Principal Project Manager

Our world‑leading Time & Frequency department is seeking a Principal Project Manager with proven expertise in strategic and operational oversight of security‑critical physical and technical delivery.

This is an exceptional opportunity to join the global authority in precision timing at a defining moment for UK digital infrastructure. 

Backed by a government investment of £180 million in the National Timing Centre (NTC) programme, we are developing a world-first resilient time distribution capability that will provide industry with a robust complement to satellite systems (such as GPS) – which are increasingly vulnerable to disruption from solar storms, jamming and spoofing. This will underpin essential services; including

• Telecommunications, 
• Online banking, 
• Emergency response, 
• Transport networks, and 
• Wider digital and data-driven operations.

Together, these services form the backbone of modern society - and your leadership will help ensure they remain secure, reliable and robust even if global navigation satellite systems fail. 

Key responsibilities:

• Strategic Workstream Leadership: Lead the end‑to‑end delivery of the Security Upgrade Workstream, owning the integrated workstream plan, critical path, resources and delivery health within the NTC programme.

• Physical–Technical Integration Management: Act as the primary interface between construction activity and complex security systems installation, ensuring sequencing, access, acceptance criteria and handovers are tightly coordinated.

•  Cyber & Systems Security Delivery: Oversee delivery of critical security systems—including SOC/SIEM integration, security architecture changes, testing and accreditation preparation - ensuring alignment with cyber governance standards.

• Governance, Reporting & Assurance Oversight: Maintain high‑quality, auditable documentation and produce clear, senior‑level reporting, contributing to programme‑level governance forums, change control processes and external assurance activities.

•  Senior Stakeholder & Contractor Management: Build trusted relationships across contractors, engineering teams, cyber specialists and programme leadership, providing authoritative communication, early escalation, and accountability for delivery outcomes.

To succeed in this role, you'll bring the following skills, experience, and qualifications:

• Extensive project management experience delivering complex, multidisciplinary projects in science, engineering, defence, government, critical national infrastructure, or highly regulated environments.

• Proven ability to manage the interface between physical works and technical systems, coordinating construction, installation and commissioning activities with full accountability for sequence, dependencies and delivery outcomes.

• Advanced governance, planning and risk capability — able to build, interrogate and own complex programme‑level schedules, manage RAID at scale, and maintain disciplined documentation in secure or classified settings.

• Strong cyber‑related delivery understanding — able to engage credibly with security architects, engineers and governance leads, ensuring delivery aligns with accreditation, SIRO/DPIA and assurance requirements.

Highly desirable:

• Experience delivering cyber security, secure communications, or timing systems

• Familiarity with RMADS, ITIL, ISO 27001, HMG baseline controls or government security accreditation processes.

•  Experience working within secure government, science, defence or similarly controlled operational environments.

•  CDM awareness or experience coordinating construction activity under CDM 2015 within a managed site environment.

•  Track record of senior representation externally (industry, government or international stakeholders) in a technical or security‑sensitive programme context.

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.

However, to work in this role in the Time & Frequency department, you will need to have an SC clearance with no restrictions, or you must have the ability to obtain an SC 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.