Project Controls Lead – Level 7
Location: Luton initially, transitioning to Reading from September 2026
Working Pattern: 3-4 Days On Site
Contract: 12 Months
Rate: £62 – £65 per hour (Outside IR35)
Security Clearance: Active SC Clearance Required
Nationality Requirement: Sole British Nationals Only
THE ROLE
We are recruiting on behalf of a leading defence and aerospace organisation seeking an experienced GCAP Project Controls Lead to support a major international defence programme.
This role will support the FCA GCAP Programme Controls Manager in shaping and delivering a best-practice Project Controls framework within a tri-national consortium involving UK, Italian and Japanese partners.
The successful candidate will play a key role in schedule management, programme planning, performance analysis and stakeholder coordination across a highly complex, multi-national engineering programme environment.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Support the development and delivery of a best-practice Project Controls framework across the GCAP programme
- Develop, maintain and control complex project schedules across large-scale engineering programmes
- Apply recognised scheduling methodologies including Critical Path Method (CPM)
- Coordinate timelines and planning activities across multi-functional and international teams
- Monitor, analyse and report schedule performance, identifying risks and recommending mitigation strategies
- Support schedule optimisation and conflict resolution activities
- Balance programme resources and delivery deadlines to achieve contractual and operational objectives
- Work closely with programme leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure schedule alignment and project delivery success
- Support risk management and scenario planning activities across programme controls functions
- Maintain high standards of governance, reporting accuracy and schedule integrity
WHAT WE’RE LOOKING FOR
- Proven experience within Project Controls, Planning or Schedule Management roles on large, complex engineering programmes
- Aerospace and defence programme experience highly desirable
- Strong expertise in schedule development, maintenance and control
- Experience applying Critical Path Method (CPM) and advanced planning methodologies
- Strong stakeholder engagement and communication capability across international teams
- Ability to analyse schedule performance and develop mitigation strategies
- Strong problem-solving and risk management capability
- Experience balancing programme priorities, resources and delivery schedules
- Active SC Clearance essential
- Sole British National essential
DESIRABLE EXPERIENCE
- Multi-national programme experience
- Complex defence or aerospace project environments
- Programme controls governance frameworks
- Advanced planning and scheduling tools
WHY APPLY?
This is an opportunity to work on one of the UK’s most significant future defence programmes within a highly advanced international engineering environment. You’ll be supporting critical programme delivery activities across a complex tri-national consortium while operating at the forefront of aerospace and defence programme controls.
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