Project Manager

  • 81 days ago
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Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead the delivery of multiple projects through the New Product Introduction (NPI) process – from prototype through to series production. This role involves matrix management across key business functions and close coordination with blue-chip Defence Prime customers.

As the primary Point of Contact for customers, you will ensure requirements are fully understood, accurately translated, and delivered on time, to specification, and on budget. You will oversee projects at varying stages of maturity and will contribute technical and commercial insight, not just project administration.

Key Responsibilities

Planning & Execution

  • Develop detailed project plans, defining technical scope, milestones, and deliverables.
  • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within budget, and meet customer specifications.

Project Leadership

  • Lead multi-disciplinary teams across Commercial, Design, Manufacturing Engineering, Production, Supply Chain, and Quality.
  • Drive the NPI gateway process, ensuring structured and methodical delivery.

Budget & Cost Control

  • Manage project budgets, Bill of Materials (BOM), and Bill of Process (BOP).
  • Support business case development, quotations, proposals, and external audits.

Stakeholder Management

  • Act as the single point of contact for customer communications.
  • Maintain strong internal and external relationships, proactively resolving issues.

Customer Focus

  • Enhance customer satisfaction and foster long-term relationships.
  • Address concerns and complaints effectively and professionally.

Risk & Change Management

  • Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks; maintain a live Risk Register.
  • Manage changes to scope, customer requests, and internal Engineering Change Requests (ECRs).

Quality & Process

  • Ensure deliverables meet all quality standards and industry requirements.
  • Collaborate with Quality Engineering and support continuous process improvement.

Reporting

  • Provide clear, accurate project reporting (including SPI and CPI indices).
  • Deliver weekly customer updates and internal progress reports.

Commercial Support

  • Contribute to new bids and order pipeline development.
  • Provide market intelligence, support contract definition, and assist with business development opportunities.

Person Specification

Qualifications

  • Degree (or equivalent) in Engineering, Materials, or a relevant Technical subject.

Project Management certifications (advantageous):

  • Project Management Professional (PMP)
  • PRINCE2 (Foundation & Practitioner)
  • Association for Project Management (APM) – PFQ or PMQ

Experience

  • Strong record of successful project management in a technical or engineering environment.
  • Commercially astute, solutions-driven, and technically confident.
  • Experience managing Innovate UK-funded R&D projects would be highly desirable.

Skills/Attributes

  • Excellent communication skills and ability to build relationships across teams and customers.
  • Ability to understand and communicate engineering and manufacturing principles.
  • Proactive – with a positive “can do” approach.
  • Approachable leader who can hold teams accountable while maintaining cohesion.