Lead Project Manager

Leonardo UK Ltd; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Hybrid working

Pension contribution

Mental health support

Learning & development budget

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd in Southampton is seeking a Lead Project Manager to drive a multi‑million‑pound growth and change program within the Infrared Detectors business. You will lead the Integrated Project Team to deliver on time, to budget, and in line with governance standards, reporting to the Head of IR Detectors.

We value agile leadership, strong financial acumen, and proven experience in complex manufacturing projects with multi‑stakeholder coordination.

Qualifications

• Experience translating senior management priorities into deliverable projects.
• Ability to develop complex business cases with scenarios for informed decisions.
• Experience delivering change programmes in complex manufacturing environments.
• Several years in a senior Project Management role with multimillion-pound projects.

Responsibilities

• Generate internal investment business cases with key stakeholders.
• Plan, manage, monitor and report on the business case and multiple projects using lifecycle processes.
• Report project health, cash flow, earned value and cost to complete.
• Conduct risk and opportunity reviews and mitigate risks.
• Negotiate with stakeholders and suppliers and manage commercial aspects.
• Coordinate resource planning with Project Controllers and Material Planners.
• Lead planning activities to ensure accurate milestones in SAP/P6.
• Forecast costs and cash flow to maintain project integrity.
• Interact with technical experts and challenge where needed.
• Facilitate problem solving and resolve team conflicts.

Skills

Project management

Business case development

Stakeholder management

Financial acumen

Agile mindset

Team leadership

Risk and opportunity reviews

Change delivery

Interdisciplinary collaboration

Education

Degree in Business or Engineering

Tools

SAP

Primavera P6

Job description

Job Description: Your Impact: This is an initial 18 month FTC. At Leonardo we have a fantastic opportunity for a Lead Project Manager to join the Infrared (IR) Detectors business team on a fixed term contract. Leonardo is a global high-tech company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. Leonardo design & manufacture world-leading IR detectors for a variety of civil, industrial & military applications. Due to business growth, a vacancy has arisen for an experienced Lead Project Manager to support a multi-million pound multi-year growth and change program to position the business to maximize its full competitive potential. With most of the projects currently in the business case development stage the successful candidate will be directly responsible for further development of the business case and will lead the Integrated Project Team (IPT) to deliver the projects on time and to budget and aligned to corporate expectations, processes and governance. They will be responsible for ensuring the IPT coordinates effectively and accountable for the programme overall. As a Lead Project Manager, you act as an inspirational leader demonstrating an agile mind-set to actively and positively influence the team’s performance and project outcomes through collaborative teamwork and empowerment of individuals. Reporting directly to the Head of IR Detectors, you will lead and co-ordinate IPTs on day-to-day activities and therefore must be a good team player possessing strong team building and motivational skills.

Key Responsibilities

• Generate internal investment business cases working closely with key stakeholders within a matrix organisation
• Plan, manage, monitor and report on the business case and multiple projects simultaneously in accordance with a Lifecycle management process.
• Regularly report project health, including cash flow, earned value, and cost to complete via a high degree of financial acumen.
• Conduct effective Risk and Opportunity reviews and be pro‑active in looking ahead to identify risks that may impact the project or can be mitigated.
• Negotiate and present at all levels within the business as well as with customers & suppliers and possess a strong sense of commercial awareness.
• Monitor accuracy of resource management and coordinate with Project Controllers & Material Planners to maintain accurate plans
• Supported by the IPT, undertake regular Planning activities of the project to ensure accuracy of the forward load and milestones within SAP/P6.
• Apply budgeting techniques for forecasting Cost and Cash flow milestones in order to ensure the integrity of the project plan.
• Be capable of interacting with technical experts from a variety of disciplines and prepared to challenge and seek further justification where necessary
• Facilitate problem solving and resolve conflicts within the team.

What You'll Bring

• Adept in both business case development and Project Management, we’re looking for someone who has:
• A track record of translating the strategic vision and priorities of senior managers into deliverable projects that provide confidence in deliverability through demonstrating a clear understanding of how this will give the best likelihood of successful delivery of the desired outcomes.
• Experience of developing complex business cases effectively, modelling different scenarios to enable informed decision making and undertaking the necessary work to provide confident estimates of cost and realistic benefits mapped to desired outcomes and aligned to agreed objectives.
• Experience of delivering Change Programmes
• Experience of working in complex manufacturing environments
• Several years' experience in a similar level Project Management role or discipline
• Demonstrable experience of managing multimillion-pound Projects as the Project lead
• Experience of related functions such as Commercial, Sub‑Contract Management, Quality Assurance
• Experience of developing and maintaining customer/ supplier relations.
• Demonstrable experience in all aspects of project planning, scheduling, work package management and cost control.
• Applies professional concepts in creative ways.
• Ability to influence and motivate project teams (direct/indirect management).

It would be beneficial if you have

• Degree level (or equivalent) qualifications in a Business or Engineering related discipline
• Full membership of the Association for Project Managers (APM) or equivalent
• SAP and or Primavera P6 Experience

Security Clearance This role is subject to pre‑employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company‑funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work‑life balance.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi‑days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award‑winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee‑led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part‑time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Primary Location: GB - Southampton
Contract Type: Fixed term
Hybrid Working: Hybrid International, multicultural, innovative, technological: this is Leonardo. The company’s passionate and talented team is strongly influenced by STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics) expertise, with a diverse range of experience that enables colleagues to share knowledge and know-how across the generations. Leonardo always wants to expand its talent pool, here you can find the right opportunity for you!