Senior Project Manager - Space Systems

Alexander Associates; Harwell; Hybrid; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Workplace pension

Learning and development allowance

Job summary

Alexander Associates, a rapidly growing space technology company, seeks an experienced Project Manager or Senior Project Manager to lead complex hardware and software development programmes at Harwell. You’ll coordinate multidisciplinary teams, customers and suppliers to deliver projects from planning through verification and delivery.

Ideal candidates will have 5+ years in project leadership, hands-on delivery in aerospace environments, and experience with spacecraft or satellite systems.

Qualifications

• 5+ years' experience in project or programme management 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.

Responsibilities

• 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.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Budgeting

Scheduling

Cross-functional 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.

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.

Salary & Benefits

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

• The wider package includes benefits such as 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.