Senior Project Manager in Teddington

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, delivering world-leading measurement science that supports innovation, industry and national priorities.

As a Senior Project Manager, you will lead complex, high-value scientific and engineering programmes central to NPL’s mission.

The role supports two strategic projects: maintaining and developing NPL’s dimensional and angle measurement capability, and delivering a new measurement instrument to replace ageing systems.

You will coordinate science, engineering, procurement and estates teams, managing interdependencies, governance, financial control and delivery in a highly visible environment.

Role Purpose

Provide strategic project leadership across scientific and technical programmes, ensuring delivery to scope, time, cost and quality while strengthening NPL's project delivery capability.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex, cross-functional projects from initiation to closure.


• Develop integrated plans across science, engineering, procurement and estates.


• Apply robust governance, planning, financial and risk controls.


• Manage interdependencies, critical paths and cross-functional delivery.


• Stakeholder & Customer Engagement: Translate scientific and technical requirements into deliverable plans.


• Build relationships with customers, suppliers and delivery partners.


• Provide clear reporting, escalation and recommendations to senior leaders and governance boards.


• Maintain stakeholder alignment, clear roles and transparent communication.


• Risk, Quality & Compliance / Governance and compliance: Operate within governance, assurance, commercial and contractual controls.


• Ensure projects meet customer requirements and compliance obligations.


• Risk and Assurance: Identify, manage and elevate risks and issues with clear mitigation plans.


• Support assurance and audit activity across governance, quality and technical standards.


• Maintain audit readiness with technical teams.


• Delivery quality: Ensure robust data, document and change control. Champion quality, safety and continuous improvement.


• Lead accurate and consistent reporting cycles.


• Leadership & Capability Development: Mentor Project Managers and promote best practice.


• Contribute to portfolio planning, resourcing and strategic decisions.


• Support integration across technical and operational teams.


• Influence stakeholders to drive alignment and timely decisions.

Skills & Experience Required

• Essential: Significant experience managing large, complex technical or scientific projects.


• Strong governance, risk, financial and delivery control expertise.


• Excellent senior stakeholder engagement, communication, negotiation and influencing skills.


• Strong analytical, problem-solving and financial management capability.


• Experience working with engineering teams on schedules, capacity and delivery feasibility.


• Desirable: Project management qualification such as APM, PRINCE2, MSP or PMP.


• Experience in R&D, engineering, scientific or public sector programmes.


• Understanding of metrology, national laboratories or government-funded research.


• Experience leading multi-disciplinary teams and using Microsoft 365, SharePoint or Microsoft Project.

What We Offer

• Meaningful work that contributes to national capability and scientific excellence.


• Hybrid working and flexible arrangements.


• Professional development and funded training.


• Inclusive and collaborative culture.

We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.

Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.