; personal protective equipment is mandatory
• Frequent standing and walking on plant floors, with the ability to climb ladders and access elevated platforms and confined equipment spaces

This job profile outlines the general nature and level of work expected of the position. It is not an exhaustive list of all duties, and responsibilities may be modified from time to time to meet the requirements of the business.

Like what you’re hearing so far, but still wondering if ABI LTD is right for you? We offer:

• A competitive salary and benefit package
• Healthcare/Wellness spending account
• Corporate discount for Goodlife Gym membership
• RSP matching
• Monthly birthday celebrations and employee recognition
• Company sponsored events (CN Tower Climb etc)
• Tuition reimbursement
• Working in a multi-cultural and global organization
• Ongoing on-the-job learning and development
• Working with innovative technology and with an industry leader

Please inform us if you require any accommodations during the hiring process. Please note that only those candidates selected for an interview will be contacted.

At ABI LTD., we are committed to ensuring accessibility for persons with disabilities by identifying, removing and preventing barriers to promote the rights of all persons and to build and create an inclusive and accessible working environment, in accordance with the provisions of the Ontario Human Rights Code (the “Code”) and the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act, 2005 (the “AODA”).

ABI LTD. fully supports the intent of the AODA and its goal of achieving accessibility for Ontarians with disabilities with respect to Customer Service, Information and Communications and Employment.