Senior/Lead Project Controls Manager – Defence

Overview

As a Senior Project Controls Manager, you lead cross-disciplinary controls teams on high-risk, high-value defence and infrastructure programmes. You define scope, establish robust baselines, and manage change with the Integrated Project Team. You will align scope, cost, risk and schedule, analyse performance data including earned value, and drive governance and continuous improvement. This role supports strategic growth across defence portfolios while embedding a collaborative and inclusive culture. You will on occasion work on-site with clients and maintain UK MoD SC clearance to operate on sensitive projects.

Pay / Benefits

• flexible working environment
• healthy work-life balance
• inclusive networks and culture
• career development opportunities
• on-site client collaboration
• diverse and inclusive workplace

Responsibilities

• Set up and lead cross-discipline Project Controls teams on complex programmes
• Define scope via exclusions, assumptions, interfaces, dependencies and decomposing into WBS
• Establish Performance Measurement Baseline and manage change control
• Collaborate with suppliers to integrate performance data per contractual requirements
• Ensure integration of scope, cost, risk and schedule; provide delivery insight from performance data
• Analyse Earned Value Management and other metrics to inform decisions
• Coordinate cost profiles and estimate to complete/estimate at complete with Finance
• Lead risk management through quantitative analysis and governance
• Support deployment of resources against resource-loaded schedules
• Establish auditable governance processes and ensure output quality
• Build relationships within Integrated Project Team and communicate performance to stakeholders
• Foster learning, process improvements and mentoring within the team
• Contribute to regional growth through proposal and business development activities
• Oversee Project Controls function and embed standards and processes

Key requirements

• Proven track record delivering in defence or infrastructure sectors
• Experience across the full Project lifecycle in Project Controls
• Experience in two or more disciplines: Planning & Scheduling, Cost Estimation, Cost Control, Risk Management, or Performance Reporting and related tools
• Experience building Project Controls teams and organisations
• Understanding of Integrated Project Controls across operating models
• Ability to assess organisational maturity and ways of working
• Proactive, curious, can-do attitude in uncertain environments
• Strong communication and leadership, promoting inclusion and empowerment
• Undergraduate degree in a relevant technical or management field or equivalent experience
• Member of a relevant professional body (e.g. APM, PMI)
• Ability to make risk-based decisions under uncertainty and adapt leadership style
• Competence with required software tools for the role
• Willingness to work across sectors and for various clients
• Experience working on-site with clients (2–3 days a week) and UK travel

• strong communication
• leadership and people development
• collaboration and stakeholder influence
• Earned Value Management
• Risk Management (Quantitative)
• Project Cost Estimation

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