Head Of Project Management - Engineering/Consultancy

SoCode Limited; Great Chesterford; Hybrid; GBP 80,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

SoCode Limited is seeking a Head of Project Management to lead a team of experienced PMs and to deliver large, complex RF and embedded electronics programs. You will personally run major projects alongside a technical lead, taking accountability for margins, milestones and subcontractors.

You will also own governance, drive delivery improvements across the business and collaborate with other departments to balance resources while supporting scoping and proposals for client bids.

Qualifications

• Depth delivering complex design and development projects across RF and embedded electronics.
• Consultancy background with awareness of client budgets.
• Experience managing project managers, not only projects.
• High emotional intelligence and a genuine interest in developing people.
• Presence and credibility with clients at multiple levels, from engineer to executive.
• Continuous improvement instinct, spotting and fixing issues rather than tolerating them.
• SC clearance OR eligibility to obtain it (Nice to have).
• Defence experience.
• Product development exposure alongside client-funded consultancy delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead the project management team day to day, including hiring, developing, supporting and getting the best from experienced people.
• Run large or complex projects personally, with a technical lead, owning margin, milestones, change and subcontractors.
• Own governance of projects, from reviews and escalation routes to reporting standards and templates.
• Keep delivery practices current, simplify where grown unwieldy and strengthen controls where thin.
• Collaborate with other department heads to balance resourcing across consultancy and product work.
• Support the sales team on scoping, estimating and proposal work to ensure bids are credible and viable.

Skills

Project leadership

Client management

People development

Delivery of complex projects

Continuous improvement

Defence experience

Commercial awareness

Product development exposure

Education

Project management qualification (APM/PRINCE2/PMI)

Job description

Socode are working with a technology consultancy within a short drive south of Cambridge, whose work spans RF, embedded electronics, software and full product development for a technically varied client base. They're recruiting a Head of Project Management to lead their team of experienced PMs.

It's worth being clear about the shape of the job as roughly half of it is fee-earning, running the larger and more complex programmes yourself, and the other half is leading the team, owning governance and improving how delivery works across the business. You'll be close enough to live projects to know whether the processes you're setting actually hold up in practice. The role reports into engineering leadership, with three days a week on site and some travel to UK and overseas clients.

What will you be doing?

• Leading the project management team day to day including hiring, developing, supporting and getting the best from a group of experienced people
• Running large or complex projects personally, partnered with a technical lead, and carrying the accountability for margin, milestones, change and subcontractors
• Owning how projects are governed, from delivery reviews and escalation routes through to reporting standards and consistent use of tools and templates
• Keeping delivery practice current, simplifying where it's grown unwieldy and strengthening controls where they're thin
• Working with other department heads to balance resourcing across a mixed portfolio of consultancy and product work, while still giving people room to develop
• Supporting the sales team on scoping, estimating and proposal work so bids are both technically credible and commercially viable

What are they looking for?

• Real depth in delivering complex design and development projects across RF and embedded electronics
• Consultancy background, with the commercial awareness that comes from working to client budgets
• Experience managing project managers, not just projects
• High emotional intelligence and a genuine interest in developing the people around you
• Presence and credibility with clients at every level, from engineer to executive
• A continuous improvement instinct, someone who is used to spotting what isn't working and fixing it rather than tolerating it
• SC clearance OR the eligibility to obtain itNice to have
• Defence experience
• Formal project management qualification such as APM, PRINCE2 or PMI
• Product development exposure alongside client-funded consultancy delivery