Location: Reading, United Kingdom

Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Job title: Project Manager

Location: Reading, Berkshire - hybrid working arrangement – 3 days per week on site

What the role has to offer:

We have a great opportunity in Thales Optronics and Missile Electronic (OME) for a Project Manager to join the expanding team working on Air sector projects.

• This is a really exciting opportunity to work closely with both internal and external customers

• You will be responsible for a complex project or high value portfolio. You will liaise across the project to ensure best practice and that the project management capability strengths and weaknesses are identified and managed.

• Exposure to a cutting-edge, diverse product offering and project portfolio in a growing industry

• Opportunity to work in an exciting, dynamic and fast moving environment

Core Benefits:

On offer is a competitive salary and benefits package, which includes;

• Performance-related bonus

• Half day every Friday, usually finishing around 13:00pm

• 28 days annual leave (plus bank holidays) plus opportunity to buy up to 40 hours/year (pro rata)

• 24 hours volunteering paid for

• Private healthcare (grade dependent)

• Pension scheme

• Life cover

• 24/7 Employee Assistance Program and access to mental wellbeing app

• Employee discount shopping schemes on major brands and retailers

• Gym membership discounts

Key Roles and Responsibilities:

• Deliver the key results and performance metrics the projects, including order intake, sales, gross margin and cash.

• Management of a project team including the direct coaching and provision of assistance to less experienced / less capable project managers.

• Creation of the initial Project Plan during the bid or “Demand” phase of the lifecycle through requirement capture, work definition, estimating and scheduling that will include all Milestones, activities, resources and any other feature that will require to be delivered.

• Project Governance (the Gate and Stage Processes) over the bid and project delivery activities to ensure project, technical, procurement and support processes are applied and are effective in controlling risks.

• Ensure all business planning and reporting is published in accordance with Business directives e.g. Project Management reviews (PMR), Business Operations Report (BOR) and On Time Delivery (OTD).

• Drive Quality, Cost & Delivery performance through close working with other functions.

• Manage all project stakeholders; ensuring strong communications are established and maintained.

About You:

• We are looking for a fully established Senior Project Manager with an extensive track record of delivering successful complex projects, ideally in the Air or other defence sector.

• Experience working in a complex, multidisciplinary, multi-site organisation.

• Full business lifecycle management, including capture, qualification and developing capture plans and winning strategies.

• Extensive client and stakeholder management.

• Comprehensive understanding of generic processes and techniques used to schedule project activities (for example; WBS, OBS, milestones, dependencies , EVM).

Security Clearance statement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions. This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance - United Kingdom Security Vetting - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk)

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years. In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

If you are interested in this role, we would encourage you to have informal chat with the Talent Acquisition Partner.

Thales is an equal opportunities employer and diversity and inclusion are integral to the success of Thales.

#LI-DNI

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

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