Project Manager, Program ​/ Project Manager, Operations Manager

• Salary: £57,117 (inclusive of Specialist Allowance) + excellent benefits including outstanding pension
• Division:
  Central Operations

About us

Fusion, the process that powers the sun and stars, is one of the most promising options for generating the cleaner, carbon‑free energy that our world badly needs. UKAEA leads the way in realizing fusion energy, partnering with industry and research organisations to achieve ground‑breaking advancements. Our goal is to bring fusion electricity to the grid by developing the power stations of tomorrow and the skilled workforce to deliver them.

About the job

As a Project Manager, you will lead the successful delivery of projects and programme work streams that support UKAEA's mission to deliver sustainable fusion energy. Working across a diverse portfolio ranging from research and engineering to technology and infrastructure, you will be responsible for delivering projects safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards. You will work closely with technical specialists, commercial teams and senior stakeholders to translate business objectives into deliverable plans, manage project performance, oversee governance and ensure project benefits are realised.

Depending on experience, you may also lead project teams and support the development of junior project professionals.

• Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of projects or programme work streams, ensuring agreed objectives are achieved safely, on time, within budget and to the required quality standards.
• Develop and maintain project management plans, schedules, governance arrangements and delivery strategies.
• Manage project budgets, forecasts and financial performance, identifying risks and implementing corrective actions where required.
• Lead multidisciplinary project teams, securing the resources needed to deliver successful project outcomes.
• Manage project risks, issues, dependencies and change throughout the project lifecycle.
• Build strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, providing clear communication and regular progress reporting.
• Ensure compliance with relevant legislation, governance frameworks, organisational policies and engineering assurance requirements.
• Oversee procurement and contract management activities, working closely with Commercial colleagues and external suppliers.
• Support project governance through gateway reviews, project boards, assurance activities and performance reporting.
• Drive continuous improvement by embedding project management best practice and supporting the development of less experienced project professionals.

• Proven experience delivering projects or significant work streams within a complex project environment.
• Recognised project management qualification (e.g. APM, PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner).
• NEC4 qualification/extensive working experience along with working knowledge of CEMAR (Think Project).
• Strong knowledge of project management methodologies and governance frameworks, including Agile, Waterfall and Hybrid approaches.
• Experience managing project budgets, financial performance and project risk.
• Excellent stakeholder management, communication and leadership skills, with the ability to influence and build effective working relationships.
• Experience managing multiple priorities within a fast‑paced project environment.

A full list of our benefits can be found here and highlights include:

• £57,117 base salary inclusive of specialist allowance
• Up to 7% corporate performance bonus
• Final salary defined benefits pension scheme with an equivalent of 21.5% employer pension contribution
• 25 days annual leave, 2.5 privilege days and 8 Bank Holidays
• 3 days of site closure over Christmas break
• Flexible working options plus family‑friendly leave provisions

UKAEA’s mission is clean energy for all, and we welcome talented people from all backgrounds to help us achieve this goal. We are committed to equality, diversity, inclusion and accessibility and strive to ensure fair representation across our workforce.

We particularly encourage applications from groups currently underrepresented in STEM, including women and individuals from diverse ethnic backgrounds, while ensuring all appointments are made on merit. Further information can be found here.