Technical Project Manager – Composites & Innovation
Hive Composites Ltd – Wymeswold Technical Centre, Leicestershire
Salary: £40,000-£55,000, commensurate with experience
Full-time, permanent
Hive Composites is seeking an experienced Technical Project Manager to lead the successful delivery of innovative commercial and collaborative R&D programmes in advanced composite materials and manufacturing technologies. This is a key role for a technically capable project manager who can coordinate multi-partner programmes, manage customer-facing technical delivery, and ensure projects are delivered to agreed scope, budget, quality and timescale. The successful candidate will work across a varied portfolio of projects involving advanced composite materials, manufacturing processes, product development, testing and technology demonstration.
About Hive Composites
Hive Composites is a specialist composite technology company working across sectors including aerospace, defence, automotive, energy, infrastructure and industrial applications. We support clients and partners through composite design, materials and process development, prototyping, testing, validation and innovation project delivery.
Our work includes both commercially funded development programmes and collaborative R&D projects supported through organisations such as Innovate UK, ATI, DESNZ and European funding schemes.
The Role
This role offers the opportunity to play a central role in delivering high-impact technology programmes for leading industrial clients and collaborative innovation partners.
The Technical Project Manager will work closely with programme directors and the engineering team and will be responsible for planning, coordinating and managing technical projects involving internal engineering teams, customers, suppliers, academic partners and industrial collaborators.
The position is primarily focused on project delivery and coordination rather than hands-on engineering, although a strong technical understanding of composite technologies is essential. The role is primarily site-based at Wymeswold Technical Centre, with occasional travel to customer and partner locations.
The role will include:
· Managing commercial and grant-funded composite materials and manufacturing projects.
· Developing and maintaining project plans, schedules, budgets, risk registers and action trackers.
· Coordinating technical work packages, deliverables, milestones and reporting requirements.
· Working with engineers, technicians and external partners to ensure technical activities are delivered effectively.
· Supporting customer and stakeholder meetings, including preparation of agendas, minutes, reports and presentations.
· Monitoring project progress, identifying risks and implementing corrective actions.
· Managing project documentation in line with internal quality systems and funder requirements.
· Supporting grant claim preparation, evidence collection and reporting.
· Contributing to proposal development, project scoping and technical planning for future programmes.
· Ensuring effective communication between technical, commercial and management teams.
Candidate Requirements
Applicants must have the right to work in the UK. The successful candidate will have:
· At least 5 years’ project management experience, ideally in an engineering, manufacturing, R&D or technology development environment.
· Technical experience with composite materials, composite manufacturing, polymer materials, advanced materials or related engineering disciplines.
· Strong understanding of project planning, budgeting, risk management, milestone tracking and technical reporting.
· Experience managing multi-disciplinary teams and external stakeholders.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
· Ability to translate technical progress into clear project reports and management updates.
· Strong organisational skills, attention to detail and ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously.
· Confidence working in a fast-moving SME environment.
Desirable Experience
· Experience in any of the following would be advantageous:
· Grant-funded project management, including Innovate UK, ATI, DESNZ, Horizon Europe or similar programmes.
· Composite processing methods such as resin infusion, prepreg, compression moulding, filament winding, pultrusion or thermoplastic composites.
· Materials testing, validation, qualification or technology readiness level progression.
· Use of project management tools.
· Formal project management training or qualifications such as PRINCE2, APM, PMP or equivalent.
What We Offer
· Salary of £40,000-£55,000, dependent on experience.
· Opportunity to play a key role in shaping project delivery processes within a growing advanced engineering SME
· Opportunity to lead and deliver innovative commercial and publicly funded R&D programmes.
· A varied role within a growing SME with strong technical capability and ambitious development plans.
· Based at Hive Composites’ Wymeswold Technical Centre, with access to composite processing, testing and development facilities.
Pay: £40,000.00-£55,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Company events
- Company pension
- Free parking
- On-site parking
- Sick pay
Ability to commute/relocate:
- Loughborough LE12: reliably commute or plan to relocate before starting work (preferred)
Work authorisation:
- United Kingdom (required)
Willingness to travel:
Work Location: In person
