Principal Programme Manager

Location

Denham, Middlesex

Salary

Competitive with excellent employee benefits

Application Deadline

Friday, November 20, 2026

Job Summary

A super opportunity to lead the EMS Programme Portfolio.

The Principal Programme Manager will provide governance, management and leadership across the EMS programme portfolio, benefiting numerous programmes simultaneously and maintaining programme delivery performance. The EMS portfolio includes the ElectroMechanical Systems (EMS) and Ground Support Equipment (GSE) streams, as well as providing project management to Sourcing and Operations Support (SOS).

The Opportunity

You’ll lead a talented team of programme managers, ensuring these colleagues are developed and engaged, maintaining portfolio priorities and resolving resource challenges, also providing clear reporting, communication and updates to customers (internal and external), programme stakeholders and senior leadership. The role reports to the Head of Programmes – Pyro & ElectroMechanical.

This role will be based onsite working from the Denham site; hybrid options can be discussed after six months of joining Martin-Baker.

Direct Impact, Global Scale. Life-Saving Mission.

At Martin-Baker, the work we do matters. We design, manufacture and support life-saving equipment used by aircrew around the world. Our products operate in demanding environments, where quality, reliability and attention to detail are critical.

We’re proud of our long history in aerospace and defence, also focused on the future. Joining Martin-Baker means becoming part of a business with a clear purpose, strong engineering capability and a long-term commitment to its people, products and customers.

Whether you work in engineering, operations, commercial, finance, supply chain or support functions, your contribution helps deliver equipment that protects lives. It is challenging work, but it is also meaningful, and with over 7800 lives saved, it gives our people the opportunity to be part of something with real impact.

What You’ll Do

• Provide leadership and management, oversight and governance across a range of programmes through the IPT team.
• Responsibility for IPT project management system and performance indicators relating to the IPT team, respective of contract deliverables, schedules and budget plans.
• Risk and Governance across programme portfolio, ensuring that challenges/delays are identified with mitigation measures planned, delays minimised and potential costs identified across IPT.
• Leading resourcing across IPT relating to team workload levels, programme performance levels, recruitment and development of team members.
• Leading the IPT team relating to their engagement, coaching, expectation management, absence management, employee relations, reward and recognition activities.

What We’re Looking For

• Seasoned people management experience, leading and managing a range of programme managers at various levels of expertise.
• Broad programme / project management experience, with a thorough knowledge and understanding of engineering disciplines (design/test/manufacturing).
• Experience of managing and developing complex, safety critical products in an aerospace, defence or similar environments.
• Prior to becoming a project / programme manager, ideally an engineering background / foundation in an electronic, software, mechatronic, systems or similar discipline.
• Extensive experience of building relationships and negotiations with customers (internal and external).
• Knowledge of risk management techniques and their application to programmes.
• Share and demonstrate the Martin-Baker values.

Our Values

At Martin-Baker, we value professionalism, understanding, teamwork, humility, accountability and integrity. We look for people who take pride in their work, collaborate openly and act with care because the work we do matters.

What We Offer

• Excellent pension package with strong employer support — Martin-Baker contributes 9% of your salary (non-contributory to the employee), with further employer contributions that grow as you increase your own
• Life Assurance
• Lunchtime finish on a Friday
• Personalised training and development plan
• Healthcare plan
• 25-days annual leave plus bank holidays
• Opportunity to purchase additional annual leave
• Martin-Baker + (retail discounts platform)
• Occupational Health team
• Workplace Nursery Benefit scheme
• Cycle to work scheme

How to Apply / Your Interview Journey

Please submit your CV and a brief covering letter outlining your suitability, include any relevant experience, skills and expertise that you can bring to the role.

After submitting your application, your details will be reviewed and the recruitment team will be in touch.

First stage interview – a more informal discussion with the hiring team to understand your background and motivations applying for the position, also offering you the opportunity to ask questions about the role.

Final stage interview – you’ll be invited to complete online SHL assessments to find out how you like to work and discover some of the skills that you can bring to the role. This discussion will be more thorough with a hiring panel where you can showcase your skills and experience, in addition this stage will involve you presenting around a topic that you’ll be briefed on beforehand.

We believe in equal opportunity, committed to creating an inclusive environment where everyone is respected. We want you to be able to do your best work.

Martin-Baker is a signatory to the Armed Forces Covenant, showing our support and commitment to our Armed Forces and their families, proudly supporting those who serve.

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). For more information and guidance please visit https://martin-baker.com/security-vetting

The role also involves access to information governed by U.S. Export Control Laws (including ITAR); therefore, all applicants must satisfy ITAR eligibility requirements.