Assistant Project Manager in Reading

AWE has a wide range of opportunities across multiple projects for Assistant Project Managers. We are looking for individuals who thrive on solving complex challenges in fast-paced environments, and who can lead and deliver on AWE’s mission-critical objectives. Join us and make an impact on projects that shape the future.

We’re recruiting talented Project and Programme Professionals to work on a diverse range of exciting and critical programmes, including Construction and Estates Projects, delivering new, complex, safe working environments; and Warhead Projects, supporting some of the most technically challenging and nationally significant work in the UK. If you’re ready to contribute to projects that matter, we’d love to hear from you.

Location: RG7 4PR, located between Reading and Basingstoke, with free onsite parking.

Package: Salary from £39,500 (depending on your suitability, qualifications, and level of experience).

Working pattern: AWE operates a 9-day working fortnight. We will consider flexible working requests so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle. Just let us know your preferred working pattern on your application.

Closing Date: 22nd June 2026. We encourage candidates to apply as soon as possible, as the vacancy may close early if we receive a high volume of applications.

An Assistant Project Manager will be a motivated and detail‐oriented professional who supports matrix project teams in achieving project timescales and aligning progress. Assistant Project Managers will work closely with Project Managers to coordinate delivery partners, monitor budgets, and help ensure that cost, quality, and safety standards are met. The role involves preparing reports, maintaining project documentation, facilitating communication across stakeholders, and taking responsibility for specific workstreams or tasks. This position provides the opportunity to develop leadership skills and gain experience in commercial and operational aspects of project delivery.

As an Assistant Project Manager at AWE, you’ll have the opportunity to take ownership of diverse, mission-critical programmes. Depending on the role, your responsibilities may include:

• Undertake tasks for Governance (compliance and reporting).
• Task management of project resources (people, money).
• Support the planning of the task/project.
• Support and initiate change against the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB).
• Support, initiate and perform risk and opportunity identification and subsequent actions.
• The Company may require you to fulfil any other reasonable duties aligned to your position from time to time in line with business needs.

Whilst not to be considered a checklist, an Assistant Project Manager should be able to demonstrate some of the following:

• Project Management qualification/membership (APM, PMP, PRINCE2) or equivalent experience.
• Build and maintain effective internal and external working relationships.
• Read, analyse and interpret charts, spreadsheets, schedules and (in some business areas) technical drawings.
• Clear and concise communication approach, both oral and written, at multiple levels.
• Foster good team morale and spirit and motivate others.
• Effective multi-task working, identify and manage priorities and work to challenging timescales.
• Possess good listening skills enabling requests to be assimilated and converted into action plans.
• Able to hold people to account when they under deliver or let standards slip.
• Must be able to use Microsoft Office tools (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint).

To help us understand the impact you’ve made and the scale you’ve operated at, please ensure your CV clearly highlights:

• Size, scope, and complexity of the projects you’ve delivered, including budgets, contract values, team sizes, and delivery environments.
• Specific examples of major or high‐value projects, especially those with significant technical, regulatory, or stakeholder complexity.
• Your direct contribution - what you led, influenced, or improved - not just what the team achieved.
• Key outcomes, such as cost savings, schedule recovery, risk reduction, or successful delivery against challenging constraints.
• Tools, methodologies, and frameworks you’ve applied (e.g. governance models, risk management approaches, planning tools).
• Any notable achievements, awards, or recognition related to project delivery.

We ask a lot and set the bar high because our work truly matters. In return we offer balance, with award winning benefits including:

• 9-day working fortnight – meaning you get every other Friday off work, in addition to 270 hours of annual leave.
• Market leading contributory pension scheme (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your contributions).
• Family friendly policies: Maternity Leave - 39 Weeks Full Pay and Paternity Leave - 4 Weeks Full Pay.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development including funding for annual membership of a relevant professional body.
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services.
• Life Assurance (4 x annual salary).
• Discounts – access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending.
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring.

Hybrid working is available for these roles on an informal, non-contractual basis. Typically, 2-3 days onsite per week.

Next steps: Everyone who works at AWE brings unique skills and perspectives to the table. We recognise that great people don’t always ‘tick every box’. That’s why we focus on your potential, your fit with our values, your transferable skills as well as your experience. Even if you don’t meet every point above, but you feel that this role and AWE are a great fit for you, please go ahead and apply, we’d love to receive your application.

Important things you need to know:

• We encourage you to apply promptly to avoid disappointment if applications are high and the role therefore closes.
• You will need to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role. This will be funded by AWE. The nature of our work does mean you need to be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV.
• We want you to feel comfortable and able to shine during our recruitment process. Please let us know on your application form if you need any adjustments/accommodations during the process.
• Our interviews typically take place over Teams and for most roles are a 1 stage process.

Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants.