Technical Project Manager About us: Averna powered by Spherea designs, manufactures and supports complex test systems for aerospace, defence and other regulated industries. The Technical Project Manager role You will lead assigned engineering projects from internal handover and customer kick-off through design, manufacture, integration, acceptance, commissioning and warranty closure. As the principal day-to-day customer interface, you will coordinate multidisciplinary teams and manage technical, commercial and delivery matters. This is a technically engaged project leadership role, requiring you to assess solution maturity, challenge plans and ensure appropriate lifecycle reviews. Regular work alongside delivery teams is required; occasional UK and international travel, including overnight stays, is expected. Technical Project Manager Key responsibilities * Manage customer and stakeholder relationships, project communications, governance, kick-off meetings, progress reviews and design reviews. Record decisions and actions, address difficult issues constructively and maintain customer confidence while protecting the company’s contractual position. * Lead multidisciplinary teams across systems, hardware, software, mechanical, production, procurement, quality and support. Coordinate resources in a matrix organisation, resolve competing priorities, identify capacity gaps and manage suppliers or subcontractors where required. * Lead handover from Sales and the bid team, agree scope, deliverables, responsibilities, assumptions, dependencies and acceptance criteria, and maintain the project management plan, work breakdown structure, integrated schedule, resource plan, risk register, reporting and quality/configuration arrangements. * Control delivery against the approved technical baseline, schedule and budget. Maintain accurate forecasts for revenue, expenditure, gross margin, cost to complete, cash, work in progress and resource demand. Coordinate purchasing and support contractual and invoicing milestones. * Manage technical lifecycle gates from requirements and concept reviews through preliminary and critical design, manufacturing readiness, integration and test readiness, verification, factory acceptance, site acceptance, commissioning, warranty and closure. Work with the Technical Lead and Systems Engineer to control requirements, interfaces, changes and acceptance evidence. * Understand and manage contract scope, exclusions, deliverables, milestones and acceptance provisions. Record changes, assess cost and schedule implications, prevent informal scope growth, support variations and claims, protect forecast margin and document customer-caused delays or unmet dependencies. * Identify risks and opportunities early, implement recovery actions, escalate issues appropriately and ensure technical decisions, deviations, concessions and design changes are recorded and approved. * Contribute to opportunity qualification, Go/No-Go and bid reviews. Help develop executable proposals, realistic schedules, resource plans, cost estimates, payment profiles, assumptions, exclusions and contingency recommendations. * Coordinate intercompany and international delivery, clarifying workshare, interfaces, responsibilities, deliverables, dependencies and consolidated progress, cost, revenue, margin and risk. Essential skills and experience * Experience managing complex engineering, technology or equipment-delivery projects and leading multidisciplinary teams in a matrix organisation. * Strong customer-facing, people-leadership, coordination and stakeholder-management skills, including experience acting as the principal interface with demanding customers. * Sufficient technical understanding to work credibly with engineers on complex test, control, automation or equipment-development projects. * Understanding of the bespoke systems engineering lifecycle, including requirements, design reviews, manufacture, integration, verification, validation and acceptance. * Experience controlling scope, schedule, resources, risk, quality and cost; commercial awareness including forecasting, cost-to-complete, gross-margin protection and change control. * Confidence to challenge constructively, make decisions and escalate issues. Clear written and verbal communication and the ability to present complex information to technical and non-technical audiences. * Strong organisation and attention to detail, ability to build trust across teams and cultures, and flexibility to work alongside engineering teams at required locations. * Willingness to travel in the UK and internationally; full UK-valid driving licence and ability to meet company vehicle-insurance requirements. Right to work in the UK. Technical Project Manager Desirable experience * Aerospace, defence, space, rail, energy or another regulated sector; automated or special-to-type test equipment; electronic, electrical, software-controlled or electromechanical systems; low-volume, high-complexity equipment. * Defence procurement or contracting, requirements management, systems engineering, formal lifecycle reviews, factory/site acceptance testing and customer commissioning. * International or multi-entity projects, fixed-price delivery, variations or claims management, and recovery of delayed, technically challenged or loss-making projects. * Recognised project-management qualification or equivalent structured training. Relevant Armed Forces experience in technical leadership, engineering management, logistics, equipment support, training, procurement or operational delivery is welcomed. Security requirements Applicants must be UK nationals and eligible to obtain and maintain the level of UK national security clearance required. Appointment is subject to relevant background checks and any programme-specific nationality or residency restrictions. Reporting and offer The role reports to the Regional Operations Manager and works closely with Engineering, Sales, Finance, Procurement, Quality and the wider project-management community. Benefits include competitive salary, performance-related bonus, pension, family healthcare and health cash plans, 27 days’ annual leave plus UK bank holidays, cycle-to-work scheme and professional development
Technical Project Manager employer: Spherea Test & Services Ltd
Averna powered by Spherea is an exceptional employer, offering a collaborative and supportive work environment that prioritises employee growth and development. Located near Cheltenham, this role provides the unique opportunity to work closely with major aerospace and defence clients, allowing you to become a trusted technical partner while enjoying a comprehensive benefits package, including a generous pension scheme and health care plans. Join a company that values diversity and inclusion, and be part of a mission-driven team focused on making a positive impact on people and the planet.
Contact Details:
Spherea Test & Services Ltd Recruitment Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Technical Project Manager
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✨Brush Up on Technical Knowledge
For a construction role, it's crucial we have a solid grasp of industry standards, safety protocols, and specific tools used on-site. Make sure you're familiar with relevant regulations and can talk confidently about them, as these often come up in interviews.
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Construction is all about teamwork, so prepare to discuss how you interact with different stakeholders like architects, engineers, and contractors. Maybe think of examples from past experiences to illustrate your ability to communicate and collaborate effectively.
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Be ready for some practical questions or scenarios where you'll need to demonstrate your problem-solving skills. Interviewers might present you with a hypothetical construction issue to solve, so practice articulating your thought process clearly and logically—this could really set you apart!
