Project Commissioning Manager in Plymouth

At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Project Commissioning Manager at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.

The role involves taking ownership of commissioning activities for submarine combat systems, ensuring safe, effective delivery of testing, trials and operational readiness for Vanguard Class submarines. This is a senior leadership role within the Commissioning Group, where your expertise will directly support the UK’s continuous at‑sea deterrent.

Day‑to‑day, you’ll manage complex programmes across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring commissioning activities are delivered safely, on time and within budget. This role offers the opportunity to further develop your leadership capability while shaping the future of submarine operations in a highly regulated and mission‑critical environment.

• Leading the planning, coordination and delivery of commissioning tests and trials for combat systems
• Managing technical issues, resources and schedules to ensure delivery to programme, budget and quality targets
• Overseeing the review and approval of test documentation and commissioning plans
• Providing leadership to commissioning teams and ensuring high standards of health and safety
• Collaborating with internal teams, Ministry of Defence stakeholders and external partners to support programme delivery

This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard.

Essential experience:

• Extensive knowledge of submarine systems, particularly combat systems and SSBN operations
• Experience in commissioning, operation or refitting of nuclear submarines
• Strong understanding of safe systems of work, isolation and control of work processes
• Proven leadership and management experience within complex engineering environments
• Strong planning, organisational and stakeholder management skills

Qualifications:

• Engineering degree or equivalent qualification (essential)
• Alternatively, HNC or Foundation Degree in engineering with substantial relevant experience (essential)

Security Clearance: The successful candidate must be a sole UK National who is able to achieve and maintain Naval Nuclear Propulsion Information (NNPPI) security clearance for this role.

What we offer:

• Generous holiday allowance
• Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
• Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
• Employee share scheme
• Employee shopping savings portal
• Payment of Professional Fees
• Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
• Holiday Trading allows UK Babcock employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement.
• Be Kind Day enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
• Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing.

Babcock is a global FTSE 100 organisation with over 26,000 people working together to make a difference. Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work‑life balance.

We are a disability confident committed employer. If you have a disability or need any reasonable adjustments during the application and selection stages, please email careers@babcockinternational.com with the subject header ‘Reasonable adjustments requirement’. We’re committed to building an inclusive culture where everyone’s free to thrive. We are happy to talk about flexible working – please ask about alternative patterns of work at interview.