Engineering Project Manager in Bath

This is not an administrative scheduling role. The position requires a technically credible project manager capable of operating effectively within a highly capable engineering team while maintaining discipline in programme delivery, reporting, and stakeholder management.

The organisation is a UK-based aerospace engineering company developing large vertical-take-off-and-landing (VTOL) uncrewed aircraft systems designed for defence, logistics, and humanitarian missions. Operating as a small, highly specialised engineering team, the company focuses on building heavy-lift uncrewed aircraft that bridge the gap between conventional drones and helicopters. These aircraft are designed to support missions such as logistics resupply, casualty evacuation (CASEVAC), disaster response, and defence operations, combining long endurance, high payload capacity, and the ability to operate from remote or austere environments.

The company is an ambitious engineering SME with a strong culture of hands-on innovation and rapid iteration. The engineering team has progressed a large VTOL aircraft platform from early concept through to operational flight trials in a short timeframe and is now expanding engineering and programme delivery capability as development programmes scale. Joining the organisation means working in a fast-moving environment where individuals have meaningful influence on engineering outcomes, programme direction, and company growth.

Role Overview

The organisation is seeking an Engineering Project Manager to lead the delivery of complex aerospace development programmes. Because the organisation is a small engineering company, the role requires someone senior enough to operate independently and comfortable shaping the way projects are managed across the organisation. A key aspect of the role involves balancing priorities between engineering teams, company leadership, and external stakeholders including customers, partners, and government organisations.

Key Responsibilities

• Programme Delivery
  • Lead delivery of complex engineering programmes from concept through development, flight testing, and operational deployment.
  • Maintain clear visibility of programme scope, milestones, risks, and dependencies.
  • Ensure programmes remain aligned with technical, financial, and contractual objectives.
  • Develop and maintain realistic integrated programme plans that reflect engineering development timelines and testing requirements.
• Engineering Engagement
  • Work closely with multidisciplinary engineering teams including mechanical, electronic, and systems engineers.
  • Maintain credibility within the engineering team through strong technical understanding and pragmatic decision-making.
  • Ensure project plans reflect realistic engineering constraints and development timelines.
  • Demonstrate engineering literacy across mechanical and electronic engineering disciplines sufficient to engage meaningfully in engineering discussions.
  • Where applicable, maintain awareness of aviation certification and regulatory considerations relevant to aircraft development and testing.
• Project Systems & Reporting
  • Ensure appropriate systems and reporting structures exist to support effective project tracking.
  • Establish practical project management processes appropriate for a small, technically driven engineering organisation.
  • Provide regular programme updates to company leadership and external stakeholders.
  • Develop and maintain integrated programme schedules including critical path analysis, milestone tracking, and dependency management.
  • Apply programme planning techniques such as critical path optimisation and manpower smoothing to ensure effective use of engineering resources.
• Financial Discipline
  • Maintain financial visibility across programmes including budgets, forecasts, and programme expenditure.
  • Develop and maintain cash flow planning aligned with programme delivery milestones.
  • Use financial reporting to reinforce delivery discipline and highlight emerging programme risks.
  • Support leadership with programme financial analysis and planning.
• Supply Chain & Manufacturing Coordination
  • Work closely with procurement, suppliers, and manufacturing teams to ensure programme delivery aligns with supply chain and production constraints.
  • Coordinate with suppliers and partners to maintain delivery schedules and manage supply risks.
  • Support development and oversight of bill of materials (BOM) structures, including tracking of component costs, system mass, and procurement lead times.
  • Maintain visibility of the relationship between engineering changes, manufacturing implications, and programme cost or schedule impact.
  • Contribute to programme planning through awareness of manufacturing systems and production processes relevant to aerospace hardware development.
• Stakeholder Management
  • Serve as a key interface between engineering teams, company leadership, customers, and programme partners, and government organisations where applicable.
  • Translate complex technical progress into clear programme updates for non-technical audiences.
  • Negotiate priorities and resolve conflicts constructively across stakeholders.

Required Experience

• Proven experience managing complex engineering or aerospace development programmes.
• Demonstrated ability to work effectively within engineering-led organisations.
• Experience operating with significant autonomy and responsibility in technically complex environments.
• Track record delivering programmes involving multiple stakeholders and technical disciplines.
• Experience coordinating engineering development with supply chain, manufacturing, and testing activities.

Desirable Experience

• Experience in aerospace, defence, UAV systems, robotics, or autonomous systems.
• Familiarity with aviation certification processes and regulatory frameworks.
• Experience managing programmes involving flight testing or prototype development.
• Experience working with government or defence customers.
• Experience managing complex bills of materials and coordinating supply chain activities in engineering development programmes.

Key Skills

• Technical Credibility
  • Strong understanding of engineering development environments.
  • Engineering literacy across mechanical and electronic engineering domains.
  • Ability to engage meaningfully with aerospace engineers, systems engineers, and technical specialists.
  • Awareness of aircraft certification and regulatory considerations is desirable.
• Programme Planning & Analysis
  • Strong capability in programme planning, schedule analysis, and risk management.
  • Experience using techniques such as critical path analysis, resource planning, manpower smoothing, and dependency tracking.
  • Ability to maintain realistic engineering development timelines.
• Financial & Commercial Awareness
  • Comfortable working with programme budgets and financial tracking.
  • Experience developing and maintaining programme cash flow forecasts.
  • Ability to link financial visibility with delivery accountability.
  • Understanding of how engineering decisions influence programme cost, mass, and manufacturing complexity.
• Supply Chain & Manufacturing Awareness
  • Understanding of aerospace supply chains and hardware development cycles.
  • Experience working with bill of materials management, including mass and cost tracking.
  • Familiarity with manufacturing systems and production planning environments.
• Interpersonal Capability
  • Excellent interpersonal skills and emotional intelligence.
  • Comfortable negotiating between engineers, leadership, suppliers, and customers.
  • Able to challenge constructively while maintaining strong working relationships.

Personal Attributes

• Successful candidates will typically be pragmatic and delivery-focused.
• Comfortable operating in small, fast-moving engineering teams.
• Diplomatic but decisive when resolving competing priorities.
• Motivated by working on technically challenging aerospace systems.
• Capable of building trust with experienced engineers and technical specialists.

The company offers a 9 day fortnight.