Senior/Lead Project Controls Manager – Defence

Overview

As a Senior Project Controls Manager, you will lead cross‑discipline project controls on high‑risk, high‑value programmes for the UK MoD portfolio. You enable robust planning, cost control, and risk management across the project lifecycle, collaborating with the Integrated Project Team and suppliers to ensure accurate performance baselines and auditable governance. You influence delivery decisions through data‑driven insights and build capability across teams. This role offers impact at scale within a globally connected defence context.

Pay / Benefits

• flexible working environment respecting work-life balance
• inclusion and diversity networks (DEI)
• equal opportunity employer
• supportive leadership development
• career progression opportunities

Responsibilities

• Set up and lead cross-discipline project controls teams on complex programmes
• Define scope via exclusions, assumptions, interfaces and dependencies; establish WBS
• Develop and manage performance measurement baseline; govern change control
• Collaborate with suppliers to align contractual project controls requirements
• Ensure scope, cost, risk, and schedule integration and reporting
• Analyze performance data (Earned Value) to inform decisions
• Coordinate with Finance on estimates to complete and estimate at complete
• Lead risk management through identification, quantification, and quantitative analysis
• Support deployment of resources aligned to resource-loaded schedules
• Establish governance for auditable decision making
• Assure quality and integrity of project controls outputs
• Foster relationships within the Integrated Project Team; communicate delivery performance
• Lead learning from experience and process improvements; mentor teams
• Contribute to regional growth through proposals, planning and recruitment
• Oversee running of a Project Controls function and standardisation of processes

Key requirements

• Proven track record delivering projects in defence or infrastructure in regulated environments
• Project Controls experience across the full project lifecycle
• Experience in two or more disciplines: Planning & Scheduling, Cost Estimation, Cost Control, Risk Management, or Performance Reporting with relevant software/tools
• Experience in establishing Project Controls organisations and building teams
• Advanced understanding of Integrated Project Controls across operating models
• Ability to assess organisational maturity and improve ways of working
• Proactive, curious, can-do attitude; comfortable in uncertain environments
• Strong communication and leadership; ability to influence, motivate, and develop teams
• Commitment to diversity and inclusion and creating an empowering environment
• Undergraduate degree in a relevant technical or management field or equivalent experience
• Membership of a relevant professional body (e.g., APM, PMI)
• Ability to make risk-based decisions under uncertainty; flexible leadership style
• Competence with the software needed for the role
• Willingness to work across sectors and with various clients

• Strong communication
• Leadership and people development
• Influencing and stakeholder management
• Planning and Scheduling
• Cost Estimation
• Cost Control

…