Senior Project Manager –

Copello are working with a reputable defence client who are focused on delivering a portfolio of advanced defence engineering programmes. As part of this growth, they are seeking a highly skilled Senior Project Manager with strong technical understanding and a proven track record delivering complex engineering projects within the defence sector.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing team at a pivotal stage. You will play a key role in shaping delivery frameworks, influencing engineering direction, and ensuring successful outcomes across a range of mission critical systems.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead end-to-end delivery of complex defence engineering programmes, ensuring outcomes are delivered on time, on budget, and to customer requirements.
• Act as the primary interface between engineering, operations, commercial, and external stakeholders.
• Establish and maintain project governance, risk management, scheduling, reporting, and control processes within the new business unit.
• Work closely with technical leads to translate customer needs into clear engineering deliverables and system-level requirements.
• Provide commercial leadership, including contract management, change control, and financial oversight.
• Guide multidisciplinary teams and drive a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Support bid activity, including solution shaping, cost estimation, planning, and customer engagement.
• Champion best practice project management methodologies, contributing to the development of frameworks and processes for the new business unit.

Essential Requirements

• Strong project management experience in a defence, aerospace, or mission-critical engineering environment.
• Technical understanding of systems engineering, communications, RF, electronic systems, or similar domains.
• Experience delivering complex engineering programmes through full lifecycle phases.
• Proven ability to manage budgets, schedules, risks, and commercial aspects of programmes.
• Strong leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.

Desirable

• Experience delivering programmes to International customers or understanding of international defence frameworks
• Prior involvement in establishing or scaling programme delivery within a growing business unit.
• Relevant project management qualifications (APM, PRINCE2, PMP).
• Engineering degree or equivalent technical background.

Please note that this role requires working on UKEO projects and therefore applicants must be eligible for SC Clearance and British Born nationals.

If you feel you have the right skills and experience please apply now, or send your CV to emmaw@copello.co.uk and we will be in touch for a further conversation