Senior Project Manager

Belcan Engineering Services are hiring on an Inside IR35 basis for a Senior Project Manager in Buckinghamshire. Dealing with European & US based sites.

You will be working on complex Electrical/Mechanical engineering development programmes in an Aerospace and Defence environment.

Full Lifecycle - Requirements Capture - Design - Production.

As a Senior Project Manager you will have primary accountability for structuring and leading the delivery of assigned development programmes - ensuring performance, cost, quality, and schedule objectives are met in full alignment using the APQP Process.

Project Delivery - Performance, Cost, Quality, Schedule & Risk Management

* Structure and lead the project, respecting objectives across performance, cost, quality, and schedule, and arbitrating or proposing arbitrations to the Stakeholders on budget, resources (people and equipment).

* Own accountability for development schedule adherence, from contract award to entry into service, across all sites.

* Own accountability for Non-Recurring Cost (NRC) and Recurring Cost (RC) targets allocated to the project, and for customer support costs during the development phase - considering manufacturability and maintainability constraints in line with programme objectives.

* Drive convergence of the technical-economic product definition against programme targets, deploying collaborative co-engineering actions across all stakeholders (engineering, industrialisation, procurement, etc.).

* Plan project activities and development reviews in line with programme and customer milestones.

* Analyse and instruct impact assessments (cost, schedule, risk) for any project evolution or change, in conjunction with responsible Work Package leaders.

* Lead identification, assessment, and management of technical risks and opportunities, considering return-of-experience.

* Assess the cost, schedule, and risk impact of all changes before approval, and present recommendations to the Programme Manager and Stakeholders.

Stakeholder Engagement & Customer Interface

* Serve as the primary project interface with the customer and all stakeholders (regulatory bodies, partners, suppliers) in the execution of the project, in line with the framework set by the Programme Manager and Stakeholders.

* Ensure consistent, accurate, and rigorous communication of project status to customers & programme directors.

* Coordinate the multidisciplinary project development teams - including external suppliers and build-to-spec partners - across all project phases, including product design and improvement activities.

Planning, Reporting & Governance

* Develop and maintain the project master schedule in the company tool, integrating inputs from UK, France, and US teams and aligning to company project management standards.

* Ensure regular reporting of development progress to the Programme Manager and the Steering Committee. Update the project dashboard at a minimum monthly, covering RC/NRC, milestone tracking, technical progress, deliverables, and KDDs (Key Decision Dates).

* Approve project documents in line with governance requirements.

* Pilot a PMO function where required to support project governance.

* Facilitate project reviews and Steering Committee meetings; manage action closure and milestone adherence.

* Ensure compliance with project management processes, development lifecycle process rules, design best practices, and test material conformance requirements.

Essential Experience & Qualifications

* Demonstrable experience leading complex engineering development programmes in an aerospace, defence, or similarly regulated environment.

* Strong track record of managing programme performance against cost (NRC/RC), schedule, and quality targets through the full development lifecycle.

* Experience acting as the primary customer interface and managing senior internal and external stakeholders.

* Proven ability to lead cross-functional, cross-site IPTs, including management of external suppliers and build-to-spec partners.

* Proficiency in formal project management methodologies - APM, PMI, or equivalent - with a working understanding of PLM framework or an equivalent stage-gate development process.

* Degree-level qualification in Engineering, Systems Engineering, or a closely related technical discipline (or equivalent demonstrable experience).

About Belcan

Belcan, a Cognizant company, is a trusted global provider of engineering and technical services. Our teams work across aerospace, defence, marine, nuclear, automotive, industrial, and cyber sectors-delivering innovative, high‑quality engineering solutions worldwide.

This vacancy is being advertised by Belcan