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Project Manager
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About the Organisation
Our client is an established, high-technology electronics and engineering business headquartered in Oxfordshire, operating across commercial, government, and defence markets. The organisation designs, manufactures, and delivers advanced RF, fibre optic, and sensing systems for applications including satellite ground stations, broadcast infrastructure, secure communications, and defence platforms.
With a workforce of approximately 80 and a dedicated engineering team of 30, the business has achieved consistent and strong financial growth in recent years. As part of a larger, well-capitalised parent group, the organisation benefits from increased investment and expanded market access whilst retaining operational autonomy, agility, and an entrepreneurial culture. The company holds Gold Investors in People accreditation and is certified to ISO 9001.
Role Overview
Project delivery has become increasingly central to the organisation's growth strategy. Over the past 18–24 months, the business has transitioned from shorter-cycle, transactional engineering tasks into the delivery of larger, more complex subsystem solutions and multi-disciplinary programmes, with higher expectations around quality, traceability, and lifecycle governance. This role has been created to strengthen the organisation's delivery capability as it continues to scale.
The Project Manager will be responsible for the initiation, planning, execution, and delivery of a wide range of engineering projects across the portfolio. These include new product developments, customer-funded bespoke builds, internal improvement initiatives, and research and proof-of-concept programmes. The role requires close collaboration with engineering, systems, commercial, supply chain, and operations functions.
This is a project ownership and delivery role rather than a purely administrative or coordination position. The successful candidate will be expected to provide genuine structure, clarity, and accountability across a concurrent portfolio of technically complex programmes.
Key Responsibilities
- Manage new product development, customer-focused system projects, and internal business improvement programmes from initiation through to post-delivery support
- Contribute to bid and proposal activity, including preparation of responses to invitations to tender across multiple business units
- Identify, capture, and document technical requirements throughout the project lifecycle, converting incomplete early inputs into agreed and baselined specifications
- Develop work breakdown structures, estimate costs, and define project scope and schedules
- Manage progress reporting, risk registers, and stakeholder communications to ensure milestones are met and delivery baselines are maintained
- Control scope creep by explaining the implications of changes and protecting agreed delivery commitments whilst accommodating legitimate new information where appropriate
- Support quality reviews and ensure the production of documentation in line with the organisation's engineering lifecycle requirements
- Manage shared engineering resources across concurrent programmes, resolving conflicts in close coordination with the Technical Director
- Maintain effective professional relationships with engineering leads and contribute to coaching, collaboration, and continuous improvement of delivery processes
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Essential Skills and Experience
- Strong project management experience within the engineering department of a technology or manufacturing organisation
- Previous exposure to hardware product development and the manufacturing environment, with an understanding of how products progress from concept through design, verification, and production
- Demonstrable experience producing high-quality proposals and bids for external customers
- Experience using cost estimation and tracking tools
- Experience applying structured project management methodologies (such as APMP or Prince2), with an understanding of when iterative approaches are appropriate alongside formal lifecycle governance
- Experience managing cross-functional teams without direct line authority
- Ability to manage multiple concurrent projects within demanding timeframes
Desirable Skills and Experience
- Experience working within a defence or government contracting environment, including Integrated Logistic Support
- Familiarity with electronic countermeasures, cybersecurity, or secure communications technology
- Practical awareness of RF, microwave, or optical engineering domains
- Knowledge of cellular, satcom, or other wireless interface standards
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Qualifications
- A technical degree or equivalent qualification is essential
- A minimum of five years' experience across all aspects of project management is required
- Formal project management certification such as APMP, Prince2, or equivalent is strongly desirable
Person Specification
Technical awareness is essential; however, the organisation places equal emphasis on professional mindset and interpersonal effectiveness. The successful candidate will bring structure, calm, and clarity to a complex engineering environment. They will demonstrate strong communication and stakeholder management skills, the confidence to challenge unclear requirements and manage customer expectations, and a disciplined approach to planning, risk management, and delivery.
Candidates who have moved from larger organisations and are seeking greater ownership, variety, and pace within a collaborative, close-knit engineering environment are particularly encouraged to apply.
Remuneration and Benefits
- Highly competitive base salary
- Company bonus scheme
- Share Incentive Plan
- Defined contribution pension plan
- Group Life Insurance at 4x basic annual salary
- Employee Assistance Programme
- Wellbeing application and retail discount scheme
- Cycle-to-work scheme
- 25 days annual leave plus bank holidays, with the option to buy or sell additional days
Eligibility Requirements
Candidates must be a UK Sole National and eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC). This is a condition of employment due to the nature of the work undertaken by the organisation.
This appointment is being managed exclusively by a specialist recruitment consultancy on behalf of the client organisation. Interested candidates are invited to apply via LinkedIn or to contact the recruiting consultant directly for a confidential discussion.
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