Senior Project Manager (Engineering projects in Defence)

National Composites Centre; Bristol; Hybrid; GBP 46,000 - 59,000; Full time

Job summary

A technology innovation center in Bristol seeks a Senior Project Manager to lead engineering projects in the Defence sector. This role involves managing complex innovation projects, ensuring timely delivery, and engaging with senior stakeholders. Applicants should have a proven track record in project management and be willing to undergo government security clearance. Competitive salary and hybrid working options available.

Benefits

Annual salary reviews

Company paid private medical insurance

Up to 12.5% employer pension contribution

Honorary staff status at the University of Bristol

Qualifications

• Proven track record working as a project manager.
• Experience supporting innovation in R&D or digital engineering projects.
• Ability and willingness to undergo government security clearance.

Responsibilities

• Manage complex innovation projects to deliver on time and on cost.
• Control scope, schedule, cost, and risk across project lifecycle.
• Conduct site visits to resolve issues and validate progress.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Technical knowledge in engineering

Tools

Enterprise Resource Planning systems

Project Lifecycle Management systems

Customer Relationship Management platform

Job description

Senior Project Manager (Engineering projects in Defence)

NCC

Bristol based with Hybrid working (2-3 days on site)

Salary: £46,355 to £58,038 per annum plus 12.5% employer pension & private medical insurance.

Security Clearance Required: You will be required to undertake government security clearance if successful securing this role.

Advert end date: 18th December 2025 – we reserve the right to withdraw the advert early if required.

Summary

As demand grows, we are expanding our Defence team to focus to include another Project Manager supporting technology innovation within the defence industry. You’ll manage complex innovation projects to delivery on time, on cost and on vision. If you enjoy steering complex engineering & technology programmes, influencing senior stakeholders, this is your opportunity to help shape the future of UK defence innovation.

NCC is accelerating the adoption of advanced materials, digital engineering and process innovation. Located at the heart of the UK’s largest defence cluster, we work with MOD, prime contractors and SMEs to turn cutting-edge research into deployable capability at pace.

Reporting to the Technology Programme Manager – Defence, you’ll lead a range of small to medium sized projects, with varying complexity, focused on Engineering Technology (not IT) innovation within Aerospace, Submarine and other defence applications.

Specifically you'll focus on the following activities:

• Own delivery – control scope, schedule, cost and risk across the full six-phase lifecycle – from initiation to closure – using NCC’s project management framework.
• Plan with rigour – convert technical statements of work into credible resource-loaded schedules, align internal specialists and external partners, and maintain live plans for both active and pipeline projects.
• Lead the team – give every team member clarity on tasks and booking codes, track effort in real time, and foster a culture where knowledge-sharing and proactive risk management thrive.
• Be the customer’s go-to – run structured reviews, provide transparent progress reports and build long-term relationships based on delivery excellence.
• Generate tomorrow’s work – gather market and programme intelligence, spot adjacent opportunities, brief internal stakeholders on emerging needs, and feed accurate data into our CRM so that pursuit strategies are evidence-led.
• Stay close to the action – conduct site visits to customer facilities and supplier premises (around 10% travel) to validate progress, resolve issues and unearth new collaboration avenues.
• Add technical value – while this is a delivery role, a sound engineering or technical background will enable you to challenge assumptions, problem-solve in design reviews and translate customer aspirations into workable plans.

What are we looking for in your application?

Specific experience we will look for in your CV would include:

• Proven track record working as a project manager.
• Experience support innovation in R&D, or digital engineering projects.
• Experience managing stakeholders at senior manager level and above.
• Ability and willingness to undergo government security clearance.
• Familiarity with gated life-cycle governance and risk and opportunity management.
• Evidence of identifying and helping secure follow-on work, authoring winning bids and proposals.
• Experience using the following to support your projects: Enterprise Resource Planning and Project Lifecycle Management systems and a modern Customer Relationship Management platform.

Desirable would be any of the following, but please apply if you have the core experience in the bullet points above. Exposure to advanced materials, aerospace technologies and/or digital engineering would be great.

What we do

We help manufacturers take on bigger challenges - whether that’s building cleaner aircraft, scaling up offshore wind, or strengthening the UK’s supply chains. We’re here to deliver practical outcomes, not prototypes that sit on shelves.

Who we work with

We work across 16 sectors, from defence and energy to infrastructure and space Some projects are with global tier 1s, others with small UK firms solving one specific problem - the works always varied, and always real.

What it’s like here

We’re not a startup. We’re not a corporate. We’re a national centre with the kit, time and people to do the job properly. The teams are focused, the thinking is sharp, and you’ll be trusted to get on with it.

Why this job matters

This role isn’t just internal support – it’s part of how we deliver nationally important work. If we do our job right, the UK’s manufacturers can do theirs better.

What do we offer in return?

Hybrid and flexible working patterns as standard, annual salary reviews, company paid private medical insurance, up to 12.5% employer pension contribution, great people, honorary staff status at the University of Bristol. With a genuine focus on wellbeing, EDI and learning and development this is a chance to build your career in a thriving R&D facility with a bright future.