Project Manager​/Senior Project Manager

Job Description

Leonardo is a global high-tech company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. Headquartered in Italy, Leonardo has over 45,000 employees, of which 7,000 are based in the UK. The ISP Line of Business falls within the wider Electronics UK Business Unit and operates as a product development, manufacturing and sales business. The LoB is a leader in the integration and supply of advanced seekers systems.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Project Manager / Senior Project Manager to join our team working within a dynamic and fast paced Precision Guidance IPT.

Positions for both Project Manager and Senior Project Manager are available and will depend on previous levels of experience.

In this pivotal role, you will :

Deliver cutting-edge seeker capabilities to UK and international customers.

Maintain and enhance operational systems for our customers.

Oversee the development of next-generation products and low-TRL technologies.

Support business-winning activities to secure future growth.

This position sits within our Sensors Business Area, part of the Integrated Sensing & Protection (ISP) Line of Business (LoB). You will lead multiple world-class projects that have provided specialist capability to the UK MoD for decades—continuing to deliver operational advantage for our armed forces.

As PM / Senior PM, you will :

Be accountable for delivery of specific projects in the portfolio.

Apply strong leadership, governance, and problem-solving skills to deliver multiple complex projects to time, cost, and quality.

• Lead early-stage technology development projects, managing uncertainty in requirements, technical feasibility, and resource allocation while ensuring alignment with long-term product strategy.
• Establish robust governance and risk frameworks for low-TRL initiatives, proactively identifying technical, schedule, and integration risks and implementing mitigation plans to accelerate maturation toward higher TRLs.
• Support bids and campaigns spanning the Precision Guidance IPT, increasing their Pwin.
• Be responsible for working with the Project Engineering Lead / Project Engineering Managers to manage available resource against future demand based on forecast prospects, ensuring issues are either addressed locally or are escalated to the Head of Programmes & Head of Engineering Projects.
• Support the IPTs’ delivery of Low-TRL tasks and the development of internally funded projects to develop next generation products and system enhancements.
• Be responsible for Projects internal reporting to the business, including Monthly Project Reviews into VP Sensors and as required, SVP ISP.
• Manage and demonstrate improved delivery where possible to improve financial performance against the baseline targets.
• Ensure adherence to Company governance and process, including Leonardo’s Lifecycle Management (LCM) as appropriate, including tailoring to suit project requirements.
• Proactively monitor cost and schedule progress and lead the team effectively through planning, allocation and reporting of work in order to ensure successful delivery of projects and their objectives.
• Anticipate, mitigate and manage dependencies, risks and synergies in support of increased business performance.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with all functions in order to influence, support and deliver projects.
• Support the ongoing development and / or improvement of relationships with internal and external customers and suppliers to build on the principals of trust, collaboration and mutual respect.
• Provide coaching and mentoring support to members of the IPT, and particularly those within the Project Management function.

Full time role with some out of hours and extended working hours anticipated as required.

This role will be Basildon based. Wider travel to other Leonardo and customer sites may also be required.

Proven experience in leading projects, including those at early stages of development where requirements, technologies, and risks are evolving.

Excellent stakeholder management skills, influencing senior leadership and maintaining customer…