Head of Programmes
Role Overview
Take senior ownership of Nu Quantum’s growing UK and international programme portfolio, reporting to the VP of Engineering.
Accountable for internal R&D and product development through customer and partner engagements.
Represent delivery to the Senior Leadership Team, Board, customers and partners; the established PMO team reports to this role.
Key Skills for This Role
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About Nu Quantum
Nu Quantum aims to commercialise research developed over the past decade at the Cavendish Laboratory and advance quantum information systems.
The company develops quantum photonic technology for scalable quantum networking infrastructure, working with companies and academic groups.
Role overview
Take senior ownership of Nu Quantum’s growing UK and international programme portfolio, reporting to the VP of Engineering.
Accountable for internal R&D and product development through customer and partner engagements.
Represent delivery to the Senior Leadership Team, Board, customers and partners; the established PMO team reports to this role.
What you will do
- Own delivery across technology-development programmes, the product roadmap, customer and partner programmes, and internal change projects.
- Set priorities with Department Heads and the PMO, resolving competing demands on people, budget and time.
- Report portfolio status, risks and dependencies to the Senior Leadership Team and Board; oversee programme budgets.
- Serve as senior delivery contact for commercial customers and collaboration partners.
- Work with Business Development, Marketing and Product to scope deliverable engagements and define scope, milestones and success criteria.
- Oversee programmes globally, establish appropriate programme management in new locations, and align technical roadmaps, hiring plans and company objectives.
- Plan programme-management capacity as the portfolio grows.
- Support the PMO Group Lead in mentoring Programme and Project Managers and own senior responsibility for PMO governance, processes and tools.
- Set standards for documentation and structured communication; foster a collaborative, transparent, delivery-focused environment.
Required skills and experience
- Senior programme leadership experience working directly with a Senior Leadership Team and C-suite.
- Significant complex technical-programme leadership in a multidisciplinary engineering or R&D environment.
- Experience delivering customer or partner programmes, managing commitments, milestones and senior relationships.
- Experience building or scaling a programme-management function and managing other managers or leaders.
- Experience running programmes across multiple sites; international experience is preferred.
- Expertise in programme risks, dependencies and senior- and board-level stakeholder communication.
- Degree in Engineering, Physics, Computer Science or another relevant technical discipline, or equivalent experience.
- Excellent written and verbal communication with technical and non-technical teams.
- Pragmatic, delivery-focused approach and ability to adapt in a fast-moving start-up.
Desirable skills and experience
- A postgraduate qualification in a technical field, engineering or project management is beneficial.
- Programme or project management certification such as MSP, PRINCE2, PMP or APM, or real-world experience using these approaches, is beneficial.
- Experience in quantum technologies, photonics, semiconductors, convergent technology or other deep-tech industries is beneficial.
- Familiarity with product-development lifecycles for advanced hardware based on academic research is beneficial.
Benefits
- Flexible working options.
- 28 days’ annual leave, inclusive of a three-day company shutdown, plus bank holidays in England and Wales; option to purchase up to five additional days.
- Office refreshments, access to the Cambridge Botanical Gardens, onsite gym membership and cycle scheme.
- Private medical and dental cover, enhanced paid family leave, employee referral scheme, a paid sabbatical after four years and group life assurance.
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