Programme Manager - Verification & Validation

What if you could work with remarkable people on extraordinary things? What if the end result was something a little bit special? What if your role was mission critical?
For nearly 70 years, AWE has been at the forefront of nuclear weapons research and development. We have a critical mission: to provide the warheads for the UK’s ultimate deterrent - Trident. We also use our unique skills to provide wider UK government with counter-terrorism and nuclear threat reduction solutions.
It takes a special sort of person to work at AWE. What if that person was you?
At AWE we are at the start of a once-in-a-generation, national endeavour, programme to design and produce a replacement warhead for the UK’s continuous at sea deterrent. As we stand up the programme, we are looking for a delivery focused and experienced Programme Manager to join the Replacement Warhead Programme. This is fantastic opportunity to work within a fast-growing team on a highly complex and unique programme of work.
The Delivery Lead - Programme Manager will have experience in taking complex systems engineering products through extensive development testing and qualification programmes. They will lead a multi-functional team to setup the delivery strategy and deliver through a complex set of test and trials projects.
Location - Reading / Basingstoke area
Package - Competitive leadership salary depending on experience, performance related bonus, flexible benefit scheme.
As part of our People Promise, AWE (one of the best 25 big companies to work for in the UK) has a range of benefits to suit you. These include:

• Time to recharge your batteries with 270 hours of annual leave (plus every other Friday off work)
• Consideration for flexible working arrangements so that your work may fit in with your lifestyle.
• Opportunities for Professional Career Development that include funding for the annual membership of a relevant professional body, access to mentors and training
• Employee Assistance Programme and Occupational Health Services
• A generous defined contribution Group Personal Pension (we will pay between 9% and 13% of your pensionable pay depending on your own contribution)
• Life Assurance
• Discounts - access to savings on a wide range of everyday spending
• Special Leave Policy including paid time off for volunteering, public service (including reserve forces) and caring for your family
• A host of voluntary & core benefits to suit your health and wellbeing - more information available on our careers site

What will you be required to do?

• Deliver a programme of work with multiple major projects to time, cost and quality, compliant with AWE processes
• Lead one or more business functions by defining strategic goals and operational plans.
• Lead, coach and develop leaders and hold them to account and influence across and outside the company
• Manage across pillar programmes and or projects with focus on governance (compliance and reporting)
• Management of multiple resources across the pillar (people, money)
• Direct the planning of the project/programme or function
• Plan work across the pillar for as defined in the project/programme Work Authorisation Document (WAD)
• Direct and initiate change against the Performance Measurement Baseline (PMB)
• Direct, initiate and perform risk and opportunity identification and subsequent actions

Whilst not to be considered a check list, candidates should be able to demonstrate some of the following:

• Educated to degree level or equivalent experience
• Excellent communications skills - able to inspire, motivate and engage widely across the business
• Ability to develop solutions to complex problems that requires regular use of ingenuity and creativity
• Resolution focused with the ability to be flexible and creative in approach and able to work across functions to reach the conclusions, decisions and ways forward collaboratively
• Must have programme managed complex systems engineering through a qualification programme
• Understand design maturation and key performance measures and how to ensure handover from design to in service
• Vast experience in programme management of complex systems engineering projects and programmes
• Have a background in a highly regulated industry e.g., aerospace, defence, nuclear
• Experience of Leading and building multi-disciplinary teams to achieve complex outcomes
• Ability to influence and manage stakeholders

Closing date - 01/04/2024
All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role.
#LI-SW
Please note that you must be a British National to apply for a role with us.
Our ambition is to create workplaces where we recognise and celebrate differences, encourage diverse contributions and our employees feel able to be themselves at work. We strive to create a genuine culture of openness and inclusion and encourage diverse applicants. Any inclusion information you provide us will be used to encourage and support you through the application process and will be held only for this purpose in accordance with GDPR.