Senior Project Manager - Space Systems

UK Space Jobs; Harwell; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Workplace pension

Learning & development allowance

Job summary

Alexander Associates is partnering with a growing space technology company to recruit a Project Manager (or Senior Project Manager) based at Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire. You will lead complex space hardware programmes, coordinating engineering teams, customers, suppliers and partners through the full development lifecycle.

The role emphasizes practical project delivery, strong governance, and hands-on leadership in a fast-moving space environment.

Qualifications

• 5+ years in project or programme management or equivalent responsibility in a complex engineering environment.
• Experience delivering complex technology or hardware development programmes.
• Previous exposure to spacecraft, satellite, flight hardware or aerospace systems.
• Experience managing projects involving multiple engineering disciplines.
• Strong stakeholder, customer and supplier management skills.
• Experience managing significant project budgets, schedules and resources.
• Ability to operate in a fast-moving, growing technology business.
• Experience delivering projects involving government, civil, defence or institutional customers would be valuable.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate multidisciplinary project teams, providing clear direction across engineering, commercial and operational stakeholders.
• Define and maintain project objectives, scope, deliverables and schedules.
• Manage projects against agreed cost, schedule and quality requirements.
• Manage project budgets, resources, labour and expenditure.
• Track progress against milestones and KPIs, adapt plans to maintain delivery.
• Identify and manage project risks and mitigation strategies.
• Work closely with engineering teams to resolve technical and programme issues.
• Coordinate major milestones including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR and FRR.
• Manage relationships with customers, funding organisations, external partners, subcontractors and suppliers.
• Support bids for commercial and institutional programmes, including planning, scheduling, resource planning and cost estimation.

Skills

Project management

Aerospace experience

Stakeholder management

Budget management

Leadership

Job description

Alexander Associates is working with an innovative and rapidly growing space technology company developing advanced hardware and systems for the next generation of in-orbit missions.

We are looking for an experienced Project Manager or Senior Project Manager to take responsibility for the delivery of complex technology development and space hardware programmes.

This is an excellent opportunity for someone who enjoys working close to the engineering, rather than simply managing schedules from a distance. You’ll be coordinating multidisciplinary technical teams, customers, suppliers and partners to take challenging projects through the full development lifecycle.

Ideally, you will have experience managing the development of flight hardware, spacecraft systems or other complex aerospace technology, although candidates from closely related high-reliability engineering environments will also be considered.

The Role

You will be responsible for leading projects from initial planning and requirements through development, verification, qualification and delivery.

Your Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading and coordinating multidisciplinary project teams, providing clear direction across engineering, commercial and operational stakeholders.
• Defining and maintaining project objectives, scope, deliverables and schedules.
• Managing projects against agreed cost, schedule and quality requirements.
• Managing project budgets, resources, labour and expenditure.
• Tracking progress against key milestones and KPIs, adapting plans and workflows where required to maintain delivery.
• Identifying and managing project risks, ensuring appropriate mitigation strategies are developed and implemented.
• Working closely with engineering teams to resolve technical and programme issues as they arise.
• Coordinating major project and design milestones including SRR, PDR, CDR, TRR and FRR.
• Managing relationships with customers, funding organisations, external partners, subcontractors and suppliers.
• Supporting bids for commercial and institutional programmes, including project planning, scheduling, resource planning and cost estimation.

About You

We are interested in speaking with experienced Project Managers from the space sector as well as technically strong engineers who have progressed into programme or project leadership.

Ideally, You Will Have

• Approximately 5+ years' experience in project or programme management, or equivalent responsibility within a complex engineering environment.
• Experience delivering complex technology or hardware development programmes.
• Previous exposure to spacecraft, satellite, flight hardware or aerospace systems.
• Experience managing projects involving multiple engineering disciplines.
• Strong stakeholder, customer and supplier management skills.
• Experience managing significant project budgets, schedules and resources.
• The ability to operate effectively in a fast-moving, growing technology business.
• A practical, hands‑on approach to project delivery.
• Experience delivering projects involving government, civil, defence or institutional customers would be particularly valuable.

Desirable Experience

Any Of The Following Would Be Advantageous

• Spacecraft or satellite hardware development.
• Satellite propulsion, fluid systems or in-orbit servicing technologies.
• Space hardware qualification and verification.
• ECSS or NASA standards.
• Working with ESA or other space agencies.
• Mission design or mission operations.
• Experience across multiple stages of the space systems lifecycle.
• Managing subcontractors and complex technical supply chains.

Location

The role is based at Harwell Campus, Oxfordshire, at the heart of the UK's space sector.

Salary & Benefits

£50,000 – £75,000, depending on experience and level of responsibility.

• private healthcare, workplace pension and a learning and development allowance.

This is an opportunity to join an ambitious space technology business at an exciting stage of growth, working on genuinely innovative hardware and missions that will help enable the next generation of activity in orbit.

The company operates a hybrid working model, with full-time employees typically expected to spend around 10 days per month in the office or travelling on business.