Head of Programmes in Cambridge

This is an opportunity to shape and lead enterprise wide programme delivery, overseeing a diverse portfolio of projects and programmes that support critical customer and business outcomes. You’ll ensure programmes are strategically scoped, effectively governed, and successfully delivered to meet business objectives, budgets, and customer expectations.

In this role, you’ll establish and lead an integrated enterprise PMO capability, bringing together Programme and Project Managers, Controllers, Schedulers, and wider delivery teams across Marshall Land Systems. You’ll develop high performing teams while embedding best practice governance, planning, and delivery disciplines across the organisation.

Responsibilities in this role include:

• Oversee delivery of multiple defence programmes, including project launch, timeline management, resource allocation, risk management, and reporting.
• Set and drive programme delivery strategy in line with business goals, ensuring alignment with client contracts.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with stakeholders.
• Governance and evolution of PM processes to ensure compliance with regulations and standards.
• Manage project teams—recruiting, training, setting objectives, and completing appraisals.
• Direct programme reviews and report on financial performance, delivery milestones, and quality metrics.
• Identify and mitigate risks throughout the programme lifecycle.
• Work closely with other MLS functions to deliver pan-enterprise solutions.
• Preparation of inputs and follow-up on outputs to support Governance activities. This may include Contract Status / Project Status Reviews, Gate Reviews etc.
• Leading Integrated Business Planning / Sales & Operations Planning.
• Champion the use of digital tools, project controls, and data analytics to improve project performance and decision making.
• Identify and implement process improvements to enhance delivery efficiency, risk management, and reporting accuracy.
• Drive organisational change initiatives to embed project management maturity across the business.
• Lead, inspire and develop a team of programme/project managers and support staff, promoting a culture of high performance and continuous improvement.

Apply if you have most of the following:

• Delivering large-scale (£10-£100m+) programmes and or portfolio of projects in the defence sector, both UK and export.
• Proven track record leading programme management teams (10+ staff), ideally within MOD, DE&S, or prime contractor environments.
• Strong understanding of defence procurement processes, regulations, and security requirements.
• Effective stakeholder management at all levels, including with senior MOD, Armed Forces, and prime contractors.
• Experienced in resource planning, business case creation, programme controls, and risk management.
• An understanding of ERP/MRP systems and linkages to PM processes and tools.
• Identification and proactively shaping responses to customer issues.
• Working in an Engineering / manufacturing environment.
• Working within a Project Management Office or equivalent.
• Background in leading transformation or turnaround of underperforming programmes.

Technical skills and experience include:

• Degree-level education, preferably in engineering, business, or defence studies.
• Chartered Engineer (CEng), Chartered Project Professional (ChPP), or equivalent professional accreditation.
• Project / Programme Management certification such as PRINCE2, APM or MSP.
• Strong ICT skills, including but not limited to MS365 tools such as Word and Excel.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Collaboration including identification and delivery of value for stakeholders.

Additional Local Needs

• Hybrid working offered – 3 days on site in Cambridge, UK.
• Successful candidate will need to be eligible to hold UK SC Clearance.

The benefits we will offer you include:

• 27 days holiday increasing with service up to 30 days (option to buy/sell).
• Pension contributions up to 9%.
• Private medical insurance for you and your partner.
• Company car allowance.
• Extensive flexible benefit program including Cycle to Work.
• Life assurance at 4x basic salary.
• Enhanced parental leave and pay.
• Paid volunteering leave.
• Access to industry leading wellbeing resources and tools.

Marshall Land Systems is a Canadian-owned global company with an unrivalled pedigree of British engineering excellence. From its origins in Cambridge, UK, through more than a century of innovation, pioneering advances from the nose of Concorde to the early Hydrogen fuel cell technology that ultimately powered the moon landings, Marshall engineers now continue to innovate specialist vehicles and infrastructure for NATO forces across the world. From bomb disposal vehicles to deployed shelters, from command and control to CT scanners on the battlefield, Marshall Land Systems protects people in critical situations with the very best in engineering. It employs 600 people with major facilities in the UK, Canada, and the Netherlands.