Product Development Manager

Roke is a world-class technology and engineering consultancy that aims to make a difference to the world we live in. Roke delivers advanced research, development services and products to high profile customers in Defence who come to Roke with varied and challenging problems to solve.

We are looking for an experienced, tenacious and self-motivated individual to join our Defence Business Unit. The successful candidate will be responsible for managing the bid and delivery of a wide range of hardware and software development work including Research & Development, and Solution Delivery across Defence in the UK and internationally.

Job Purpose & Key Responsibilities

• Lead the delivery of competitive and compelling bids that clearly address customer pain points and requirements in conjunction with the account and technical team.
• To successfully deliver hardware projects from concept to project completion as per contractual requirements, within time scales, to quality and cost whilst delighting the customer in accordance with company processes and procedures.
• Challenge and assure project team activities, estimates and progress.
• Provide governance and assurance relevant to hardware development projects to ensure that key development milestones are achieved.
• Manage planning and participation at any trials, events, and product demonstrations.
• To develop effective relationships with clients, suppliers, subcontractors and partners, to ensure successful and collaborative project delivery.
• Financial management of projects to ensure delivery against accurate financial forecasts (revenue, cash and profit) for projects using the company tools and processes.
• Manage the resource requirements of the project(s) and build solid working relationships with the Resourcing function and client stakeholders.
• Create and lead effective project teams to deliver successful projects by setting clear and ambitious objectives for the team and supporting the team to achieve them.
• Experienced, capable, and willing to fulfil the Project Management role in the distinct phases of the project lifecycle, from idea / concept to project closure.
• Work with technical teams to document and manage assumptions and dependencies to produce a project plan and maintain this plan through the life of the project.
• Ensure requirements are being managed, recorded and signed off in the designated tool for the project.
• Maintain a risk register of threats and opportunities for the programme and validate contingency costs against these.
• Identifying, prioritising and actively managing risks & issues associated with bids & live contracts; includes appropriate and timely escalation.
• Ensuring all project artefacts (both deliverable & non-deliverable) are appropriately controlled and produced to a high standard, in-line with Roke’s QMS.
• Work with the Account team to identify opportunities for expansion and deliver against these.

Person Specification

Education and Qualifications

• APMP or PMP Qualifications.

Knowledge, Skills & Experience

• Excellent Stakeholder Management and demonstrable experience of building excellent relationships both internally and with key client stakeholders.
• Extensive experience in managing hardware / software projects that range from conceptual research through to sub-system development, delivery, and support of programmes up to £5m.
• Experience in rapid prototyping and accelerating development projects for UORs.
• Able to work through complicated situations whilst maintaining communications with multiple stakeholders.
• Solid business acumen and project finance skills.
• Must have a strong appreciation of technology and trends.
• Must be flexible and willing to contribute where needed in the business cycle to further the team’s success.
• Pre-sale / bid delivery experience and a thorough understanding of the business lifecycle.
• Proved track record of successfully delivering projects.
• Able to operate in a deadline focussed environment.
• Experience of working with the UK Ministry of Defence, preferably taking a leading role delivering framework / product projects.

Desirable knowlede, Skills and Experience

• Line management and leadership of project managers including guidance on best project management practices, project mobilisation, risk and issue resolution.
• Managing a portfolio of projects to achieve delivery of revenue and billing on time.
• Lead in transformation activities.

Why You Should Join Us

We have a competitive salary and access to a number of additional flexible benefits, which will cover Health and Wellbeing, Savings and Protection & Life, Leisure and Entertainment.

Roke has a great community of groups with shared interests. These enable people to share ideas and be passionate about tools, technologies & techniques, which interest them.

We are committed to a policy of Equal Opportunity, Diversity and Inclusion. Our working environment is friendly, creative and inclusive and support a diverse work‑force and those with additional needs.

Security Information

Due to the nature of this position, we require you have DV clearance upon starting with us or eligible for DV clearance. To qualify, you should be a British Citizen and have resided in the UK for the last 10 years for DV.