Business Readiness Project Manager

baesystems; Frimley, Preston; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Referral bonus £1,000

Job summary

BAE Systems in the United Kingdom is seeking a Business Readiness Project Manager to lead readiness activities for a major finance transformation. You will collaborate with programme teams and business stakeholders to ensure processes, data and people are prepared for change.

The role requires solid project management experience, strong stakeholder engagement and the ability to deliver complex business change across multiple workstreams, with hybrid and flexible working options discussed with

Qualifications

• Proven project management experience delivering large-scale business transformation or change programmes.
• Experience managing multiple projects or workstreams from initiation through to implementation and closure.
• Knowledge of project governance, planning, risk management and PMO methodologies.
• Experience using project management tools such as MS Project, Jira, Visio and Excel.
• Good understanding of project delivery approaches including Waterfall, Agile and hybrid methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage business readiness activities for assigned business areas, working closely with programme and business stakeholders.
• Create, maintain and track business readiness plans, ensuring key activities are delivered to agreed timelines.
• Monitor risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies, driving actions to support successful delivery.
• Ensure alignment with programme governance, methodologies, controls and reporting requirements.
• Develop and maintain detailed workstream plans, aligned to the overall programme plan and milestones.
• Work with business leaders to secure resources, manage priorities and resolve delivery challenges.
• Collaborate with programme teams and workstreams to identify and manage cross-functional dependencies.
• Facilitate regular readiness, planning and status meetings, providing clear progress updates to stakeholders.
• Capture lessons learned, continuous improvement opportunities and best practice to support future programme delivery.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder engagement

PMO governance

Risk management

Hybrid delivery approaches

Tools

MS Project

Jira

Visio

Excel

Job description

Job Title: Business Readiness Project Manager

Location: All UK sites considered with national travel. We offer a range of hybrid and flexible working arrangements - please speak to your recruiter about the options for this particular role.

Referral Bonus: £1,000

Grade: GG12

You're expected to have completed 12 months in role prior to applying for an advertised vacancy and you should also discuss the internal opportunity with your line manager to ensure sustained business continuity and to further support your career development.

We know there may be exceptional individual circumstances that impact this, in the first instance please discuss this with your line manager.

If you don't feel you can talk to your line manager, you can contact your HRBP.

PLEASE NOTE: Should you be invited for interview; you acknowledge that the Recruitment team will contact you and your line manager regarding your application for this opportunity.

Job Description

We are looking for a Business Readiness Project Manager to support the successful delivery of a major finance transformation programme. Working across multiple business areas, you will lead business readiness activities to ensure teams, processes and stakeholders are prepared for change, supporting the adoption and embedding of new technology and ways of working. This role requires solid project management experience, excellent stakeholder engagement and a proven track record of delivering complex business change initiatives.

Core duties

• Lead and manage business readiness activities for assigned business areas, working closely with programme and business stakeholders
• Create, maintain and track business readiness plans, ensuring key activities are delivered to agreed timelines
• Monitor risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies, driving actions to support successful delivery
• Ensure alignment with programme governance, methodologies, controls and reporting requirements
• Develop and maintain detailed workstream plans, aligned to the overall programme plan and milestones
• Work with business leaders to secure resources, manage priorities and resolve delivery challenges
• Collaborate with programme teams and workstreams to identify and manage cross-functional dependencies
• Facilitate regular readiness, planning and status meetings, providing clear progress updates to stakeholders
• Capture lessons learned, continuous improvement opportunities and best practice to support future programme delivery

Essential Skills

• Proven project management experience delivering large-scale business transformation or change programmes
• Experience managing multiple projects or workstreams from initiation through to implementation and closure
• Knowledge of project governance, planning, risk management and PMO methodologies
• Experience using project management tools such as MS Project, Jira, Visio and Excel
• Good understanding of project delivery approaches including Waterfall, Agile and hybrid methodologies

The Team

You will join the Ad Astra programme, a business-led transformation delivering significant change across the finance function. Working alongside Business Deployment Leads, Change Managers and programme teams, the team is responsible for ensuring business areas are fully prepared to adopt new processes, data, reporting and technology solutions. This is a highly collaborative environment where you will work closely with stakeholders across the organisation, helping to drive the successful implementation of major change and supporting BAE Systems ambition to build a world-class finance function.

Why BAE Systems?

Here you'll build a career with purpose and limitless possibilities. With lifelong learning and meaningful work, this is a place where you can grow your career with confidence and be empowered to be your best. You'll be recognised for your contribution and enjoy rewards tailored to what's most important to you and your family, support for your financial and personal wellbeing, as well as a balanced lifestyle. In an environment embracing sustainable ways of working and with a strong sense of shared purpose, our supportive culture is a place you can feel you belong and proud of the difference you make.

A place where everyone can thrive

We're committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued and supported. We know that a diversity of backgrounds, perspectives and experiences strengthens our teams and is vital to the work we do.

We welcome applications from all suitably qualified people, who are BAE Systems employees and have been in their current role for 12 months or longer.

Please be aware that many roles at BAE Systems are subject to both security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation. All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

Closing Date

15th October 2026