Project Manager - Defence

Niche Recruitment Ltd; Witney; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Birthday off

Flexible benefits

Salary sacrifice pension

25 days holiday

Job summary

Niche Recruitment Ltd is seeking an experienced Project Manager for a permanent, full-time defence programme based in Witney, Oxfordshire. You will lead the coordination, governance and delivery across engineering, production, commercial and customer teams to keep the programme moving.

The role is primarily site-based, with a competitive salary and benefits including holiday entitlement, a flexible benefits scheme and enhanced pension contributions via salary sacrifice.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated project or programme management in the defence sector.
• Experience coordinating engineering, production, commercial and customer teams.
• Strong governance, scheduling, risks and reporting capabilities.
• Ability to communicate with MOD, senior stakeholders and engineers.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate and deliver a complex defence engineering programme on a day-to-day basis.
• Develop and maintain plans, schedules, milestones, actions and dependencies.
• Lead governance, meetings, risk reviews and change control.
• Prepare concise reports and updates for MOD, customers and leadership.
• Coordinate across engineering, production, supply chain and contracts teams.
• Interface with MOD and customers to translate technical challenges into clear actions.

Skills

Defence PM experience

MOD engagement

Programme delivery

Governance & reporting

Stakeholder management

Cross-functional leadership

Education

Engineering/PM qualification

Job description

Are you an experienced Project Manager with a background in defence and complex engineering programmes? If you’re confident managing demanding projects, engaging with MOD stakeholders and keeping multidisciplinary teams focused on delivery, this could be an excellent next step.

An innovative engineering business is looking for a Project Manager to take ownership of the coordination, governance and client-facing delivery of a significant defence programme. Working alongside established engineering leadership, you’ll provide the project management structure needed to keep a complex programme moving, bringing together engineering, production, commercial and customer stakeholders.

Based in Witney, Oxfordshire, this permanent, full-time role is primarily site-based and offers a competitive salary, depending on experience. Benefits include 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, a flexible benefits scheme, enhanced employer pension contributions through salary sacrifice and your birthday off.

Key Responsibilities

• Manage the day-to-day coordination and delivery of a complex defence engineering programme.
• Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, milestones, actions and dependencies, ensuring progress remains visible and controlled.
• Manage project meetings, reviews, risks, issues and changes while maintaining clear programme governance.
• Prepare concise reports, presentations and project updates for MOD, customer and senior stakeholders.
• Coordinate activity across engineering, production, supply chain, commercial and contracts teams to maintain delivery momentum.
• Act as a key interface with MOD and customer stakeholders, translating technical and operational challenges into clear project updates and actions.

Skills & Experience

• Demonstrable Project or Programme Management experience within the defence sector, ideally involving direct MOD or major defence customer engagement.
• Experience delivering complex engineering, manufacturing, technology or advanced engineering programmes.
• Strong understanding of project governance, including schedules, risks, changes, actions, dependencies and reporting.
• Confidence communicating with engineering teams, operational colleagues, senior leadership and external customers.
• Strong organisation and attention to detail, with the ability to adapt and maintain momentum as priorities evolve.
• A relevant engineering, technical or project management qualification is advantageous, with APM, PRINCE2 or PMP accreditation also desirable.