Project Manager

Our client is a highly technical organisation operating within the defence, microelectronics, and optoelectronics sector, delivering high-reliability products and solutions to major customers and Prime organisations.

They are looking for an experienced Project Manager to join their PMO and take ownership of complex, high-value projects from initial concept and development through qualification, production handover, and ongoing customer support.

This is an excellent opportunity for a Project Manager who enjoys working in a technically challenging environment and is confident managing customers, engineering teams, manufacturing operations, budgets, schedules, and project risks.

The Role

As Project Manager, you will be responsible for the successful delivery of high-reliability and defence contracts, ensuring projects are delivered against agreed scope, cost, schedule, and quality requirements.

You will work cross-functionally with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain, and Commercial teams, while acting as a key point of contact for customers.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex defence and high-reliability projects, managing scope, planning, coordination, and delivery.
• Take overall accountability for project schedule, budget, forecasting, and performance.
• Manage new product development and product re-design projects through to production.
• Chair and present project gate reviews from initial kick-off through to production handover and qualification.
• Act as the key customer interface, leading regular meetings, reviews, and project reporting.
• Manage changes to project scope, schedule, and costs through appropriate project controls.
• Apply Earned Value Management (EVM) and established project management processes.
• Prepare customer documentation including Project Management Plans, project schedules, and deliverable data packs.
• Support bids and proposals, including bid management and budget preparation.
• Maintain project risk registers, assess risks, and implement effective mitigation strategies.
• Drive continuous improvement and cost-reduction initiatives using LEAN, Kaizen, and other CI methodologies.
• Lead projects focused on inventory optimisation, capacity planning, lead-time reduction, and On-Time Delivery (OTD).
• Support production capacity planning and the implementation of production processes and equipment.
• Work closely with Process Engineering to identify solutions, manage technical trade-offs, and support process and production-line qualification.
• Support component obsolescence strategies and Integrated Logistics Support (ILS) activities.