Senior Project Manager - Space / Satellite

Senior Project Manager | Spacecraft/Satellite | Guildford | Competitive salary & package

Are you an experienced Space Sector Project Manager seeking a new opportunity to take technical lead on a space mission project

This role leads and delivers constellation satellite missions ensuring customer commitments are achieved within agreed financial, schedule, technical and contractual constraints.

The project manager is accountable for overall mission success from contract award through spacecraft development, launch, commissioning and operational acceptance. The role provides strategic leadership across engineering, operations, commercial and supply chain functions, acting as the primary customer interface and owning programme performance throughout the mission lifecycle.

We are looking for a proven proactive and passionate Project Manager with satellite systems experience who can lead a team to scale up production and deliver at pace some of the world’s most innovative space projects to a diverse customer base including institutional, export and defence.

Key Tasks

Manage projects or aspects of a project from contract commencement through development and delivery of space and ground segments, launch preparation, in-orbit commissioning and subsequent service delivery and operations

To be responsible for all aspects of the project, or a major element of a programme, working in accordance with the established procedures & processes (including schedules, deliverables lists, management plans, management of risks, technical maturity gates, earned value management, etc)

Day-to-day management of the project core team activities to ensure the entire project is progressing in line with the baseline plan, with the expectation on strong leadership, motivation and being the driving force behind the engineering delivery

Breaking down work into appropriate work packages and obtaining agreements with engineering team leaders for appropriate resources

Communication with customers and internal stakeholders, including Engineering Functional Managers, Heads of Engineering, Project Accounting, Commercial teams and Leadership Team

Complete management of the major project reviews, identifying clear objectives, inputs, outputs, success criteria and ensuring successful outcomes to secure corresponding customer payment milestones

Management of the project key risks to ensure that risks are identified and captured with measurable and appropriate mitigation actions in place and driven through the project work package structure

Monitoring and control of the project finances (ensuring contingency remains commensurate with weighted risk exposure, cost to complete, profit take) to ensure the project is delivered within the agreed budget

Preparation of cost packs in support of business development activities

Supporting bids providing programmatic solutions into the Bid Manager, covering deliverables, schedule, costs, risks and customer interactionsPrevious Experience

Proven experience in project management specifically in setting up, running and successfully delivering satellite projects ideally constellations

Experience of interfacing with customers

Good experience of implementing contracts

Familiarity with work package systems and matrix management structure preferable

Qualifications Knowledge & Skills

A degree or equivalent in an engineering or technical discipline would be preferable

Good people management skills, able to motivate in a team-oriented, collaborative environment and lead the team

Good team working skills, together with the ability to interface with others at all levels

Excellent Inter-personal and communication skills, able to influence, persuade and negotiate with people at all levels (externally & internally) as well as to assist in reaching compromises when there are conflicting requirements

High degree of organisation, self-motivation and initiative

Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities

Results orientated with a strong drive to deliver

Pro-active and able to take initiative

Decision making and creative problem-solving skills

Clear communication skills

Proven ability to deliver solutions under pressure and to tight timescales

Ability to work closely with technical teams to understand and grasp concepts and issues and translate those to schedule and cost impacts with a balanced approach to risk

Ability to produce and maintain a risk register and to communicate the philosophy on risk

Ability to understand commercial terms and translate those into impacts on project

Ability to create a project plan and to translate that into a project schedule within MS Project

Able to work autonomously and using own initiative

Understanding of contracts and product assurance plans

Good knowledge of MS Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint and particularly Microsoft Project

Able to demonstrate company mindsets and behaviours; Be accountable, Drive & delivery, communicate effectively, Self-manage effectively, Work as one team

What’s in it for you?

Competitive Salary

Flexible / hybrid working policies

32 days annual leave + BH

Annual Company Bonus Scheme

Up to 8% employer pension contribution

Life Assurance (6X salary)

Private Health Care

Enhanced Maternity & Paternity leave

Multiple Discount, Memberships schemes