Programme Manager

Leonardo UK Ltd; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Training and development

Flexible benefits

Job summary

Leonardo UK Ltd is seeking a senior business lead for its Mission Support product area, based at the Luton and Lincoln sites. You will provide visionary leadership and strategic direction, oversee the five-year plan, and drive the financial performance of the portfolio while guiding cross‑functional IPTs through the lifecycle of mission enablement software for air platforms.

You’ll coordinate with sales and capability teams, manage a multidisciplinary project management group, and balance

Qualifications

• Ability to think and act strategically.
• Proven experience of leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• Proven experience in complex project execution and able to assess and manage risks and opportunities.
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills.
• Strong communicator and able to manage a complex stakeholder network.
• To lead by example and foster a one-team culture.
• Financial and commercial acumen and negotiating skills.
• Proactive person able to act autonomously with a positive, can-do mindset.

Responsibilities

• Set vision and business strategy for the Mission Support business.
• Accountable for financial performance of the business area and the 5-year Integrated Business Plan.
• Lead Integrated Campaign teams to develop and secure new business opportunities.
• Line management, coaching and leadership of the project management team.
• Manage cross-portfolio dependencies and synergies to improve performance.
• Ensure project execution aligns with Leonardo's Life-Cycle Management principles.
• Lead the IPT through monthly business cycle reporting to the VP IMS.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Leadership

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Financial acumen

Negotiation

Education

Degree or equivalent experience

Job description

Job Description: Your Impact: Leonardo is looking for a business lead for its Mission Support product area. The Mission Support business is part of the Integrated Mission Solutions sector based across our Luton and Lincoln sites. The Mission Support business is responsible for developing, enhancing and maintaining a portfolio of Mission Enablement software products for military operations on Fast Jet, Fixed Wing and Rotary Wing platforms in the UK and around the world. You will report to the Vice President of the Integrated Mission Solutions business. The Mission Support business has an extensive range of products in-service as well as an exciting portfolio of new avionic products in development supporting new equipment coming into service by 2030 on air platforms such as UK Wedgetail, A400M, BriteCloud, Typhoon Exports and in the longer term with the Global Combat Aircraft Programme which offers a significant growth in product capabilities. Leonardo operates an Integrated Project Team (IPT) organisational structure in which multi-disciplinary teams (project management, engineering, commercial, procurement etc.) are created to win new business, deliver customer contracts and develop and maintain products. The leader of the IPT (business lead) is accountable for this team providing visionary leadership and strategic direction for this business area.

What you’ll do as a business lead:

• With support from sales and capability function set the vision and business strategy for the Mission Support business
• Accountable for the financial performance of the business area and setting the 5-year Integrated Business Plan
• Working with sales function to form and lead Integrated Campaign teams to develop and secure new business opportunities
• Line management, coaching and leadership of the project management team
• Manage cross portfolio dependencies and synergies in support of increased business performance through prioritisation and balancing of resources across the business area
• Accountable for project execution ensuring that projects are run in accordance with Leonardo's Life-Cycle Management principles
• Effectively manage the customer community through the project execution phase
• Lead the IPT through the monthly business cycle reporting to the VP IMS on the performance of project portfolio

What you’ll bring:

• Ability to think and act strategically
• Proven experience of successfully leading multi-disciplinary teams
• Proven experience in complex project execution and able to assess and manage risks and opportunities
• Strong organisational and problem-solving skills
• Strong communicator and able to effectively manage a complex stakeholder network
• To lead by example and foster a one-team culture
• Financial and commercial acumen and negotiating skills
• Proactive person able to act autonomously with a positive, "can-do" mind-set
• Ability to collaborate with teams internally and externally to Leonardo

It would be nice if you had:

• Experience of working in the defence or similar regulated industry
• Proven track record in the development and delivery of complex IT / software products
• Professional qualifications in project management
• Experience of Software Product Management Engineering experience
• Degree or equivalent experience
• Security Clearance

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 - Luton - Cap. Green 300 Additional Locations: GB - Lincoln Contract Type: Permanent 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!