Senior Project Manager

SSTL - Surrey Satellite Technology

Guildford, United Kingdom

We are looking for a proven proactive and passionate Project Manager who can lead and motivate a team to deliver some of the world’s most innovative space projects to a diverse customer base including institutional, export and defence.

Key Tasks

Role to include, but not limited to:

Manage projects or aspects of a project from contract commencement through development and delivery of space and ground segments, launch preparation, in-orbit commissioning and subsequent service delivery and operations
To be responsible for all aspects of the project, or a major element of a programme, working in accordance with the established procedures & processes developed within SSTL (including schedules, deliverables lists, management plans, management of risks, technical maturity gates, earned value management, etc)
Day-to-day management of the project core team activities to ensure the entire project is progressing in line with the baseline plan, with the expectation on strong leadership, motivation and being the driving force behind the engineering delivery
Breaking down work into appropriate work packages and obtaining agreements with engineering team leaders for appropriate resources
Communication with SSTL customers and internal stakeholders, including Engineering Functional Managers, Heads of Engineering, Project Accounting, Commercial teams and SSTL’s Leadership Team
Complete management of the major project reviews, identifying clear objectives, inputs, outputs, success criteria and ensuring successful outcomes to secure corresponding customer payment milestones
Management of the project key risks to ensure that risks are identified and captured with measurable and appropriate mitigation actions in place and driven through the project work package structure
Monitoring and control of the project finances (ensuring contingency remains commensurate with weighted risk exposure, cost to complete, profit take) to ensure the project is delivered within the agreed budget
Preparation of cost packs in support of business development activities
Supporting SSTL bids providing programmatic solutions into the Bid Manager, covering deliverables, schedule, costs, risks and customer interactions

Previous Experience

Proven experience in project management specifically in setting up, running and successfully delivering projects, ideally in a satellite or engineering/aerospace industry
Experience of interfacing with customers
Good experience of implementing contracts
Familiarity with work package systems and matrix management structure preferable

Qualifications Knowledge & Skills

A degree or equivalent in an engineering or technical discipline would be preferable
Good people management skills, able to motivate in a team-oriented, collaborative environment and lead the team
Good team working skills, together with the ability to interface with others at all levels
Excellent Inter-personal and communication skills, able to influence, persuade and negotiate with people at all levels (externally & internally) as well as to assist in reaching compromises when there are conflicting requirements
High degree of organisation, self-motivation and initiative
Flexible and adaptable to changing priorities
Results orientated with a strong drive to deliver
Pro-active and able to take initiative
Decision making and creative problem-solving skills
Clear communication skills
Proven ability to deliver solutions under pressure and to tight timescales
Ability to work closely with technical teams to understand and grasp concepts and issues and translate those to schedule and cost impacts with a balanced approach to risk
Ability to produce and maintain a risk register and to communicate the philosophy on risk
Ability to understand commercial terms and translate those into impacts on project
Ability to create a project plan and to translate that into a project schedule within MS Project
Able to work autonomously and using own initiative
Understanding of contracts and product assurance plans
Good knowledge of MS Office Excel, Word and PowerPoint and particularly Microsoft Project
Able to demonstrate company mindsets and behaviours; Be accountable, Drive & delivery, communicate effectively, Self-manage effectively, Work as one team