Junior Project Manager

G&H Group; Ilminster; Hybrid; GBP 28,000 - 36,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension (6% contribution)

Bonus scheme

Health cash plan

Referral bonus £500

Job summary

G&H is seeking a Junior Project Manager to join our Ilminster manufacturing site. You will manage a range of projects across customer programmes, manufacturing, engineering/NPI and continuous improvement.

Working with the Site Lead and cross‑functional teams, you will bring structure, ownership and pace to projects, ensuring delivery on time, to budget and to the required quality. You will connect the program management hub in North Wales with the Ilminster site.

Qualifications

• Recent project management or project coordination experience.
• A project management qualification such as APM or PRINCE2 is desirable but not essential.
• Experience working in a manufacturing, engineering or technical environment.
• Strong organisation and communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• A proactive, hands‑on approach to problem solving.
• Good understanding of project planning, risk and change management.
• Confidence working with both technical and operational teams.

Responsibilities

• Manage multiple projects from planning through to completion.
• Develop project plans, milestones, actions and timelines.
• Coordinate Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain and other teams.
• Track progress, costs, risks and issues, escalating where required.
• Lead project meetings and drive actions to completion.
• Support NPI, manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide clear project updates to the Site Lead and key stakeholders.
• Identify problems early and drive practical solutions.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and reporting.

Skills

Project management

PRINCE2/APM desirable

Manufacturing environment

Organisation & communication

Stakeholder management

Hands-on problem solving

Planning, risk & change

Technical & operational collaboration

Job description

G&H is a world leader in optical designing, testing and manufacturing. As experts in the technology of light, G&H works with customers to provide optical systems, assemblies, and components for demanding applications

Headquartered in Ilminster Somerset, UK with primary operations in the USA and Europe, G&H is recognised for the breadth of their acousto-optic, electro-optic, crystal-optic, fiber optic, and precision optic products. G&H is recognized as the preferred source for OEMs in the life sciences, industrial, and aerospace and defence industries, with a history of quality and excellence that dates back over seventy-five years.

ROLE

G&H is looking for a Junior Project Manager to join our Ilminster manufacturing site.

You will manage a range of projects across customer programmes, manufacturing, engineering/NPI and continuous improvement.

Working closely with the Site Lead and cross-functional teams, you will bring structure, ownership and pace to projects, ensuring they are delivered on time, to budget and to the required quality.

In your role you'll be a key link between the program management team at our design innovation hub in North Wales and our manufacturing site in Ilminster, Somerset.

RESPONSIBILITIES & PERFORMANCE MEASURES

• Manage multiple projects from planning through to completion.
• Develop project plans, milestones, actions and timelines.
• Coordinate Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality, Supply Chain and other teams.
• Track progress, costs, risks and issues, escalating where required.
• Lead project meetings and drive actions to completion.
• Support NPI, manufacturing and continuous improvement initiatives.
• Provide clear project updates to the Site Lead and key stakeholders.
• Identify problems early and drive practical solutions.
• Maintain accurate project documentation and reporting.

MANDATORY RESPONSIBILITIES

• Adherence to all Company policies, management systems and standard operational procedures, including legal responsibilities in relation to Health, Safety, Environmental and Quality
• Working positively to develop and foster good working relationships with colleagues and contracted personnel in order to maintain a culture of mutual respect and dignity
• Promote and display the G&H values: Customer focus, Integrity, Action, Unity, Precision

QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

• Recent project management or project coordination experience.
• A project management qualification such as APM or PRINCE2 is desirable but not essential.
• Experience working in a manufacturing, engineering or technical environment.
• Strong organisation and communication skills.
• The ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• A proactive, hands‑on approach to problem solving.
• Good understanding of project planning, risk and change management.
• Confidence working with both technical and operational teams.

G&H BENEFITS INCLUDE

• Company pension (6% contribution)
• Company bonus scheme
• Health Cash Plan
• £500 referral bonus for successful employee referrals (T&Cs apply)

Notes: This job description is not intended to be exhaustive in every respect, but rather to clearly define the fundamental purpose, responsibilities and dimensions for the role. Therefore, this job description does not describe any individual role holder. In addition to the contents of this job description, employees are expected to undertake all other reasonable and related tasks allocated by their line manager.

The Company is committed to providing equal employment opportunities for all employees and applicants for employment. The Company does not discriminate in employment opportunity or practices on the grounds of gender, race, religion or belief, age, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by national laws under which the Company operates.

Potential candidates should be aware that many of the employment roles at Gooch & Housego are subject to government security and export control restrictions. These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities that you may have previously held and your place of birth, could restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.

All UK applicants must, as a minimum, be able to successfully complete security vetting to the UK government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard, which includes a criminal record check being performed. Many roles may also require higher levels of security vetting to be completed, where applicants must typically have been continuously resident within the UK for the past five to ten years".