Technical Project Manager (6m Contract Inside IR35) in Pitstone

The Project Manager (Technical) is a key delivery role within the PCE Office at Safran Electrical & Power UK. Rather than being permanently assigned to a single programme, PMs (Technical) are deployed flexibly across the portfolio by the Engineering Acceleration Manager — directed to where they are most needed at any given time, whether that is supporting an active development programme, managing a legacy or historic programme through to close-out, or contributing to PCE Office improvement initiatives.

Tasked by the Senior Project Manager (SPM) of the assigned programme, the PM (Technical) takes ownership of defined Work Packages and is responsible for ensuring delivery within Quality, Cost, and Schedule (QCD) objectives. They serve as a core member of the Integrated Project Team (IPT), coordinating day-to-day project activities, managing risks, tracking actions, and maintaining project data in Safran’s project management tools.

This role is designed both as a substantive delivery position and as a structured development pathway towards Senior Project Manager level. PMs (Technical) who demonstrate strong delivery capability and leadership potential will be supported to progress, with access to professional qualifications, mentoring, and cross-programme exposure.

Key Responsibilities

• Project Organisation & Structuration
  • Contribute to the development and maintenance of the full project breakdown structure in accordance with Safran One Safran project management standards.
  • Ensure each Work Package is thoroughly described in terms of objectives, budget, and duration, and is linked to one or more deliverables.
  • Support the development and maintenance of the Project Development Plan (PDP).
  • Develop an initial cost estimate (NRC, RC) for the assigned project or Work Package.
  • Ensure all project documentation is established, approved, and maintained in accordance with Safran project management standards.
• Project Support & Delivery
  • Support the Senior Project Manager in day-to-day delivery of assigned projects.
  • Coordinate the project team and all WBS elements to ensure delivery within QCD objectives.
  • Participate in Integrated Project Team (IPT) meetings, capturing minutes, tracking actions, and following up with functional leads.
  • Maintain schedule updates, risk register entries, and action tracking in project management tools.
  • Contribute to project status reports and governance pack preparation.
• Planning, Scheduling & Reporting and Risk Management
  • Establish and maintain project schedules at the appropriate level of the One Safran scheduling architecture.
  • Develop and maintain the project Development Logic flowchart and milestone plan.
  • Apply rolling-wave planning principles.
  • Ensure generation of the monthly project dashboard and KPIs for all assigned projects.
  • Manage project risks and opportunities in accordance with project development logic.
• Customer & Stakeholder Coordination
  • Support the customer relationship under direction from the Senior Project Manager.
  • Report project status within the project team and represent the assigned project at IPT and governance meetings.
  • Build effective working relationships across UK, French, and US project teams.
• Legacy & Historic Project Management
  • Take ownership of historic project activities as directed.
  • Liaise with Engineering, Quality, and Customer Support teams to resolve legacy project queries.
  • Provide a synthesis at project closure covering performance versus original estimate.
• Continuous Improvement
  • Contribute lessons learned from project delivery into the wider engineering community.
  • Support the improvement and consistent application of project management methods and tools.
• Compliance & Governance
  • Ensure proper application of Safran Group project management processes and standards.
  • Apply the One Safran Management Cycles framework.

Requirements

Essential Experience & Qualifications

• Demonstrable experience in project management within an engineering environment.
• Practical experience applying project structuration frameworks equivalent to the Safran One Safran standard.
• Experience developing and maintaining a Project Development Plan (PDP).
• Working knowledge of cost estimation methodologies.
• Experience in risk and opportunity management.
• Experience leading or coordinating cross-functional project teams.
• Proficiency in project management methodologies and tools.
• Degree-level qualification in Engineering, Project Management, or a closely related discipline.

Desirable Experience

• Aerospace and/or defence project management experience.
• Knowledge of an equivalent stage-gate development lifecycle process.
• Knowledge of Planisware OSMOZ or equivalent enterprise PM/ERP system.
• Experience of APQP and aerospace quality standards.
• APM PMQ, PMP, or equivalent professional project management qualification.
• Experience with Agile project management methodology.
• French language skills (working proficiency) — beneficial for cross-site coordination.

Skills & Behaviours

• Delivery Focus: Gets things done and drives progress.
• Structured Planning: Brings rigour to scheduling and Work Package management.
• Adaptability: Comfortable moving between programmes and priorities.
• Collaboration: Builds effective working relationships across functions and sites.
• Communication: Clear and concise in presenting project status.
• Problem Solving: Proactive in identifying issues and escalating with solutions.
• Emotional Resilience: Maintains composure and focus under pressure.
• Autonomy: Organises activity and manages priorities independently.
• Learning Mindset: Actively seeks to develop PM skills and knowledge.

This role is designed as both a substantive delivery position and a structured development pathway towards Senior Project Manager level within the PCE Office and the wider Safran engineering community.

Benefits

• Early finish on a Friday - 0800-1645 Mon-Thurs, 0800-1200 Friday.
• Onsite canteen.