Technical Programme Manager, CR&D and Commercial Delivery in Cardiff

Company Overview

Novomorphic is a UK semiconductor and systems design company focused on system-first secure Edge AI. We design and deliver advanced electronics where power, thermal performance, RF behaviour, latency, reliability, and security constraints matter. Our work spans edge AI systems, digital IC design, analogue and mixed-signal systems, FPGA platforms, embedded systems, and compound semiconductor technologies. We work through focused delivery, paid pilots, demonstrators, partner-enabled projects, and CR&D programmes. Our aim is to turn complex technical work into practical engineering outcomes, strong partner confidence, and clear commercial proof‑points. We are building Novomorphic from the ground up. We value technical excellence, ownership, curiosity, collaboration, and practical delivery.

The Opportunity

We are looking for a stand‑alone Technical Programme Manager with strong experience managing Innovate UK CR&D projects and high‑tech commercial delivery. You will manage externally funded R&D projects, coordinate technical teams and partners, own delivery plans, track milestones, manage risks, support claims and reporting, and make sure projects produce useful commercial outcomes, not just completed paperwork. This role is ideal for someone who has worked in deep tech, semiconductors, electronics, AI hardware, embedded systems, telecoms, aerospace, defence, photonics, robotics, or another complex technical sector. You do not need to be the technical lead, but you must understand enough to challenge plans, spot delivery risk early, and keep engineers, partners, funders, and commercial stakeholders aligned.

What you will do

• CR&D project management
  • Own the day‑to‑day management of Innovate UK and other publicly funded R&D projects.
  • Build and maintain project plans, work package schedules, milestone trackers, risk registers, dependency maps, and action logs.
  • Coordinate consortium partners, internal teams, subcontractors, suppliers, and external stakeholders.
  • Prepare and manage project reporting, evidence collection, finance inputs, claims support, and audit readiness.
  • Track deliverables against the funded scope and flag drift early.
  • Make sure partner commitments are clear, owned, and followed through.
• Technical delivery coordination
  • Work closely with technical leads to convert engineering plans into realistic delivery schedules.
  • Track technical dependencies across hardware, software, systems, testing, validation, and integration.
  • Identify blockers early and force clear decisions.
  • Challenge vague technical progress updates and convert them into measurable next steps.
  • Support design reviews, project reviews, partner meetings, and technical governance.
• Commercial delivery
  • Help ensure CR&D projects generate commercial value for Novomorphic.
  • Track customer, partner, and market‑facing outputs from each project.
  • Support demonstrator planning, pilot readiness, case studies, and follow‑on opportunity development.
  • Work with business development and leadership to connect project outputs to credible customer conversations.
  • Keep the project focused on proof‑points that strengthen Novomorphic’s Edge AI systems wedge.
• Partner and stakeholder management
  • Run structured meetings with clear agendas, decisions, actions, owners, and deadlines.
  • Manage relationships with consortium partners, funders, delivery partners, and senior stakeholders.
  • Escalate stalled commitments quickly and professionally.
  • Make sure verbal promises become written scopes, agreed actions, or clear no‑decisions.
• Governance and reporting
  • Maintain accurate project records.
  • Prepare monthly or quarterly project updates.
  • Support financial forecasting, resource tracking, budget monitoring, and claims preparation.
  • Maintain risk, issue, assumption, and dependency logs.
  • Support compliance with Innovate UK requirements and internal governance.

Essential requirements

• Strong experience managing Innovate UK CR&D, grant‑funded R&D, or multi‑partner technology projects.
• Experience in a high‑tech or deep‑tech commercial environment.
• Ability to manage complex technical projects without needing to be the technical authority.
• Strong understanding of work packages, milestones, deliverables, claims, evidence, and audit discipline.
• Experience coordinating multiple partners, suppliers, subcontractors, and internal technical teams.
• Strong commercial awareness. You understand that projects must support revenue, credibility, and follow‑on work.
• Good financial discipline, including budget tracking, forecasting, claims support, and cost evidence.
• Excellent written communication. Comfortable challenging engineers, partners, and senior stakeholders when plans are unclear.
• Able to work in a small company where structure needs to be created, not inherited.

Desirable Experience

• Semiconductors
• Edge AI
• Embedded systems
• Electronics design
• RF systems
• Sensors
• Telecoms
• Aerospace or defence technology
• Robotics
• Photonics
• Automotive electronics
• Cyber‑physical systems
• Hardware and software integration
• Low‑power systems
• Safety‑critical or reliability‑critical systems

We value Programme Managers who are:

• Structured, practical, and direct. Do not hide behind project management process. You use it to make delivery clearer.
• Comfortable working with uncertainty, but do not tolerate vagueness.
• Know the difference between activity and progress.
• Can manage engineers without slowing them down.
• Can deal with funders and partners without letting the project become bureaucratic.
• Are commercially alert and understand that a CR&D project must create credibility, proof, and follow‑on options.

Success in the role looks like

• Projects are delivered on time, on scope, and with clean reporting.
• Claims are submitted correctly and supported by proper evidence.
• Partners know what they own and by when.
• Risks are visible early, not discovered late.
• Technical teams are clear on priorities.
• Leadership has a reliable view of project status, budget, risk, and commercial value.
• Project outputs support demonstrators, paid pilots, customer conversations, or partner‑enabled delivery.
• CR&D work strengthens Novomorphic’s Edge AI systems position.

What this role is not

• This is not a pure admin PM role.
• This is not a research coordinator role.
• This is not a role for someone who only tracks tasks after engineers tell them what happened.
• This is not a role for someone who treats grant delivery as separate from commercial outcomes.

Novomorphic’s benefits package includes

• 28 days’ annual leave plus bank holidays
• Salary sacrifice pension scheme
• Annual discretionary bonus scheme
• Life assurance
• Private medical insurance
• Additional benefits tailored to employee needs

Location and Working Model

This role is based in Cardiff, Wales. Working arrangements may vary depending on project and business requirements. Candidates must have the right to work in the UK or be eligible for sponsorship, where applicable.