Job Description
Principal Project Manager
Location: Derby or Newcastle
This is more than project management. It’s about influencing strategic outcomes, shaping capability across the business, and ensuring we deliver mission-critical projects with precision, accountability, and innovation.
You will play a pivotal role in managing and evolving a multi-project portfolio, supporting blue-chip defence clients and aligning delivery with AEIL’s wider growth objectives.
Your missions:
Programme & Project Management:
* Support efficient management of projects and PMO, resolving issues to improve overall delivery performance
* Lead project governance and programme performance reporting across safety, time, cost, quality and relationships while embedding innovation
* Contribute to approvals, budget planning, financial cycles and provide strategic advice to the Defence Programme Manager.
* Ensure effective use of programme management tools and techniques, including developing and reviewing business cases and benefit realisation plans.
Leadership & People Development
* Inspire, lead, and line manage project and PMO team members, helping them reach their full potential
* Provide coaching, direction, and mentoring to improve delivery capability across the function
Why join the community of Switchers?
As one of the Top 3 Nuclear Engineering companies in the world, Assystem offer a competitive benefits package which includes:
25 days of annual leave + bank holidays
8% company pension contributions
Healthcare cash-plan to get money back on dental, medical, physical care
Employee assistance programme including 24/7 access to free mental health support, virtual gym classes and more
Get professional and industry membership fees paid for.
Qualifications
Essential:
✅ Proven track record of delivering large, complex, or high-volume projects in structured environments
Strong leadership skills with the ability to guide multi-disciplinary, cross-functional, and virtual teams
️ Excellent communicator and influencer at all levels, including executive stakeholders and clients
Chartered status (or working towards)
In-depth knowledge of risk, budget management, cost control, scheduling, and reporting tools
Expertise in change management, contract management, and strategic delivery frameworks
Desirable:
➕ Experience in the Nuclear Defence sector or other regulated industries
Familiarity with the NEC4 contract suite and delivery within frameworks or joint ventures
⚙️ Technical engineering understanding (Mechanical, Electrical, EC&I)
Previous involvement in developing project bids or client proposals
Additional Information
Please be aware that many roles at Assystem are subject to both security and export control restrictions.
* These restrictions mean that factors such as your nationality, any nationalities you may have previously held, and your place of birth can restrict the roles you are eligible to perform within the organisation.
* All applicants must as a minimum achieve Baseline Personnel Security Standard. Many roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting where applicants must typically have 5 to 10 years of continuous residency in the UK depending on the vetting level required for the role, to allow for meaningful security vetting checks.
NOTICE TO CANDIDATES ON RECRUITMENT FRAUD - We are committed to safeguarding candidates from fraudulent activity associated with our recruitment process. Please note that we will never offer specialist CV writing services, request payment or ask for sensitive personal information during the recruitment process.
We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.