Job Description

Recrutis is supporting one of its clients, a leading pharmaceutical company running a major CAPEX construction programme, in the search for a Construction Manager, based in canton de Vaud (Switzerland), as part of a consulting mission.

Why this role

This is a hands-on, field-driven construction coordination role at the heart of an active industrial site, where you own the daily execution on the ground.

You act as the operational guarantor of site safety, translating HSE requirements into concrete field actions — without substituting for the dedicated HSE specialists on site.

Cross-disciplinary visibility: you coordinate civil, mechanical and electrical works, align contractors and subcontractors, and manage interfaces across trades.

You are the direct field interlocutor reporting progress, risks and technical difficulties to the Project Managers and Engineering Leads.

Key information

Location: canton de Vaud, Switzerland — 100% on-site presence, no remote work.

Contract: consulting mission.

Duration: 12 months.

Start: 03.08.2026 (or earlier if available).

Workload: full-time (Monday to Friday), with occasional weekend interventions required.

Seniority: significant proven experience in industrial site / construction management.

Languages: French and English bilingual, written and spoken (eliminatory).

Scope

Supervise and coordinate all construction activities on site, including external providers and contractors (planning, sequencing, field logistics).

Guarantee operational safety on site: HSE documentation, lifting plans, risk analyses (JSA), preparation of safety plans.

Ensure daily opening and end-of-day closure of work permits for each subcontractor, with clear and shared intervention perimeters.

Conduct regular field walkdowns / Gemba, verify works compliance, and resolve issues quickly.

Manage interfaces and co-activity between trades (civil, mechanical, electrical) to avoid conflicts.

Track physical progress, productivity and site costs, and produce clear, regular reports for the Project Leaders.

Participate in incident / near-miss investigations, root cause analysis, and follow-up of corrective actions.

Profile — Required criteria (knockout)

Significant proven experience in construction / site management in industry (pharma, chemical, biotech or comparable sectors).

Technical background (civil, mechanical or industrial engineering) with solid works coordination skills.

Strong working knowledge of HSE on site — able to guarantee safety standards, without being a dedicated HSE specialist.

Command of Microsoft Office and ability to produce clear, regular reports.

French and English bilingual, written and spoken (eliminatory).

Availability for 100% on-site presence in canton de Vaud.

Strong assets — Differentiators

Safety training and/or proven field experience in HSE.

Experience on GMP / regulated pharmaceutical or biotech construction sites.

Experience coordinating multiple trades and external contractors on large CAPEX projects.

Excellent communication skills, with the ability to adapt to different stakeholders.

Process — Confidential recruitment process. Response within 48 hours for applications meeting required criteria. Active mandate, priority review.

Keywords — Construction Manager, site management, CAPEX, HSE, work permits, walkdowns, contractor coordination, pharma, biotech, GMP construction, civil mechanical electrical, canton de Vaud, Switzerland

Fabrice Cattant — Founder, Recrutis | Expert & Executive Search in Life Sciences