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Full time
Engineering
SE

Senior Programme Manager

Systems Engineering and Assessment LimitedBristol, South West England🇬🇧United KingdomPosted 26 Sept 2026

Quick Overview

Seniority
Mid Senior
Employment type
Full Time
Work mode
Hybrid
Location
Bristol, South West England, United Kingdom
Posted
23 hours ago
Stakeholder Management

Job Description

About The Role
Engineered to Protect, thats our promise, we protect what matters - our nations, our waters, our land, our cities, our people, our environment, our world.The Senior Programmes Manager is responsible for leading and delivering some of SEAs most complex, largest and high risk Programmes across the full lifecycle, from bids through delivery and into post project support.
Senior Programme Manager will be based at either our Beckington, Bristol or Barnstaple site. This role allows for flexible working with a 1-2 day onsite weekly presence in Barnstaple.
The salary for this role is up to £85k, depending on experience.
Whatyoullbedoing
  • Lead the successful delivery of complex, high-value and high-risk programmes across the full lifecycle, from bid through to delivery and post-project support
  • Ensure programmes are delivered on quality, on time and on cost, maintaining effective governance, financial control and accurate reporting
  • Lead, motivate and develop cross-functional programme teams, setting clear priorities and driving high performance
  • Manage programme budgets, forecasts, resources, risks and opportunities, taking action to maintain delivery confidence and profitability
  • Build strong, collaborative relationships with customers, suppliers, subcontractors and internal stakeholders
  • Support complex bids and identify opportunities for additional and repeat business within assigned programmes
  • Drive proactive problem-solving, effective transition management and continuous improvement across programme delivery
  • Ensure robust programme planning, accurate business data and compliance with SEAs P3M, quality, health and safety requirements
About our company
At SEA, we develop and deliver advanced solutions to make our world safer, cleaner and more efficient.
We provide state-of-the-art applications for naval ship and fleet protection, and undersea surveillance systems. In-service across the globe, our systems deliver a rapid response to threats and system effectiveness and interoperation. Our systems support an ever-growing number of navies across the world, and we continue to bolster our already specialist, on-the-ground knowledge of key overseas markets.
What we offer
At our core, we encourage innovation, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems, so were always looking for talented, flexible, and creative people to bring their best to SEA. In return we offer generous rewards, a fantastic work/life balance, and excellent career and training opportunities for everyone who joins. Havea look atthe benefits we offer:
Work life balance
  • Hybrid/flexible working arrangements
  • 25 days annual leave, plus buy and sell
  • Up to 16 days flexi leave accrual
  • Half day Fridays
  • Reservists in theArmedForces receive special paid leave
Family & wellbeing
  • Private medical health insurance & Employee Assistance Program
  • Health Cash Plan
  • All Staff Bonus
  • Group Pension Plan of up to 8% employer contribution
  • Cycle to work scheme
  • Wellbeing Centre
  • Sports & Social activities
  • Employee Discounts portal - online and in-store discounts, travel savings
  • Life assurance policy
  • Publication and recruitment bonus rewards
  • Development opportunities, including LinkedIn learning
Facilities & resources
  • Electric vehicle charging points at all sites
  • Private seated lunch areas
  • Onsite bistro (Barnstaple office) and free hot and cold beverages
  • Onsite showers and toiletries provision
  • Free onsite parking
Theskills you need
  • Degree and/or relevant P3M professional qualification, ideally APM PMQ, with APM membership and Chartered Project Professional (ChPP) status desirable
  • Extensive senior programme/project management experience, ideally 10+ years within UK defence, engineering or another high-assurance engineering environment
  • Demonstrable experience managing complex, high-value programmes of £10m+ across the full programme lifecycle
  • Proven experience leading large, multidisciplinary Integrated Project Teams (IPTs) and developing high-performing teams
  • Strong financial and commercial management capability, including budgeting, forecasting, risk management and performance control
  • Advanced programme planning and control skills, including Microsoft Project, EVM, Schedule Risk Analysis and configuration management
  • Excellent leadership, stakeholder management, negotiation and decision-making skills, with the tenacity and drive to deliver in a complex environment
Join us and be part of something smaller - with500people in the UK and Canada - doing something bigger: protecting what matters.
If youd like to know more, please give Kelly Thomas from our Talent Acquisition Team a call on 03330 414300. Or reach out to us on

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