Senior Project Manager – Digital MES

We’re hiring for a Senior Project Manager to lead the rollout of a new Manufacturing Execution System (MES) at our Cheltenham site - the first deployment in a wider global upgrade programme. Working closely with the IT Project Manager, this person will manage the full site implementation from planning through go‑live, making sure the project stays on schedule, on budget, and minimizes disruption to production.

The ideal candidate will have strong experience delivering MES, ERP, or similar manufacturing system projects in live industrial environments, with the ability to manage risk, coordinate suppliers, and lead cross‑functional teams across operations, engineering, quality, IT/OT, and maintenance. Experience in aerospace manufacturing or other highly regulated industry would be a strong advantage. Please note This is a two year fixed term contract.

Lead the full lifecycle of the site MES project from planning and requirements through design, build, test, deployment, and stabilisation.

Develop and maintain an integrated site-level schedule covering process design, system configuration, infrastructure, data readiness, testing, training, cutover, and change management.

Drive clear stage‑gate reviews with site and functional stakeholders, ensuring decisions, scope, and priorities are documented and understood.

Establish and manage the site project baseline for schedule and budget, tracking progress, forecasting to completion and managing integration with global programme.

Maintain a structured risk and issue log, with clear owners, mitigation plans, and follow‑up.

Proactively identify schedule and cost risks, propose recovery plans, and elevate issues when needed with recommended options.

Protect production continuity by planning cutovers, data migrations, and system changes around key production windows and customer deliveries.

Work with shop leadership and supervisors to define readiness activities, including trials, simulations, and parallel runs where appropriate.

Coordinate training, floor support, and hypercare to ensure a stable transition from legacy processes/systems to the new MES.

Lead a cross‑functional site core team including operations, manufacturing engineering, quality, planning, materials, IT/OT, and maintenance.

Facilitate decisions on process standardisation, work instructions, and system configuration, balancing business requirements with solution standards.

Ensure alignment with site safety, quality, cybersecurity, and regulatory requirements throughout the project.

Partner with Sourcing and Legal to manage MES and related services suppliers supporting the site deployment.

Oversee supplier performance against scope, schedule, cost, and quality commitments, including change requests and extensions.

Conduct regular supplier check‑ins and governance sessions to review progress, risks, and open actions.

Work with selected vendors to build and execute a communication plan for site leadership, functional stakeholders, and shop-floor users.

Provide clear, concise project status updates, including milestones, risks, and decision needs, to site leadership and sponsors.

Support change management activities, including user engagement, demos, and communications that explain impacts and benefits.

• Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Information Technology, Business, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• Extensive project management experience delivering complex digital or manufacturing system projects in an industrial…