Project Manager

Project Manager - Bournemouth

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of complex engineering programmes from sales handover through to project completion. Based in Bournemouth, this role offers the opportunity to work with customers, OEMs and cross-functional teams, taking full responsibility for programme performance, contractual delivery, cost, quality and schedule management throughout the product lifecycle.

Purpose

The Project Manager is responsible for the management and coordination of all activities related to the fulfilment of assigned customer orders, from the time a programme is handed over by the sales department until programme closure. You will be required to lead an Integrated Project Team (IPT) structure and have primary responsibility for maintaining programme performance and adherence to contractual obligations in respect to delivery, quality, cost and weight criteria.

Key Responsibilities

Project Management

Manage projects through the full product life cycle from sales handover to project closure, with complete budgetary responsibility for project delivery, cost, quality and weight requirements as defined by the contract.

Typical scope of significant project tasks includes, but is not limited to:

• Complex engineering development
• Full certification testing
• Complex interfaces with third-party product
• High-level customers
• Unique customer-requested design solutions
• Design development and production phases

Customer Communications

Act as the first point of contact for customer communications.

• Be the initial point of contact for all customer-related queries.
• Lead customer and internal meetings in an efficient manner.
• Ensure appropriate resources are assigned and attend customer meetings and/or project workshops.
• Upon submission of an issue from the customer or OEM/Integrator, undertake initial review and action as required.
• Respond to the customer or OEM/Integrator on raised issues in a timely manner, depending upon the complexity of the issue raised.
• Escalate to the Senior Programme Manager if resolution is not found at project IPT level.

Project Planning & Delivery

Maintain the overall project plan in support of agreed contractual due dates.

• Develop project plans.
• Negotiate and agree due date changes with OEMs, customers and internal stakeholders.
• Define project scope, goals and deliverables that support the overall project baseline in collaboration with project teams, senior management and stakeholders.
• Ensure technical data deliverables are supplied to the OEM/Integrator in line with the project schedule.
• Ensure rejection comments are completed and returned to the OEM/Integrator within the required timescale.
• Maintain project schedules to include agreed changes to deliverables.
• Communicate deliverable status as required by the customer or OEM/Integrator.
• Ensure internal gate reviews occur in line with project milestones and that checklists are adhered to by all departments.

Change Control

Manage project scope and assess the impact of scope changes.

• Maintain an accurate project change log.
• Manage Master Change Proposals (MCPs) and Customer Change Proposals (CCPs).
• Manage project budgets and coordinate budget changes with the Financial Business Partner.
• Ensure raised CCPs flow through the system without undue delay that may put project milestones at risk.
• Communicate changes to the customer/OEM in an expedient manner to secure approval and avoid project delay.
• Present new changes to the Change Board as required.
• Coordinate service bulletins.

Project Documentation

Responsible for maintaining project documentation, including:

• Project action items (internal and external)
• Project team meeting minutes
• Project gateway checklists
• Audit files and results
• MCP/CCP filing and analysis
• Project milestone meeting documentation, including agendas and minutes
• Concessions and commitment letters through OEM product support processes
• Project risk register
• Action tracker containing all open tasks and issues, ECDs and ownership

Risk Management

• Review the risk register weekly to ensure risks and mitigation strategies remain valid.
• Maintain an accurate action tracker containing all open tasks and issues, including expected completion dates and task owners.

Integrated Project Team (IPT) Leadership

Lead an Integrated Project Team to achieve project results.

• Lead project task and team meetings in an efficient manner.
• Follow up on open items prior to due dates.
• Agree and maintain OEM submittal requirements and due dates.
• Estimate resources and participants required to achieve project goals.
• Negotiate with department managers for required resource support where necessary.
• Identify and manage project dependencies and critical paths.
• Continually manage project expectations with team members and stakeholders.
• Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within the project team and escalate to the Head of Programmes where required.
• Define priorities within projects and delegate tasks and responsibilities with clear accountability.
• Supervise all BFE activities, including timely placement and receipt of BFE orders required for CDR, testing and production seats.
• Ensure IFE test equipment is loaded with the correct software level and functions correctly to test systems within contractual specifications.

Project Performance

Responsible for overall project performance.

• Act as the primary focal point for ITCM, PDR, CDR, FAI and other key milestones and technical meetings.
• Organise implementation of FAI open items.
• Interface with OEM contacts and provide regular project progress reports to ensure complete visibility at all times.
• Track financial performance of projects.
• Continuously monitor OEM ratings.
• Determine the frequency and content of project status reports, analyse results and troubleshoot problem areas with IPT members.

Key Performance Measures

• Project performance to contract requirements.
• On time, in full delivery of key project deliverables.
• Cost versus budget.
• Quality pick-ups.
• Weight versus budget.
• On-time performance against agreed internal and external schedule milestones.
• OEM ratings and customer feedback.

Knowledge, Education & Skills

Knowledge & Experience

• 5+ years' relevant project management or equivalent experience.
• Aircraft interiors experience desirable.
• Experience managing Project Profit & Loss.

Education

• Degree educated in Engineering, Science, Business or a related discipline.
• Formal Project Management qualification desirable, such as:
• APM PMQ
• PRINCE2 Practitioner
• Agile Practitioner

Skills & Competencies

• Strong, proven customer relationship skills.
• Strong negotiation skills with the ability to positively influence customer decisions while maintaining high levels of customer satisfaction.
• Proficient user of Microsoft Office applications, including MS Project.
• Results-orientated with a proven track record of meeting commitments.
• Strong problem-solving skills and the ability to exercise mature judgement.
• Ability to multitask and work within a fast-paced, high-pressure environment.
• Excellent organisational skills.
• Excellent internal and external communication skills.
• Strong presentation skills.
• Ability to take initiative and work with minimal supervision.