Programme Manager in London

Role Purpose: The Programme Manager is responsible for the successful management and coordination of customer programmes from sales handover through to programme closure. The role has full responsibility for programme delivery, including time, cost, quality and weight performance, in line with contractual requirements. The Programme Manager leads an Integrated Project Team (IPT) and acts as the primary point of contact for customers, OEMs and integrators. The role involves managing complex aerospace programmes, engineering development, certification, production and customer-specific design solutions.

Key Responsibilities

• Programme & Project Management: Manage programmes throughout the full product lifecycle, from sales handover to programme closure. Take full budgetary responsibility for programme delivery, cost, quality and weight requirements. Develop, maintain and manage integrated project plans, schedules, milestones and deliverables. Define project scope, objectives, deliverables and priorities in collaboration with project teams, senior management and stakeholders. Manage programme dependencies, critical paths, resources and delivery risks. Ensure contractual milestones and customer commitments are achieved on time and in full. Coordinate internal programme gate reviews and ensure all required documentation and actions are completed. Monitor overall programme performance and implement corrective actions where required. Manage complex engineering development, certification testing, third-party interfaces and customer-specific design requirements. Support both design development and production phases.
• Customer & OEM Management: Act as the primary point of contact for customer, OEM and integrator communications. Lead customer meetings, programme reviews, workshops and presentations. Manage customer queries, issues and requests through to resolution. Provide timely responses and escalate unresolved issues where appropriate. Negotiate programme dates, deliverables, scope changes and priorities with customers and internal stakeholders. Provide regular programme status reports and maintain full visibility of programme performance. Develop and maintain strong customer relationships while ensuring contractual obligations are met. Coordinate customer and OEM requirements, submissions and technical data deliverables.
• Scope, Change & Financial Management: Manage programme scope and assess the impact of proposed changes on cost, schedule, resources and deliverables. Maintain accurate programme change logs. Manage Master Change Proposals (MCPs) and Customer Change Proposals (CCPs). Coordinate programme budget changes with Finance/Business Partners. Track financial performance, programme costs and budget against plan. Ensure change proposals progress through the required approval process without unnecessary delay. Present changes to Change Boards and communicate approved changes to customers and internal stakeholders. Coordinate service bulletins and associated programme activities. Manage programme Profit & Loss (P&L) where required.
• Programme Documentation & Risk Management: Maintain accurate programme documentation, records and audit files. Manage programme action trackers, ensuring all actions have clear owners and target completion dates. Prepare and maintain meeting agendas, minutes, milestone documentation and gateway checklists. Maintain MCP/CCP records and supporting analysis. Manage concessions and commitment letters through OEM product support processes. Maintain and review the programme risk register on a regular basis. Ensure appropriate mitigation plans are established and monitored for key programme risks. Monitor open issues and actions and ensure timely resolution. Provide regular programme progress reports to OEM and customer stakeholders.
• Integrated Project Team (IPT) Leadership: Lead and coordinate cross-functional Integrated Project Teams to achieve programme objectives. Chair programme meetings and ensure actions are clearly allocated and followed through. Establish priorities, responsibilities and accountability across the programme team. Identify and resolve project team issues and conflicts, escalating where required. Estimate programme resource requirements and negotiate support with functional managers. Manage project dependencies and maintain focus on critical path activities. Agree and maintain OEM submittal requirements and delivery dates. Ensure project team members understand programme expectations, priorities and commitments. Supervise BFE activities, including timely placement and receipt of BFE orders required for CDR, testing and production. Ensure IFE test equipment is correctly configured, loaded with the required software level and fully functional for system testing.
• Programme Performance & Milestones: Act as the primary programme focal point for key milestones including ITCM, PDR, CDR, FAI and other technical reviews. Coordinate and manage FAI open items through to closure. Monitor programme performance against contractual requirements for: On-time delivery, Cost and budget, Quality, Weight, Customer/OEM satisfaction. Monitor OEM ratings and customer feedback. Establish appropriate programme reporting requirements and analyse performance data. Identify problem areas and coordinate corrective actions with IPT members and stakeholders.

Key Performance Measures

• On-time, in-full delivery against contractual programme requirements.
• Programme performance against agreed schedule and milestones.
• Cost performance against approved budget.
• Quality performance and timely closure of quality issues.
• Weight performance against programme targets.
• OEM ratings and customer feedback.
• Effective management of programme risks, changes and actions.

Experience & Qualifications

• Essential: 5+ years' relevant programme management, project management or equivalent experience. Proven experience managing complex projects or programmes from initiation through to completion. Experience managing programme budgets and financial performance. Strong customer and stakeholder management experience. Proven experience leading cross-functional project teams. Experience managing project schedules, risks, changes, resources and deliverables. Strong negotiation, communication and problem-solving skills. Excellent organisational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment. Proficient in Microsoft Office applications, including Microsoft Project. Results-oriented approach with a proven track record of delivering commitments.
• Desirable: Experience within the aerospace or aircraft interiors industry. Experience managing engineering development and certification programmes. Experience working with OEMs, integrators and major customers. Degree in Engineering, Science, Business or a related discipline. Formal project/programme management qualification such as APM PMQ, PRINCE2 Practitioner or Agile Practitioner.

Skills & Competencies

• Excellent customer relationship and stakeholder management skills.
• Strong negotiation and influencing abilities.
• Excellent written, verbal and presentation skills.
• Strong commercial and financial awareness.
• Effective leadership of cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and make effective decisions.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and work effectively under pressure.
• Proactive approach with the ability to work independently and with minimal supervision.
• Strong planning, organisation and attention to detail.
• Ability to communicate effectively with technical, commercial and senior management stakeholders.

Additional Requirements

• Travel between company and customer sites will be required.
• Some international travel may be required depending on programme requirements.
• The role may be subject to security, export control and national security requirements.
• Candidates must meet the applicable Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) requirements.
• Certain positions may require additional national security vetting depending on the nature of the role and associated regulatory requirements.

Equal Opportunities ACS (UK) Ltd is an equal opportunities employer.