Senior Project Manager in Southampton

Southampton Full-Time On-site

Apply Now

Senior Project Manager
Location: Remote first, with travel to our Southampton office and operational sites as required.
Department: Service Delivery
Salary: £60,000 to £70,000
Reports to: COO

Build the projects that help SkyBound scale

SkyBound is growing quickly. We're winning major projects, expanding our teams and building the technology and operational infrastructure needed to support autonomous drone operations across the UK.

We're looking for a Senior Project Manager to join our Service Delivery team and take ownership of complex projects that span the business, bringing the right people together and driving them through to delivery.

This is a hands-on role for an established Project Manager who's comfortable taking a project from initial requirements through to delivery — working out what needs to happen, bringing the right people together, and keeping things moving. You'll work across Engineering, Product, Operations, Service Delivery and Solutions, as well as with customers and external partners.

Projects at SkyBound often involve multiple teams, competing priorities, dependencies, and processes that aren't always fully defined yet. You'll need to understand the detail, connect the dots, identify what needs attention, and make sure the right things happen at the right time — staying curious about the wider business so decisions get made with the bigger picture in mind.

About SkyBound

SkyBound delivers automated drone operations for critical national infrastructure, providing real-time aerial intelligence to support safety, security and faster decision-making.

We combine software, AI and remote operations, with systems managed from our Southampton-based 24/7 control centre and deployed across the UK in some of the most complex airspaces. We're at an exciting stage of growth, with major customer projects underway and ambitious plans for the future of autonomous operations.

What you'll do

Own complex, cross-business projects from initial requirements through to delivery, bringing together the right people and keeping them moving
Work within our project governance framework, ensuring appropriate reporting, decision-making, risk management and escalation throughout each project lifecycle
Provide accurate, meaningful information to support portfolio-level decision-making by senior leadership
Lead cross-functional teams and drive delivery through influence rather than direct line management authority
Manage project progress, risks, issues, dependencies and change
Work with the PMO to improve how we report on projects, using automation to keep reporting useful rather than administrative

What we're looking for

We're less interested in a particular qualification or project management methodology and more interested in your judgement, how you work, and what you've delivered. You'll have:

Minimum 5 years' experience as a Project Manager, with a strong track record of delivering complex projects across multiple teams and disciplines
Confidence working with and constructively challenging senior stakeholders
Strong judgement and the ability to read the wider business context when making decisions — asking questions, staying curious, and understanding how different parts of the business connect
Comfort working with incomplete information and evolving requirements, and the ability to create structure where processes aren't yet established, challenging assumptions and defining the approach yourself
The ability to lead cross-functional teams and drive delivery through people without relying on formal line management authority
Strong organisational skills and the ability to turn requirements into a clear plan and deliverable outcomes
Strong written and verbal communication skills, and the ability to build relationships quickly
A practical, outcomes-focused approach to project management
Experience using project management tools and systems

No deep technical background required, but you must be confident working directly with technical teams; an understanding of IT, infrastructure, cloud platforms, networks or other technical environments is a bonus

Where this role can go

As our portfolio grows, there's a genuine path from this role into Programme Management - taking responsibility for multiple related projects, managing cross-project dependencies, and providing programme-level reporting and governance to senior leadership.

Why join SkyBound

£60,000–£70,000 salary
23 days annual leave plus public holidays
Enhanced employer pension contribution
Industry-relevant training and development
Flexible and casual working environment, with flexible working arrangements
Health and wellbeing support, including a 24/7 Employee Assistance Programme
Group life assurance
EV charging points at the office
Direct access to senior leadership
A growing business where you can see the impact of your work
Internal and external development opportunities

Most importantly, this is a role where you'll have real ownership. We're not looking for someone to simply manage spreadsheets and update project plans - we need someone who can look at a problem, bring the right people together, work out what needs to happen, and make sure it happens.

To apply, click Apply, send across your CV, and complete the screening questions. Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis.