Project Manager Product Development

At Lely, we believe in achieving a sustainable, profitable and agreeable future for dairy farmers by combining robotisation, engineering and farming expertise.

It all started with a dream cherished by two brothers in Maassluis 75 years ago, and ever since, we have worked to become innovative market leaders in automated systems for dairy farmers across the globe. With a team of 2,500 professional specialists, we work constantly to bring about revolutionary solutions for the agro industry. We are based at our Maassluis Campus, a building which features the highest sustainability performance possible, not just in the Netherlands, but on a global scale. Our overall objective: making dairy farming interesting, also for the coming generations.

As a Project Manager, you are responsible for delivering project results on time and within budget. In this role, you act as the link between engineers, testers, technical writers, product managers, procurement specialists, production staff, and the support organization. You ensure that the project's vision and objectives are clear to everyone so that all team members understand the direction and their responsibilities. Additionally, you coordinate and safeguard project activities.

The projects you will lead fall under product development. Within this department, we continuously work on improving our installed base of robots and developing new, innovative solutions to further encourage the adoption of robotics on farms.

You will be part of a team of 25 project managers, led by the lead project manager. This team is committed to further professionalizing project management within Lely. There is also a strong focus on personal development, for example, through peer reviews and intervision sessions. You can further develop yourself by attending training courses via the Lely Academy. We work hard but also enjoy a good time, which is why we organize several outings each year to engage in fun activities together outside of work. If you have a great idea for an outing, we would love to hear it!

Key Responsibilities

In this role, you will lead a project with a multidisciplinary team of approximately 20 engineers, ensuring that everyone remains aligned and focused on the shared goals.

Your main tasks include:

• Creating, implementing, and aligning project plans with relevant stakeholders, as well as coordinating all activities within the project;
• Managing the budget and monitoring the cost price development of the machine;
• Managing risks and overseeing suppliers;
• Challenging and motivating engineers to deliver an optimal and technically high-quality product;
• Providing progress reports for management and stakeholders;
• Contributing to the further professionalization of project management within Lely.

You are an experienced project manager who thrives on independently getting complex projects and programs on track and bringing them to a successful conclusion. You speak the language of engineers but also demonstrate your added value in discussions with stakeholders. You excel at maintaining continuous contact with internal stakeholders, such as Product Managers, department heads, production teams, and suppliers, to ensure a successful introduction of product improvements in the field.

What else do you bring to the table?

• A master's degree (WO) in a technical field;
• Interest in robotics and the agricultural sector;
• At least 5 years of experience as a project manager;
• Proven experience in leading innovative product development projects;
• As part of an international team, you have excellent proficiency in both Dutch and English, both spoken and written;
• IPMA certification or an equivalent qualification.

Naturally, you thrive in a dynamic and innovative organization.

Working at Lely means contributing to sustainable progress within one of the most innovative organizations in the Netherlands. You contribute to making the agricultural sector future-proof - and we make sure that you get all the space, resources and support you need to do so.

• An international working environment with opportunities for own initiative and entrepreneurship.
• Excellent working conditions, including up to 8 weeks of vacation per year and a good pension scheme.
• A salary within the scale of €5700 - €8000 gross per month, in which we like to see opportunities for growth from your starting salary towards the future
• Good growth opportunities: you are in control of your development and can choose from various training courses through our Lely Academy - from personal development to job-specific training.
• Our modern Lely Campus offers daily access to extensive sports facilities: an indoor gym, outdoor padel courts, an outdoor basketball and volleyball court, table tennis and table soccer. You can join Hyrox workouts or sign up for personal training - and challenge your colleagues during an active break.
• Enjoy fresh coffee and tea from our own barista, with milk straight from our farm, as well as a healthy and affordable company restaurant.
• A healthy work-life balance thanks to our hybrid work policy: you work at least three days a week on Campus, with flexible working hours and plenty of room to spend extra time on site (between 06:00 and 20:00).
• A free shuttle bus will take you to and from the metro in Maassluis, so your workday starts and ends smoothly.
• Successes need to be celebrated: from anniversaries to Christmas parties - at Lely we know how to do it!

We are also proud that our efforts and vision have been rewarded by winning the Rotterdam Entrepreneur Award 2025!

Recruitment & selection agency, consultancy, and/or secondment agency?

We appreciate the interest, but we are looking for all our candidates directly. We understand that you, as an intermediary, want to present candidates for our great positions and thus contribute to our ambitions, but this is not how we have set up our recruitment. This means that all unsolicited profiles offered on Lely vacancies will be treated as direct applications.