Senior Project Manager

We are looking for an experienced Senior Project Manager to join our team and take a leading role in the delivery of complex, high-value maritime and defence programmes. You will help build the foundations of a high-performing programme capability, bringing the governance, controls, commercial discipline and delivery rigour expected in a defence prime, while keeping the pace, pragmatism and ownership of an agile and growing engineering and manufacturing business. You will have the authority and accountability to drive projects from contract award through engineering, procurement, manufacture, integration, trials, customer acceptance and close-out. For the right individual, this is an opportunity to shape and build how we deliver programmes, not simply inherit an established process.

• Lead complex, high-value programmes end-to-end, owning delivery against contract, schedule, cost, quality and customer commitments.
• Establish strong programme foundations, including governance, integrated plans, baselines, reporting, resource planning, risk and change control.
• Coach and develop project professionals, raising the standard of programme management across the business
• Lead customer relationship, running programme reviews, managing expectations, negotiating outcomes and confidently handling difficult conversations.
• Provide concise reports, forecasts and recommendations to customers, steering groups and senior leadership, maintaining accurate and auditable project records.
• Own the commercial position, including scope, milestones, change, variation orders, forecast and commercial risk.
• Drive cross-functional delivery across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and Commercial.
• Turn plans into execution, identifying critical-path issues early and leading recovery planning if required
• Create clarity from complexity, ensuring risks, dependencies, decisions and accountabilities are visible and actively managed.
• Provide senior leadership with concise, decision-quality information, not just project reporting.
• Support bids and mobilisation and embed lessons learned into future programmes.

• Significant experience delivering complex engineering, manufacturing, defence, marine, aerospace or other high-integrity programmes.
• A strong track record of leading major projects through the complete lifecycle.
• Deep understanding of programme controls, including integrated planning, baselining, critical path, cost and schedule performance, forecasting, risk, opportunity and change.
• Strong contractual and commercial judgement, with experience managing scope, milestones, change, claims and customer acceptance.
• Credibility with customers and senior stakeholders, including the confidence to challenge, negotiate and make clear recommendations.
• Practical understanding of engineering and manufacturing delivery, from design release and procurement through production, integration, test and acceptance.
• Experience establishing or improving project governance, controls and ways of working and using MS Project to drive delivery schedules.
• Strong leadership, judgement and personal accountability.

• Defence, maritime, aerospace or similarly regulated programme experience
• Recognised project management qualification such as APM PMQ/ChPP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, PMI PMP or equivalent.
• Degree or equivalent professional experience in engineering, manufacturing, business, project management or a related discipline.
• Knowledge of ISO 9001, configuration management and formal lifecycle or stage-gate processes.
• Experience of ERP/MRP systems, portfolio management tools and data-led project controls.
• Experience of business improvement, Lean manufacturing or continuous-improvement methodologies.

This is a senior, hands-on delivery role where you’ll have real ownership and accountability for complex programmes from contract award through to customer acceptance and close-out.

You’ll work across Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations, Procurement, Supply Chain, Quality, Finance and Commercial, bringing teams together around clear plans, priorities and customer commitments. You’ll balance the structure and discipline expected within defence programmes with the pace and pragmatism of a growing engineering and manufacturing business.

You’ll be expected to make decisions, challenge where needed and create clarity when projects become complex. You’ll also work directly with customers and senior leadership, providing clear recommendations and ensuring risks, changes and delivery priorities are understood.

This is an opportunity to take a leading role in how Kraken delivers complex, high-value maritime and defence programmes.

You’ll have the opportunity to:

• Lead major programmes through the full engineering and manufacturing lifecycle
• Take genuine ownership of programme performance, commercial outcomes and customer delivery
• Work closely with senior leadership and customers on high-profile programmes
• Influence how programme governance, controls and ways of working develop across the business
• Coach and support project professionals as Kraken’s programme capability grows
• Work across engineering, manufacturing, maritime and defence technologies
• Join a growing business where you can help build the programme capability rather than simply inherit an established process

• 25 days holiday per year, plus paid bank holiday
• After two years’ consecutive service, one additional day’s annual leave up to a maximum of five additional days annual leave
• Holiday buy/sell, up to five days per calendar year
• Flexi working, core hours 10:00 to 15:00, subject to departmental requirements
• Private Medical Insurance with optional family cover
• Pension scheme with a 5% employer contribution, there is no cap on the employee contribution level
• Life assurance 3x salary
• Group Income Protection
• Health Care Cash Plan
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Electric Car Scheme
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) providing mental health and wellbeing support
• Professional membership reimbursement

Due to the nature of our work many of our roles require a UK nationality and the ability to obtain a security clearance.  Applicants who accept a conditional offer of employment must meet the requirement of right to work in the UK and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information and will be subject to Government security checks.

Kraken Works Limited is proud to be an Equal Opportunity Employer.  We are committed to maintaining a workplace that is free from unlawful discrimination and offers equal opportunities to all.  Applications from individuals are encouraged regardless of age, disability, sex, gender reassignment, sexual orientation, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, and marriage and civil partnerships.