Programme Manager - Verification & Validation

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 set up the delivery strategy and deliver through a complex set of test and trials projects.

Reading / Basingstoke area

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

• 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

• 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

01/04/2024

All candidates must be willing and able to obtain and maintain the necessary security clearance for the role.