Senior Project Manager

Rolls - Royce SMR; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 61,000 - 79,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Benefit allowance

Bonus opportunity

Pension life assurance (6x)

Income protection (50%)

Holiday entitlement (28 days + BH)

New-joiner payment

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR is seeking a Senior Project Manager to lead IT initiatives from Derby, Manchester or Warrington. You will plan, execute and close projects within scope, time and budget, coordinating internal teams and external vendors. Strong governance and stakeholder communication are required.

The role offers hybrid working with travel as needed and a competitive package with bonus potential and comprehensive benefits.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, IT, Business Management or related field.
• Prince2, PMP, MSP or equivalent certification.
• Experience delivering IT projects (systems, software, or infrastructure).
• Proficiency with MS Project, Jira, ServiceNow or Trello.
• Strong leadership, negotiation and communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Define project scope, goals and deliverables with stakeholders.
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines, resources and risk plans.
• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver on time and within budget.
• Monitor progress and report to executives and sponsors.
• Manage risks, issues and changes in scope, schedule and costs.
• Maintain governance-compliant project documentation.
• Ensure alignment with business priorities and governance frameworks.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Adaptability

Analytical skills

Education

Bachelor’s degree

Tools

MS Project

Jira

ServiceNow

Trello

Job description

Role: Senior Project Manager

Location: Hybrid, based from one of our offices in Derby, Manchester or Warrington

About Us

Rolls‑Royce SMR is here to transform how nuclear energy is delivered—cleaner, faster and at global scale. Our teams are developing one of the world’s most advanced small modular reactors, helping secure affordable, low‑carbon energy for generations to come.

We’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. That’s a once-in-a-career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

Role Summary

The Senior Project Manager is accountable for planning, executing and finalising IT projects according to strict deadlines and within budget. This includes acquiring resource and co-ordinating the efforts of team members and third-party contractors or consultants to deliver projects according to the plan. The Project Manager – IT will also define project objectives and oversee quality control throughout its lifecycle.

What we’ll need you to do

• Define project scope, goals and deliverables that support the business objectives in collaboration with stakeholders
• Develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, resource estimates and risk management strategies
• Manage project execution by leading cross-functional teams and ensuring timely delivery within scope and budget.
• Monitor and report project performance to key stakeholders, including executives and sponsors
• Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path
• Proactively manage risks, issues and changes in project scope, schedule and costs
• Maintain project documentation in compliance with governance standards
• Foster strong relationships with stakeholders, ensuring needs are met and expectations managed
• Support benefits realisation and post-project reviews to capture lessons learned.
• Take full responsibility for the definition, approach, facilitation and satisfactory completion of medium-scale projects.
• Provide effective leadership to the project team, adopting suitable project management methods and tools. Manages change control processes and assesses risks, ensuring projects align with governance frameworks and business priorities.
• Communicate regularly with stakeholders, ensuring project deliverables meet agreed standards, budgets and timelines. Ensures project and product quality reviews occur on schedule and according to procedure.
• Proactively monitor performance metrics, implementing preventive and corrective actions as needed.
• Conduct readiness assessments to assess the size, nature and impact of organisational change.
• Define tactics to use considering the challenges to be addressed. Provides guidance and makes suggestions to support individuals responsible for operational implementation of change management activities.
• Gather feedback to analyse the impact and effectiveness of the change management activities being deployed. Takes corrective action as required.
• Develop and communicate tailored change management plans.
• Establishes and builds relationships with the project sponsors and key stakeholders.

What we’re looking for

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Technology, Business Management or related field
• Professional certification (eg Prince 2, PMP, MSP, or equivalent)
• Experience of managing IT project delivery, including systems, software, or infrastructure projects
• Proficiency with project management tools (eg MS Project, Jira, ServiceNow, Trello
• Strong leadership and negotiation skills
• Excellent verbal and written communication
• Adaptable and resilient in fast-paced, changing environments
• High-level of organisational and analytical skills

Location & Ways of Working

This role can be based in Derby, Manchester or Warrington, with flexibility to work between home and the office depending on business needs. There may be some international travel required on an ad hoc basis.

What’s in It for You

A salary between £50,600.00 - £66,500.00, £2,200 benefit allowance, 12.5% bonus opportunity, 6x pensionable life assurance, 50% income protection, 28 days’ holiday plus bank holidays, and a £250 new‑joiner payment —alongside opportunities for development and progression.

Selection Process

Shortlisted candidates will be invited to a competency‑based interview and may be asked to provide evidence of document management capability. This role requires BPSS checks as part of our onboarding process.

Inclusion & Accessibility

We’re committed to building a diverse, inclusive workplace where everyone feels valued. If you meet around 75% of the criteria, we’d still love to hear from you. We’re happy to discuss reasonable adjustments throughout the recruitment process and offer flexible or part‑time working where possible.

Pay Range:

£60,000.00

£78,750.00

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment.
• Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business.
• A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we’ll let you in on a secret: there’s no such thing as a ‘perfect’ candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.

Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:

• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check