Principal Project Manager

Job Description

Are you an experienced Project Manager looking to play a key role in delivering complex engineering and infrastructure programmes within the Defence and Nuclear sectors?

We're looking for a proactive, commercially aware professional who thrives in a collaborative environment and has a passion for delivering projects safely, on time, within budget, and to the highest quality standards.

🌟 What You'll Be Doing

🔹 Deliver projects to agreed scope, quality, schedule and budget, ensuring alignment with organisational objectives.

🔹 Apply recognised project management methodologies and best practices across the full project lifecycle.

🔹 Manage project budgets and monitor financial performance to ensure successful commercial outcomes.

🔹 Support project assurance activities and governance reviews to maintain compliance and delivery excellence.

🔹 Ensure adherence to agreed client processes, procedures and contractual requirements.

🔹 Monitor project team performance against contractual obligations and delivery milestones.

🔹 Identify, manage and escalate project risks and opportunities where appropriate.

🔹 Build and maintain strong relationships with clients, suppliers and the wider supply chain.

🔹 Review and update project schedules, duration and cost estimates, identifying key milestones and critical dates.

🔹 Produce financial reports and maintain accurate project forecasts and final cost estimates.

🔹 Maintain integrity, transparency and professionalism across all project activities.

🔹 Assess proposed changes, evaluate their impact and obtain additional information where required.

🔹 Foster collaboration, teamwork and a positive project culture.

🔹 Support business growth through the preparation of high-quality client bids and proposals

Qualifications

Essential Experience & Qualifications

🛡️ Nuclear Defence or wider Defence sector experience.

🏗️ Experience supporting major infrastructure, engineering or nuclear programmes.

📑 NEC4 contract experience.

📈 Proven track record of managing multiple projects (3+ years).

📋 Knowledge of project governance and the application of project controls.

📊 Solid understanding of KPIs and Earned Value Management (EVM).

💻 Proficient in understanding and using ERP systems.

🖥️ Strong experience using the Microsoft Office Suite.

🎓 Project Management qualification (e.g. APM).

Desirable

🎓 Degree in a relevant discipline (e.g. Engineering or Project Management) or equivalent industry experience.

📚 Knowledge or experience of working within Frameworks.

📍 Able to attend the Assystem Glasgow, Bristol or Newcastle offices 2–3 days per week to work alongside the project and engineering teams as required.

🚗 Willingness to travel to customer sites as required.

Additional Information

Why Join the Switchers Community?

🔹A dynamic career management policy to enable our employees to progress through our five business lines: operations, project, technical, sales and support functions

🔹Provide opportunities to work on exciting, global projects

🔹Access to an employee assistance programme with free mindfulness, health, wellbeing resources and a confidential support line available 24/7 via phone or text

🔹Discount vouchers for days out and restaurants, eye test and glasses vouchers, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs

🔹Enhanced sick pay

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES ON RECRUITMENT FRAUD - We are committed to safeguarding candidates from fraudulent activity associated with our recruitment process. Please note that we will never offer specialist CV writing services, request payment or ask for sensitive personal information during the recruitment process.

Please be aware that this role is subject to both security and export control restrictions.

• These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.
• All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.

NOTICE TO CANDIDATES ON RECRUITMENT FRAUD - We are committed to safeguarding candidates from fraudulent activity associated with our recruitment process. Please note that we will never offer specialist CV writing services, request payment or ask for sensitive personal information during the recruitment process.

We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.