Principal Project Manager Ref. 3688 in Cheltenham

Flexible working: We support a range of flexible working arrangements, including part time hours, compressed working patterns, and flexible start and finish times. All roles require on-site working. We are happy to discuss individual requirements.

About us: GCHQ is an intelligence, cyber and security agency with a mission to keep the UK safe. We use cutting-edge technology, ingenuity, and partnerships to identify, analyse and disrupt threats. Working with our intelligence partners MI5 and MI6, we protect the UK from terrorism, cyber‑attacks and espionage. At GCHQ, you’ll do varied and fascinating work in a supportive and inclusive environment that places the emphasis on teamwork.

The role: As a Principal Project Manager, you’ll be responsible for delivering a variety of complex, high‑impact projects, taking them from initiation through to completion. The portfolio you cover will be broad and varied, spanning business change to technical programmes. Across every project, you’ll be trusted to shape the delivery approach, set expectations, guide multi‑disciplinary teams and keep projects moving forward in environments where priorities shift and challenges evolve. Alongside this day‑to‑day delivery leadership, you’ll also operate at a strategic level, leading whole projects or major elements of larger programmes, driving governance and assurance activity, and writing and managing business cases that support informed decision‑making. The projects you lead will directly enable major organisational outcomes. Your leadership will span the full project lifecycle, planning, scheduling and coordinating; managing time, cost, quality and benefits; and proactively controlling risk, issues, dependencies and change. This involves bringing structure to uncertainty, creating momentum during periods of change, and offering clarity when key decisions are required. You’ll engage and influence stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders, partners, suppliers and customers, producing clear reports, briefings and recommendations that support confident decision‑making. Delivery methods will be tailored to each project to suit the context and unlock progress and value. Some projects will be led independently; others will place you within larger, multi-disciplinary delivery groups. In every case, you’ll be supported by a well-established project management community, and the outcomes you deliver will have real‑world impact across the organisation. The role also includes line management responsibilities, with opportunities to take on mentoring as part of your continued development. Occasional UK travel may be required to meet teams and engage with stakeholders.

About you: You have a recognised project management qualification, such as the Association for Project Management (APM) Project Fundamentals Qualification (PFQ), the APM Project Management Qualification (PMQ), or an equivalent certification. You’ll also have at least four GCSEs at Grade 4/C or above (including English and Mathematics), or equivalent Level 2 qualifications, or relevant experience demonstrating solid numeracy and communication. You have experience delivering projects across varied environments and are ready to take on more complex, higher‑impact work. You’ve led significant workstreams, engaged with senior stakeholders, and maintained progress when challenges arise. You understand the foundations of project management, planning, reporting, financial tracking, risks, issues and change, and can apply these with confidence in environments where detail, judgement and clear communication matter. You know how to influence, negotiate and collaborate with a wide range of colleagues, from technical specialists to business generalists. You adapt your communication style to suit different audiences, presenting information clearly to support informed decision‑making. Your credibility, consistency and reliability help you build trust quickly across teams. Experience delivering projects in environments such as agile delivery, digital or engineering settings, Government Digital Service (GDS) frameworks, cyber security, or emerging technologies (including artificial intelligence) would be beneficial, though not essential. You bring qualities that define successful project managers at this level: flexibility in shifting environments, calmness under pressure, a proactive approach to problem‑solving, and curiosity about how to deliver the best possible results. You value collaboration and shared learning, and you’re committed to your own development, ready to stretch your leadership skills and continue progressing.

Training and development: A structured induction will help you understand our mission, ways of working, and the delivery community you’ll be joining. During your first weeks, you’ll meet your line manager and a dedicated buddy who will support your transition, build your confidence, and help you navigate the organisation. Development continues through a blend of internal and external training, practical experience and community support. As a corporate member of the Association for Project Management (APM), we encourage you to explore relevant courses, frameworks and accreditation pathways. Access to mentoring, coaching, regular career check‑ins and project management forums will give you opportunities to share learning and strengthen your professional network. Ongoing development is integral to the role. Support is available to deepen expertise across planning, risk, financials, reporting and benefits, as well as to build leadership capabilities needed for increasingly complex delivery. Whether the aim is to broaden experience, specialise in a particular area or progress into more senior project roles, guidance and opportunities are in place to help you grow with confidence. Throughout this journey, an active and generous project management community contributes to shared learning and professional growth.

Rewards and Benefits: You’ll receive a starting salary £53,000 to £64,841 dependent on skills and experience, plus a range of benefits. 25 days’ annual leave, rising automatically to 30 days after 5 years’ service, plus an additional 10.5 days of public and privileged holidays. Opportunities to be recognised through our employee performance scheme. An interest‑free season ticket loan. An excellent pension scheme. A cycle to work scheme. Facilities such as a gym, restaurant and on‑site coffee bars (at some locations). Paid parental and adoption leave.

Equal Opportunities: At GCHQ, diversity and inclusion are critical to our mission. To protect the UK, we need a workforce that truly reflects the society we serve. We welcome and encourage applications from everyone, including individuals from groups that are currently under‑represented in our workforce, such as women, people from ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities and those from low socio‑economic backgrounds. We are Disability Confident and have achieved Leader status within the Department for Work and Pensions’ Disability Confident scheme. We aim to ensure that a fair and proportionate number of disabled applicants who best meet the essential criteria for this position are offered an interview. Applicants with disabilities are considered fairly and fully.

Eligibility: To work at GCHQ you must be a British citizen or hold dual British nationality. The role requires Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance.