Defence Project Manager

Perfect role for a senior professional looking to grow their Defence & Government career in Oxford.

Defence programmes in the UK run on a different clock to most industries. Budgets are scrutinised, timelines are non-negotiable, and the margin for error on a live contract is thin. This is an established defence sector employer, part of a large enterprise operation with a track record of delivering complex, multi-year programmes for government and MOD-linked clients. They need a Defence Project Manager who's done this before and won't need their hand held.

Here's what you'll be doing

Own the delivery of defence programmes from initiation through to closeout, managing scope, budget and schedule against contractual commitments

Coordinate cross-functional teams including engineering, procurement and security-cleared specialists across multiple concurrent workstreams

Report progress and risk to senior stakeholders and, where relevant, government client representatives

Manage project risk registers, escalating issues before they become problems rather than after

Ensure every deliverable meets MOD compliance, security classification and quality assurance standards

Lead governance meetings and maintain the documentation trail that defence contracts demand

Here are the skills you'll need

Proven project management experience within defence, aerospace or a comparable regulated government sector

Working knowledge of project frameworks such as PRINCE2 or APM, applied practically rather than academically

Comfortable holding security clearance or eligible to obtain SC/DV clearance

Sharp stakeholder management skills. You'll be dealing with engineers one hour and government clients the next

Financial literacy across budgeting, forecasting and cost control on large programmes

Calm under pressure. Defence timelines slip for reasons outside your control, and you'll need to manage that without losing the room

Key perks and benefits

£52,500 to £79,000, depending on experience

Hybrid working, with regular time in the Oxford office balanced against home working

Private medical and dental insurance

Enhanced pension scheme

Performance-based bonuses on top of base salary

Why pursue a career in Defence & Government?

Defence spending in the UK isn't slowing down, and Oxford has quietly become one of the country's strongest hubs for defence and government technology work, sitting alongside the region's research institutions and specialist engineering firms. A Defence & Government career gives you structured progression, serious project scale, and a level of job security that few other sectors can match right now. For a Defence Project Manager with the right background, Oxford offers no shortage of long-term opportunity.

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