Programme Manager

Holt Engineering; Bournemouth; On-site; GBP 49,500 - 56,250; Full time

Job summary

Holt Engineering is seeking a Programme Manager in Bournemouth to own customer programmes end-to-end from sales handover to closure. You will lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) and safeguard performance across delivery, quality, cost and weight.

You will manage the programme plan, milestones and gate reviews, control changes, and coordinate budget with finance. Strong communication, leadership of cross-functional teams, and experience with change control are essential.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in Programme/Project management delivering complex engineering programmes.
• Strong customer-facing communication, able to influence and protect relationships under pressure.
• Proven ownership of programme plan, milestones, actions and delivery commitments.
• Experience managing change control, risks, and budget performance.
• Confident leading cross-functional IPTs and holding people to dates and deliverables.
• Comfortable in high-pressure environments with multiple workstreams.
• Solid MS Office skills; MS Project capability preferred.
• Degree-level education in Engineering, Science, Business or similar.
• PM qualification is useful (APM PMQ, PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile Practitioner).

Responsibilities

• Own customer programmes end-to-end from sales handover through to closure.
• Lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) and protect contract performance across delivery, quality, cost and weight.
• Run the programme plan, milestones and gate reviews with tight control of actions and dates.
• Manage scope change, budget control and risk management without slippage.
• Serve as the main customer interface and keep stakeholders aligned and accountable.
• Build and maintain the programme plan and ensure milestones are controlled and visible.
• Coordinate budget changes with finance and track financial performance.
• Maintain programme documentation: actions, minutes, gateway checklists, milestone packs and audit files.
• Own the risk register and review it weekly to ensure mitigations progress.
• Run IPT rhythm with priorities, dependencies and escalation as needed.
• Supervise testing activities to support development, test and production.
• Provide regular progress reporting and visibility of status and customer feedback.

Skills

Customer communication

Negotiation

Stakeholder management

IPT leadership

Budget management

Risk management

MS Office

Education

Degree in Engineering/Science/Business or similar

PM qualification (APM PMQ / PRINCE2 / Agile)

Tools

MS Project

Job description

Programme Manager – Bournemouth – Salary: £49,500‑£56,250

Only applicants with the full‑time, permanent right to work in the UK will be considered.

Programme Manager Overview

Own customer programmes end‑to‑end from sales handover through to closure. Lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) and protect contract performance across delivery, quality, cost and weight. Run the programme plan, milestones and gate reviews with tight control of actions and dates. Manage scope change, budget control and risk management without slippage. Serve as the main customer interface and keep stakeholders aligned and accountable.

Day‑to‑day responsibilities of a Programme Manager

• Manage programmes through the full lifecycle from sales handover to closure, with budget responsibility and delivery ownership.
• Act as the first point of contact for customer communications and manage customer queries through to resolution.
• Lead customer and internal meetings, ensuring the right people attend and actions are closed to date.
• Build and maintain the programme plan, keeping milestones and deliverables controlled and visible.
• Negotiate and agree due date changes with customers and internal stakeholders when required.
• Ensure internal gate reviews happen to plan and that checklist discipline is followed across departments.
• Control scope changes using a clear change log, managing MCP/CCP activity and approvals.
• Coordinate budget changes with the finance partner and keep financial performance tracked and visible.
• Maintain programme documentation: actions, minutes, gateway checklists, milestone packs and audit files.
• Own the risk register and review it weekly, ensuring mitigations remain valid and actively progressed.
• Run an effective IPT rhythm: priorities, dependencies, critical path, escalation and accountability.
• Supervise BFE activity to ensure timely placement and receipt to support development, test and production.
• Ensure IFE test equipment is on the correct software level and functional to meet contract specs.
• Be the focal point for key milestones and technical reviews (PDR, CDR, FAI and others).
• Provide regular progress reporting and ensure visibility of programme status and customer feedback.

What they’re looking for – Programme Manager

• ~5+ years’ experience in a Programme Manager / Project Manager role delivering complex engineering programmes.
• Strong customer‑facing communication, able to influence, negotiate and protect relationships under pressure.
• Proven ownership of programme plan, milestones, actions and delivery commitments.
• Experience managing change control, risks, and budget performance (P&L awareness welcomed).
• Confident leading cross‑functional IPTs and holding people to dates and deliverables.
• Comfortable working in a high‑pressure environment with multiple workstreams running in parallel.
• Strong working knowledge of MS Office, with MS Project capability preferred.
• Degree‑level education in Engineering, Science, Business or similar (or equivalent experience).
• Formal PM qualification is useful (APM PMQ, PRINCE2 Practitioner, Agile Practitioner).

Compliance and security notes – Programme Manager

• Baseline personnel security standard is required, with higher levels of vetting for certain programmes.
• Travel between sites will be required, with occasional international travel depending on programme needs.

What’s on offer – Programme Manager

Programme Manager salary: £49,500 – £56,250.

A Programme Manager role with high customer visibility and genuine ownership from sales handover to closure. Exposure to complex engineering development, certification activity and major programme milestones. A structured IPT environment where planning discipline and performance delivery are taken seriously.

How to apply for the Programme Manager position

If you’re interested in this Programme Manager role, get in touch to run through the role and the programme scope. Call or message Hayden at Holt Engineering on (phone number removed).