Job Title: Programme Manager
Location: Plymouth, Devon
Compensation: Competitive + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF
Lead transformation at the heart of UK defence infrastructure
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as a Programme Manager at our Devonport Royal Dockyard site.
The role
As a Programme Manager, you’ll take a pivotal leadership role in shaping the future capability, capacity and resilience of one of Europe’s most strategically important defence sites. This is an exciting opportunity to lead complex programmes that will modernise how Babcock operates at Devonport, delivering new infrastructure, strengthening systems and transforming the way we support national defence.
Day-to-day, you’ll make a tangible difference to the UK’s security by ensuring our programmes deliver real‑world outcomes that matter. In return, you’ll develop your career within a world‑class engineering and defence organisation that offers continuous growth, meaningful work and the chance to influence large‑scale change from day one.
1. Lead the delivery of major programmes from set‑up through to benefits realisation and closure.
2. Shape programme vision, blueprint and delivery strategy, ensuring alignment across wider portfolios.
3. Manage risks, issues, dependencies, budgets and reporting at programme level.
4. Engage and influence senior leaders, delivery partners and external stakeholders, ensuring clear communication and coordinated activity.
5. Drive continuous improvement, embedding best practice in programme and project management.
This role is full time, 35 hours per week and is based on site at Devonport Royal Dockyard
Essential experience of the Programme Manager
6. Experience leading programmes within complex environments such as defence, infrastructure, regulated industries or public sector.
7. Proven ability to manage competing priorities, interdependencies and multi‑disciplinary teams.
8. Strong capability in programme and project management methodologies (e.g., MSP, PRINCE2, Agile).
9. Confident leadership, communication and influencing skills at senior stakeholder level.
10. Financial acumen, including business case development, investment appraisal and benefits tracking.
Qualifications for the Programme Manager
11. Degree‑level education in a relevant discipline or equivalent experience.
12. MSP or recent experience operating in a similar programme leadership context.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at Babcock
We’re Babcock — a global FTSE organisation with over 26, people working together to make a difference.
Here, you’ll be part of something bigger. From initial design to final decommissioning, your work will contribute to products and services that are essential to national security and public infrastructure. Together, we’re building a future that lasts — not just through the impact we make, but through meaningful careers that respect your work-life balance.
We call that lifetime engineering.
Join us and see how far we can go, together.
We are a disability confident committed employer.