The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is the UK’s National Metrology Institute, delivering world leading measurement science to support innovation, industry, and national priorities. Our people work on cutting edge programmes that shape the future—advancing technology, enabling scientific breakthroughs, and delivering impact for society.
As a Senior Project Manager, you will lead complex, high-value, multidisciplinary programmes that sit at the heart of NPL’s mission.
Role Purpose
To provide strategic project leadership across a portfolio of scientific and technical programmes, ensuring delivery to scope, time, cost, and quality. You will work with senior stakeholders, principal scientists, commercial partners, and government customers to drive successful outcomes and strengthen NPL’s project delivery capability.
Key Responsibilities
* Lead complex, cross-functional projects from initiation to closure.
* Use structured project delivery controls including development of robust, integrated planning, governance structures, and risk strategies to support and enable progress
* Ensure successful delivery against programme objectives, KPIs, and financial targets.
* Manage dependencies, schedule, resources, and budget across multiple streams.
* Partner with internal technical leads to translate scientific requirements into deliverable plans.
* Build relationships with external customers including government, industry, and research collaborators, and oversee customer acceptance and compliance with contract or grant terms.
* Provide clear reporting and communication to senior leadership and governance boards.
* Manage relationships with key suppliers and delivery partners to ensure quality, performance and timely delivery.
Risk, Quality & Compliance
* Operate within NPL project governance frameworks, commercial controls, and assurance processes.
* Proactively identify and mitigate risks and issues.
* Champion quality, safety, and continuous improvement across delivery teams.
* Support assurance activities at key stages to maintain delivery confidence and compliance.
Leadership & Capability Development
* Provide leadership and mentoring to Project Managers and support their performance, development and wellbeing.
* Drive adoption of best practices in project management, tools, and methodologies.
* Contribute to portfolio level planning, resourcing, and strategic decision-making.
About You
Skills & Experience Required
* Significant experience managing large, complex technical or scientific projects.
* Strong project governance expertise (e.g. stage gated delivery, risk & financial controls).
* Highly effective communicator with strong negotiation and influencing skills.
* Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.
* Experience in R&D, engineering, scientific environments, or public sector programmes.
* Understanding of metrology, national laboratories, or government funded research.
* Experience leading multi-disciplinary or matrix teams.
What We Offer
* Meaningful work that contributes to national capability and scientific excellence.
* Hybrid working and flexible arrangements.
* Professional development and funded training.
* Inclusive and collaborative culture.
We actively recruit citizens of all backgrounds, but the nature of our work in specific departments means that nationality, residency and security requirements can be more tightly defined than others. You will be asked about this throughout the recruitment process. To work at NPL, you will need to obtain BPSS security clearance.
Please note: Applications will be reviewed, and interviews conducted throughout the duration of this advert therefore we may at any time bring the closing date forward. We encourage all interested applicants to apply as soon as practical.
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