Senior Project Manager

Leonardo; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 55,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

12 flexi-days/year

Employer pension (up to 15%)

Mental health support

Bonus scheme

Access to 4,000+ online courses

Refer a friend bonus

Private healthcare options

Flexible hybrid working

Career development

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a strong Project Manager to join the Integrated Demonstrations IPT within the FCAS sector, based at the Luton site. You will support the Programme Manager, drive schedules, manage risks, and help win future programme phases while coordinating engineering, commercial, and customer stakeholders.

The role requires a collaborative, proactive leader with experience in complex defence programmes, capable of delivering on contractual commitments with data-driven decision making.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience managing projects in complex engineering, aerospace, or defence environments.
• Ability to lead cross-functional teams and coordinate across stakeholders.
• Strong planning and data-driven decision making for performance management.

Responsibilities

• Provide PM support to Programme Manager and align engineering, business functions and customer stakeholders.
• Drive IPT performance focusing on schedule adherence, risk management and milestones.
• Support securing future programme phases through business-winning activities.
• Champion robust financial control, risk management and governance.
• Identify and implement continuous improvements to enhance efficiency and customer satisfaction.

Skills

Project management

Cross-functional leadership

Planning & execution

Customer relationship management

Defensive Aids Systems knowledge

Job description

Job Description

The Future Combat Air (FCA) team at Leonardo UK (LEUK) work at the forefront of technologies and concepts that underpin 6th Gen combat air capabilities for the Global Combat Air Programme (GCAP), the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) and other national and international initiatives in various domains. We have an exciting opportunity for a strong Project Manager to join the Integrated Demonstrations Integrated Project Team, operating within the FCAS sector portfolio of work in FCA, based at the Luton site. The Integrated Demonstrations IPT is responsible for developing the Flight Test Aircraft and enabling infrastructure to provide rapid test and evaluation of early products in support of future 6th generation technologies for the UK and around the world. The FCAS sector is developing an extensive range of technology demonstrators to deliver exciting future products for the GCAP and wider FCAS, which offers a significant growth in product capabilities. Leonardo operates an 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.

What You Will Do As Project Manager – FCA

• Provide Project Management support to the Programme Manager and help alignment across engineering, business functions, and customer stakeholders.
• Drive performance across the IPT, with a focus on schedule adherence, risk management, and milestone delivery.
• Play a key role in securing future programme phases through business-winning activities.
• Champion best-in-class project management practices, including robust financial control, risk management, governance and performance reporting.
• Identify and implement continuous improvement opportunities to enhance efficiency, resilience, and customer satisfaction.

What You’ll Bring

To succeed in this role, you will require a collaborative mindset, and a proven ability to deliver within complex defence programmes.

Essential Skills And Experience Include

• Demonstrated experience in project management within complex engineering, aerospace, or defence environments.
• Proven ability to lead and influence cross-functional teams and coordinate across multiple stakeholders and organisations.
• Strong planning and execution skills, underpinned by data-driven decision-making and performance management.
• Experience managing customer relationships and delivering against contractual and operational commitments.
• Knowledge of Defensive Aids Systems and platform level maintenance is advantageous but not essential.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we welcome applications even if you don’t meet every requirement. A proactive attitude, strong leadership qualities, and a desire to learn are key to success in this role.

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.

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.

Primary Location

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid