Senior Project Director in Southampton

hackajob is collaborating with Leonardo to connect them with exceptional professionals for this role.

Salary £54k to £60k. Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Your Impact:

At Leonardo we have a fantastic opportunity for a Project Manager to join the Infrared (IR) Detectors business team. Leonardo is a global high-tech company and one of the key players in Aerospace, Defence and Security. Leonardo design & manufacture world-leading IR detectors for a variety of civil, industrial & military applications across both Commercial and Defence Markets.

Projects can be both challenging and technically demanding, and you will be charged with defining, planning and co-ordinating activities and resources to deliver multiple projects on time, within budget & to quality. To achieve this you will be expected to work with resource managers within a matrix structure and technical experts to scope specific work packages & their associated budgets, define milestones, monitor costs, report progress on the Project to management and customers, maintain and manage a register of ongoing risks and opportunities.

The role allows interaction with a wide variety of personnel at various levels within the company as well as with customers and suppliers, thus strong and effective communication skills are vital. You will also work closely with the Programme Managers for the business area along with other project managers and leaders within the Detectors business.

The role is based at our site in Southampton, Hampshire, UK and will operate within a custom/flexible working environment combining both office and home working.

Reporting directly to the Head of Programmes for the IR Detectors business, you will lead and co-ordinate IPTs on day-to-day activities, and therefore must be a good team player possessing strong team building and motivational skills.

The successful candidate will need to demonstrate the ability to:

• Plan, manage, monitor and report on multiple projects simultaneously in accordance with a Lifecycle management process.
• Organise and coordinate internal Phase/Gate Reviews, Customer reviews and supplier reviews and manage all resultant actions to closure.
• Monitor and Control all activities and costs, defining and implementing corrective (or "recovery") actions required to tackle any deviations from the planned activities.
• Co-coordinate the activities of the IPT by establishing appropriate communication mechanisms, encompassing both meetings and reporting requirements.
• Have a high degree of financial acumen and regularly report metrics & performance, including cash flow, earned value, and cost to complete.
• Demonstrate ownership for delivery and performance of the projects of relevance.
• Establish and maintain the Work Package Management for the IPT, understanding the specific resource profiles.
• Conduct effective Risk and Opportunity reviews and be pro-active in looking ahead to identify risks that may impact the project or can be mitigated.
• Build and manage relationships with internal/ external stakeholders to ensure all projects supported and delivered maximising customer satisfaction.
• Be capable of interacting with technical experts from a variety of disciplines and prepared to challenge and seek further justification where necessary.
• Facilitate problem solving and resolve conflicts within the team.

You will also be involved in activities related to winning new and follow-on business and required to contribute to the preparation, management and review of bids and communicate to the relevant internal stakeholders in order to support the Customer requirements.

What You'll Bring:

• With demonstrated project delivery experience, it would be advantageous for the candidate to have worked across all phases of a project execution lifecycle, including business winning phases, and to have worked in a ‘high tech environment’. Experience of MS Project, SAP and Primavera P6 would be beneficial.
• Candidates will typically be degree qualified in an Engineering, Science or Business-related discipline.
• Demonstrable experience in a similar level Project Management role or discipline.
• Project management experience in most phases of the project execution lifecycle, including Business Winning Phases, across several projects or programmes of medium complexity, involving both engineering and manufacturing.
• Experience of developing and maintaining customer/ supplier relations.
• Experience or awareness of related functions such as Commercial, Procurement, Quality Assurance.
• Demonstrable experience in all aspects of project planning, scheduling, work package management and cost control.
• Demonstrable experience of managing multimillion-pound Projects as the Project lead.
• Application of professional concepts in creative ways and work at the competency level of Project Manager (intermediate) of the Association for Project Managers (APM) or equivalent.
• Ability to influence and motivate project teams (direct/indirect management).
• Knowledge and awareness of Leonardo product offerings.

Security Clearance:

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

Why join us:

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website. Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location: GB - Southampton

Contract Type: Permanent

Hybrid Working: Hybrid