Lead Project Manager

Leonardo UK Ltd; Wickford; Hybrid; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension with employer contribution

Mental health support

Coursera/LinkedIn Learning courses

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd is seeking a Lead Project Manager to own the Products Portfolio within the Precision Guidance IPT. Based in Basildon with hybrid working options and occasional international travel (<10%), the role drives end-to-end product strategy and delivery for multiple world-class lines.

You will input to IBP, business strategy, and product roadmaps, while coaching project management teams. A strong track record in multi-product environments and governance is essential for success in this permanent role.

Qualifications

• Proven experience leading complex multi-product projects.
• Strong product line management and lifecycle governance.
• Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Own and deliver end-to-end product line strategy and yearly portfolio objectives.
• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex projects to time, cost and quality.
• Manage product progression through all governance frameworks and lifecycle stages.
• Own forecasting, reporting and financial targets for the portfolio.
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement within the product line.
• Support bids and campaigns to improve win probability across the portfolio.

Job description

Job Description:

Leonardo is a global high-tech company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. Headquartered in Italy, Leonardo has over 45,000 employees, of which 7,000 are based in the UK. The ISP Line of Business falls within the wider Electronics UK Business Unit and operates as a product development, manufacturing and sales business. The LoB is a leader in the integration and supply of advanced seekers systems.

Your Impact:

At Leonardo, we have an exciting opportunity for a Lead Project Manager (PM) to take ownership of the Products Portfolio within the Precision Guidance Integrated Project Team (IPT).

This position sits within our Sensors Business Area, part of the Integrated Sensing & Protection (ISP) Line of Business (LoB). You will lead multiple world-class product lines that have provided specialist capability to the UK MoD for decades—continuing to deliver operational advantage for our armed forces.

As Lead Project Manager, you will:

• Operate across the functions to own, define and deliver long-term product plans
• Apply strong leadership, governance, and problem-solving skills to deliver multiple complex projects to time, cost, and quality.
• Input to and own delivery of delegated portions of the Integrated Business Plan (IBP), product and business strategy

• Develop a good understanding of market trends and customer needs
• Own and deliver in-year phased financial targets

Key responsibilities to include:

• Input to and ownership of product line strategy and yearly portfolio objectives
• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex projects, to time, cost and quality
• Own the progression of products through all project and lifecycle management governance frameworks
• Own annual, quarterly and monthly forecasting and progress reporting
• Drive innovation and continuous improvement within the product line
• Support bids and campaigns to increase PWIN across the portfolio
• Collaborate with all stakeholders to manage resource planning against future demand.
• Provide coaching and mentoring to project management team members

This is a full-time role requiring some national and international travel (<10%). The role will be Basildon based and will require 2-3 days a week on site.

What You'll Bring:

• Leadership and team development experience, fostering collaboration and empowerment
• Proven experience in leading complex projects and programmes, ideally in a multi-product environment
• Strong product line management expertise, including roadmap development and lifecycle management
• Commercial acumen with P&L responsibility, including forecasting and cost control.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills
• Robust risk and issue management experience
• Strong application of governance and delivery adherence frameworks
• Knowledge of compliance standards and regulatory requirements.
• Strong communication and presentation skills, able to convey complex information clearly
• Proactive, results-driven mindset, focused on continuous improvement and high performance
• Experience in support to business-winning activities.

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. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.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 - Basildon

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid