Project Manager – Defence and Security

Cambridge Consultants

OVERVIEW Cambridge Consultants is a world-class supplier of innovative product development, design engineering and technology consulting, and we are looking for an experienced and diligent Project Management Assistant / Senior Project Coordinator to join our team. Our Programme Managers work across the whole product development cycle, from product strategy and front-end concept generation, through technical feasibility and detailed design, to transferring the idea to manufacture. Our clients come to us because we are able to structure and deliver complex projects that create a step change in performance, where technical innovation is the only way to achieve their goals.   THE ROLE The main purpose of the job is to be the Programme Manager’s trusted partner in delivering Cambridge Consultants most complex and high value projects, resulting in exceptional innovation and client satisfaction. In this busy and fast-paced role, you will become a member of an established and experienced programme management team, responsible for the delivery of a wide range of exciting projects. The role of Project Management Assistant is an excellent opportunity for an ambitious individual and is intrinsic to the successful delivery of the overall programme.    RESPONSIBILITIES With the support and guidance of your team, your responsibilities will include, but will not be limited to, the following: * Liaise with the project team/ bidding teams clients and suppliers to arrange meetings and chase actions * Provide a point of contact internally and externally, as well as facilitating the effective flow of communication between different teams and stakeholders in the company * Manage project invoice and payment schedules, as well as non-disclosure agreements * Track project costs vs budget and progress against baseline and forecast * Writing / maintaining quality plans, risk registers, action registers, H&S risk assessments, project instructions, and project progress reports * As a pivotal member of the project management and bidding team, you will develop an understanding of all facets of the project and bidding, including; attending and taking minutes at technical project meetings, internal and client facing, issue logging and tracking, and the preparation of weekly progress reports for clients * Develop established relationships across the business and will work closely with critical project and bidding support functions * Deputise for Project Managers, and have the opportunity to undertake project and bidding management responsibilities for smaller project deliveries, as well as participate in our continuous improvement initiatives to enhance our services and processes * Liaise with management to deliver appropriate resources based on the needs of the project   WHAT YOU CAN BRING * You will have a good level of numeracy, literacy and be able to generate high quality reporting, and experience of MS tools, particularly Word, Excel, etc. * As you will be dealing with people across the division, ideally you will be comfortable working with members of staff of all levels of seniority, both internally and in a client-facing environment. * You will be comfortable working in a fast-paced environment and be able to demonstrate excellent organisational skills * You should have a goal-oriented mind-set and the willingness to tackle new challenges head on * You must be eligible for UK security clearance It would be of particular interest if you have any of the additional experience below, however, these should not put you off applying: * Experience of working in a similar role within a project delivery environment and be able to demonstrate an understanding of project management principles. * Experience of working with financial systems, reporting tools and the application of a budget tracking system. * Experience of supporting end‑to‑end bidding and tendering processes, including bid coordination, management and progress tracking, stakeholder engagement and governance.   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By submitting an application to Cambridge Consultants, you confirm that the information provided in this application, together with any supporting documentation, is true, complete, and accurate to the best of your knowledge and belief. You understand that any false statement, misleading information, or material omission may render you liable to disqualification from the recruitment process, withdrawal of any offer of employment, or dismissal without notice if discovered following appointment. You acknowledge that the organisation reserves the right to verify the information supplied. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Cambridge Consultants

INTRODUCTION  Do emerging technologies and trends excite you? Are you interested in the difference between technologies that change the world and ones that seem full of promise but are never realised? Are you fascinated by the potential impact of emerging technologies for Defence and Security? Do you have a curious mindset to dive into analytical projects and lead the generation of real insight to help realise the benefits of deep tech?  If so, then this could be the perfect role for you!     WHO WE ARE  You would be joining the Advisory team within Cambridge Consultants, a critical part of the company, providing clients with strategic advice at the interface between technology, product innovation and the commercial challenges of business.  As part of this core team, you would be delivering projects to clients primarily in the Defence and Security sectors as well as Industrial, Energy and Sustainability sectors. You'll work with our technologists to ensure solutions are not just technically feasible but are viable and critically a fit for our clients’ operations. Our clients vary, but all have an aspiration to use cutting-edge technology to transform their domain. What we do is help them succeed.  Success for us is delivering high-quality insights that are both technically robust and commercially relevant supporting our clients to understand the implications of emerging technologies and how to act on them. Our work drives structured strategic decision making related to deep tech through approaches such as horizon scanning, strategic foresight, technology road-mapping, competitor analysis, investment case and market insights. Critically we bridge the gap between technical innovation and real-world application, with a focus on supporting clients in understanding how emerging technologies can be operationalised within their business context. The technologies we work with are broad and include the latest advances in quantum sensing and compute, robotics and physical AI, novel materials and engineering biology among others.     THE ROLE  As a Technology Strategy Analyst/ Project Manager within our Advisory team, you will play a pivotal role in delivering high-quality client engagements while actively contributing to the analytical work that underpins them. This is a hybrid role that combines hands-on analysis with project leadership: you will manage advisory projects end-to-end, ensure teams stay on track and personally generate insights that drive client value.  The role sits within the ‘Research & Insights’ section of our Advisory group, which focuses on understanding how the near- and long-term future impacts the decisions we make today. This role has a focus on Defence and Security but will be responding to work in other sectors when business need arises.    WHAT YOU WILL BE DOING  As a Technology Strategy Analyst/ Project Manager in our Advisory team, you will:  * Work on diverse, high-impact projects spanning understanding the impact of deep tech. This is across broad domains but may include answering questions such as what quantum applications could do 50 years in the future, how operations research will be disrupted by neuromorphic computing, what post-quantum cryptography means for critical national infrastructure and developing AI-enabled tools to identify weak signals in data. You will help clients accelerate technology development towards operational impact and/or commercialisation through evaluating user/buyer desirability and developing strategies for adoption/commercialisation.  * Management of project delivery to ensure successful delivery for our clients and for CC to time and budget with a focus on delivering value. Coordinating multi-disciplinary teams to ensure cohesive and efficient execution. Proactively identify risks, manage scope and keep stakeholders informed of progress   * Analyse markets, data, technologies and business models to help clients navigate complexity, seize opportunities and anticipate threats. Building recommendations underpinned by insight from our technologists and understanding of the dynamics of adopting emerging technologies in the real world. Balance project leadership responsibilities with hands-on analytical work, contributing meaningfully to core project outputs  * Support business development by working with Business Developers in building relationships with clients to understand their programme needs and supporting the development of bids and proposals   * Collaborate with experts in engineering, science, product design & realisation and business to craft strategies that unlock commercial and societal value from deep tech. Contribute to shaping project approaches and methodologies to keep us relevant to client needs and resolving system level discussions, requiring a strong technical background  * Contribute to thought leadership on how deep tech can solve global challenges, such as the impact of climate change on the battlefield of the future. Communicate insights in a compelling, accessible manner tailored to both technical and senior business audiences    WHAT YOU WILL BRING  You will bring a strong technical foundation alongside a pragmatic understanding of how emerging technologies transition from concept to real-world deployment. Crucially, you will have project management experience and be able to translate complex technical and market intelligence into clear, actionable recommendations for client organisations.  We are looking for applicants with the following traits and skills:   * Strong technical background: Master’s or PhD in physical sciences, applied mathematics, data science, engineering, or other related disciplines  * Relevant domain/sector experience: 2-5 years’ experience in working in the Defence or Security domain in a government organisation, consultancy or private sector technology startup or multinational. Delivering projects with a significant amount of S&T (science and technology) or research and development content  * Project management experience: +2 years’ experience in project management, or project leadership. Demonstrating ability to lead and motivate a cross disciplinary team and influence stakeholders to ensure project success. Managing stakeholder expectations, developing understanding of programme needs and ideally experience of government tendering processes  * Strong understanding of technology commercialisation pathways: including the investment considerations of UK public sector, innovation pathways for defence, how technologies create user value in an operational context or challenges in scaling and deploying technologies into complex industrial environments globally.   * Structured analytical and creative thinking: Ability to turn complex technical concepts into actionable strategies and applying insights across multiple sectors  * Curiosity and adaptability: A passion for learning, excellent problem-solving and critical thinking skills   * Communication skills: Confidence in engaging with technical and non-technical stakeholders, running meetings with clients and crafting compelling narratives.     Some projects at Cambridge Consultants are subject to security restrictions. This role requires you to obtain a Security Check level security clearance ( https://www.gov.uk/guidance/united-kingdom-security-vetting-applicant ). You must be able to work in the UK without restrictions in accordance with UK National Law and be prepared to successfully undertake an appropriate level of UK National Security Vetting according to UK Government National Security Vetting criteria.    HOW TO APPLY  If you are interested in applying for this position, please send your CV and cover letter highlighting relevant experience for this role.  We welcome applications from people from diverse backgrounds and experiences. If you are excited about this role but don’t meet every requirement, we still encourage you to apply.  ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- By submitting an application to Cambridge Consultants, you confirm that the information provided in this application, together with any supporting documentation, is true, complete, and accurate to the best of your knowledge and belief. You understand that any false statement, misleading information, or material omission may render you liable to disqualification from the recruitment process, withdrawal of any offer of employment, or dismissal without notice if discovered following appointment. You acknowledge that the organisation reserves the right to verify the information supplied. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

cosine

YOUR (SPACE) MISSION As Project Manager at cosine, you turn ambitious space instrumentation programs into successful reality. Working within our Remote Sensing business, you lead multidisciplinary development projects that bring advanced space borne optical instruments from concept to launch. These instruments play a key role in planetary science, environmental protection, security and defence, empowering scientists and organisations worldwide to deepen their understanding of Earth and the universe beyond. You create structure in a highly innovative environment, balancing technical excellence with planning, budget, quality, and stakeholder expectations. The projects you manage typically have budgets of up to €20 million and directly contribute to missions with impact far beyond Earth. TASKS & RESPONSIBILITIES In this role, your responsibilities will include: * Lead end-to-end execution of space instrument development projects, from project kick-off to final delivery * Manage project scope, schedule, budget, resources, and quality throughout the project lifecycle * Coordinate multidisciplinary teams consisting of engineers, scientists, systems engineers, and manufacturing specialists * Act as the primary point of contact for customers, partners, subcontractors, and internal stakeholders, ensuring alignment with the Director of Remote Sensing and agreed strategies * Monitor project performance and proactively identify, assess, and mitigate risks * Ensure compliance with customer requirements, contractual obligations, and applicable industry standards * Drive decision-making processes and maintain alignment between technical, commercial, and operational objectives * Support proposal and business development activities by contributing project management expertise where required YOUR PROFILE We are looking for candidates with the following qualifications: * Several years of experience managing complex technical development projects in the space, aerospace, defence, or other high-tech industries * A technical or scientific background, preferably in engineering, physics, aerospace, systems engineering, or a related discipline * Demonstrated experience managing projects with demanding requirements regarding performance, planning, cost, and quality * Strong understanding of project management methodologies and engineering development lifecycles * Excellent stakeholder management and communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively at different organisational levels * A structured and proactive approach, combined with the ability to remain calm and decisive in a dynamic environment * A strong sense of ownership and accountability for project outcomes * Experience working with institutional, governmental, or international customers is considered an advantage * Excellent English communication skills; Dutch is a plus WHAT WE OFFER At cosine, we highly value our employees, and we will support your professional and personal development. We also provide our employees with: * A unique, international working environment at the intersection of physics and engineering * The opportunity to deliver end-to-end solutions in autonomous project teams, in close collaboration with customers * A competitive salary * 27 days of annual leave (based on full-time employment) * Hybrid working options, including the possibility to work partially from home * Company bicycle and fitness plans * A personal development budget * Initial one-year contract, with the aim of long-term collaboration ABOUT COSINE Founded in 1998, cosine is a world-leading developer of space instrumentation and measurement systems, making the invisible measurable and the complex actionable. Its expertise spans High-Energy Optics, including optics developed for ESA's future NewAthena X-ray observatory, as well as remote sensing solutions for Earth Observation and planetary science. With over 25 years of experience and advanced cleanroom and assembly facilities across the Netherlands, Germany, and Italy, cosine brings deep scientific and engineering expertise to some of the most demanding missions in space and on Earth. What makes cosine a unique place to work is that your work goes end-to-end: from concept and design to building, testing, and delivering hardware that actually flies in space. You work in small, highly skilled teams where you have real ownership and impact, alongside experts in optics, physics, nanofabrication, and systems engineering.  cosine is committed to providing an inclusive and equal opportunities work environment where everyone can thrive. As a proud member of the Women in Aerospace community, we recognise the importance of diversity, inclusion, and equal opportunity in the workplace.