Senior Project Manager

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, multi‑disciplinary programmes that sit at the heart of NPL’s Quantum and Timing’s portfolio.

Role Purpose

Reporting into the Group Leader you will provide strategic project leadership across a portfolio of projects that support our work toward the redefining the second based on optical atomic clocks. Your role will be to ensure delivery to scope, time, cost, and quality. You will work with senior stakeholders, principal scientists, technical teams, commercial partners, and government customers to drive successful outcomes and strengthen NPL’s project delivery capability. 

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Delivery

• 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.

Stakeholder & Customer Engagement

• 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 across the departments Operations, Quality, and H&S teams, and coaching technical teams to ensure projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and to a high standard.
• Drive adoption of best practices in project management, tools, and methodologies.
• Contribute to portfolio level planning, resourcing, and strategic decision-making.

Skills & Experience Required

Essential:

• Significant experience managing large, complex technical or scientific projects.
• Strong project governance expertise (e.g. stage gated delivery, risk & financial controls).
• Excellent stakeholder engagement at senior levels.
• Highly effective communicator with strong negotiation and influencing skills.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving capability.

Desirable:

• Professional project management qualification (e.g. APM PMQ/PPQ, PRINCE2, MSP, PMP).
• 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.

The National Physical Laboratory (NPL) is a world-leading centre of excellence that provides cutting-edge measurement science, engineering and technology to underpin prosperity and quality of life in the UK. Find out more about what it is like working here - The measure of us - Overview

NPL and DSIT have strong commitments to diversity and equality of opportunity, and welcome applications from candidates irrespective of their background, gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, or age, providing they meet the required criteria. Applications from women, disabled and black, Asian and minority ethnic candidates in particular are encouraged. All disabled candidates (as defined by the Equality Act 2010) who satisfy the minimum criteria for the role will be guaranteed an interview under the Disability Confident Scheme.

 
At NPL, we believe our success is a result of the diversity and talent of our people. We strive to nurture and respect individuals to ensure everyone feels valued by treating everyone on the basis of their own individual merits and abilities regardless of their own or perceived identity, as part of our commitment to diversity & inclusion, we ensure we’re creating an environment where all our colleagues feel supported and welcome. More about this on our Diversity & Inclusion page.

We are committed to the health and well-being of our employees. Flexible working and social activities are embedded in our culture to create a positive work-life balance, along with a broad range of rewards, benefits and recognition. Our values are at the heart of what we do, and they shape the way we interact, develop our people and celebrate success. To ensure everyone has an equal chance, we’re always willing to make reasonable adjustments to the recruitment process. If you would like to discuss, please contact us.