Project Director (Tiger Team)

Job summary

The Project Director leads high-impact interventions to recover underperforming projects and manufacturing operations across global business units. They work collaboratively with management to identify root causes, implement turnaround strategies, and embed sustainable operational improvements.

Job details

Kraken Robotics is currently recruiting for a Project Director (Tiger Team) to join our Canada, UK, or Denmark office. The Project Director - Tiger Team is a senior leadership role responsible for leading high-impact interventions across the Group's projects, business units, manufacturing operations, and functional teams to enhance performance, accelerate execution, and deliver sustainable business improvements. Operating as part of a specialist internal "Tiger Team", the role will be deployed into underperforming projects, operational functions, manufacturing facilities, and business units globally to rapidly assess performance challenges, identify root causes, develop recovery strategies, and support management teams in implementing sustainable improvements. The role holder will work collaboratively alongside accountable project and business leadership rather than assume direct operational control. Success will be achieved through influence, coaching, technical credibility, structured problem-solving, and disciplined execution, ensuring ownership and accountability remain with the existing management team whilst embedding lasting improvements. This position requires extensive experience in delivering and recovering complex engineering projects within multinational environments, combined with a strong understanding of manufacturing, production, supply chain, and operational performance management. Frequent international travel will be required. ROLES AND RESPONSBILITIES Performance/Project Recovery & Intervention Lead rapid diagnostic reviews of underperforming projects, manufacturing operations, and business units. Identify root causes of performance issues across commercial, operational, technical, organisational, leadership, planning, execution, and customer-facing activities. Identify critical project recovery actions to improve performance, profitability, quality, safety, and customer satisfaction through practical recovery strategies. Provide leadership and guidance on project controls, planning, cost management, contract management, change control, and risk mitigation. Define and implement turnaround plans with clear milestones, responsibilities, and measurable outcomes. Support management teams in stabilising performance and restoring predictability of delivery. Business & Operational Improvement Review manufacturing, production, engineering, procurement, supply chain, and operational processes. Identify bottlenecks, inefficiencies, organisational barriers, and performance risks. Facilitate implementation of operational excellence initiatives focused on productivity, throughput, quality, cost, and delivery performance. Support the development of sustainable operating models and business processes. Change Leadership Partner with business leaders to build commitment to improvement efforts. Coach and mentor project and operational leadership teams. Facilitate difficult conversations and align stakeholders around recovery objectives. Drive adoption of new ways of working whilst maintaining employee engagement and operational continuity. Ensure improvements are embedded and sustainable following departure from the intervention. Governance & Reporting Establish clear performance baselines, recovery targets, and success measures. Provide regular updates to Executive Leadership and Business Unit management. Escalate risks, barriers, and decisions in a timely manner. Ensure interventions are supported by robust governance and accountability frameworks. Knowledge Transfer Capture lessons learned from interventions and recovery activities. Effective implementation and embedding of sustainable corrective actions. Transfer of ownership and capability to local leadership teams. Support development of organisational best practices and continuous improvement initiatives. Contribute to strengthening project delivery and operational excellence capabilities across the Group. QUALIFICATIONS AND EXPERIENCE Essential Experience 15+ years of experience in project, programme, operational, or business leadership roles. Significant experience leading complex engineering, offshore, subsea, marine, energy, industrial, or manufacturing projects. Proven track record of successfully recovering challenged or underperforming projects and operations. Experience working within medium-volume manufacturing and production environments. Demonstrated capability in business transformation, operational improvement, and change management. Experience influencing senior leaders and executive stakeholders in complex matrix organisations. Experience working internationally across multiple regions and cultures. Technical & Professional Skills Project recovery and turnaround management Programme and portfolio management Manufacturing and operational excellence Commercial and contract management Project controls and planning Risk and opportunity management Root cause analysis Business process improvement Organisational change management Stakeholder management Leadership coaching and mentoring Qualifications Degree qualified in Engineering, Manufacturing, Project Management, Business, or a related discipline. Professional Project Management qualification (APM, PMP, PRINCE2 or equivalent). Lean, Six Sigma, Operational Excellence or Continuous Improvement qualifications desirable. MBA or equivalent business qualification advantageous.

What you’ll do

The Project Director leads high-impact interventions to recover underperforming projects and manufacturing operations across global business units. They work collaboratively with management to identify root causes, implement turnaround strategies, and embed sustainable operational improvements.

Requirements

Candidates must have 15+ years of experience in complex engineering or manufacturing project leadership and a proven track record in operational recovery. A degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, or Business is required, along with professional project management certification.

Listed skills

• Change Management · Preferred
• Supply chain management · Preferred
• Operational Excellence · Preferred
• Root Cause Analysis · Preferred
• Stakeholder Management · Preferred

Other relevant skills

Identified from the job description. Confirm important requirements above.

• Project recovery
• Turnaround management
• Operational excellence
• Change management
• Stakeholder management
• Root cause analysis
• Manufacturing
• Supply chain management
• Engineering project management
• Leadership coaching
• Risk mitigation
• Contract management
• Business process improvement
• Strategic planning
• Performance management
• Governance
• Change Leadership
• Influencing Skills
• Business Leadership
• Project Recovery
• Operational Performance Management
• Organizational Change Management
• Supply Chain
• Accountability
• Project Controls
• Marine Energy
• Risk Mitigation
• Project Delivery
• Knowledge Transfer
• Planning
• Cost Management
• Management
• Business Process
• Business Process Improvement
• Business Transformation
• Change Control
• Change Management
• Customer Service
• Procurement
• Continuous Improvement Process
• Contract Management
• Delivery Performance
• Employee Engagement
• Leadership
• Problem Solving
• Lean Six Sigma
• Manufacturing Operations
• Project Management
• Mentorship
• Milestones (Project Management)

Job areas

• Management & Leadership
• Engineering
• Manufacturing
• Energy
• Consulting
• Project Director
• Project Manager (General)
• Management and Organization Analysts
• Project Management Specialists