Project Manager

Project Manager – Space & Imaging Technology

Location: Chelmsford, Essex
Salary: Dependent on experience
Working arrangement: Onsite four days per week
Employment type: Full-time, permanent

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead strategic R&D and customer-funded projects within an advanced engineering and manufacturing environment.
Working on imaging sensors and subsystems for space science, Earth observation, astronomy and high-energy physics applications, you will help deliver technically demanding products alongside experienced engineers, technicians and scientists.
This is a product-focused role with a strong emphasis on production delivery, customer relationships and financial performance.

The Role

You will take ownership of existing projects, leading cross-functional teams of more than ten engineers and technical staff to deliver products on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.

Alongside customer delivery, you will manage development activity, support bids and help improve project-management processes and governance.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead cross-functional engineering and manufacturing teams to meet project milestones, customer commitments and revenue objectives.
• Develop and maintain detailed schedules using Microsoft Project, publishing and managing plans through MS Project Server.
• Define and control project scope, ensuring requirements and changes are clearly documented and agreed with customers.
• Plan and coordinate phase-gate reviews, ensuring project-management processes are consistently followed.
• Identify and manage risks, issues and dependencies, resolving problems and escalating when appropriate.
• Work with Finance to establish budgets, monitor performance and analyse schedule-derived Estimates to Complete (ETCs) and risk-related cost exposure.
• Prepare project dashboards and present monthly progress updates to senior leadership.
• Build strong customer and stakeholder relationships, clearly communicating objectives, expectations and delivery priorities.
• Work with Business Development, Engineering and Programme Directors to develop technical and commercial solutions.
• Mentor junior colleagues and contribute to continuous improvement of project-management practices.

Skills & Experience

• Experience managing technical projects through all or part of the lifecycle from bid to production, with a strong emphasis on manufacturing and product delivery.
• Proven ability to motivate multidisciplinary teams and deliver against critical timescales.
• Strong customer-management skills, including managing expectations and controlling scope changes.
• Experience in project scheduling, resource planning, budgeting, forecasting and risk management.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Project and MS Project Server, or a comparable enterprise project-management tool.
• Clear, persuasive communication skills across technical teams, customers and senior stakeholders.
• Strong problem-solving ability and sound judgement on when to take ownership and when to escalate.

Desirable

• Working knowledge of SAP.
• A recognised project-management qualification.
• Experience delivering complex engineering or technology products in a manufacturing environment.