Lead project Controller - Luton/Reading

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.

INDWIN

Our clients and their customers come from diverse backgrounds and so do we. We hire our people from various walks of life, each of whom make our company stronger with their talent, uniqueness, and expertise. This is what makes our company special; if you want to help us grow and take this ethos to our clients, then we cannot wait to collaborate with you!

The UK has now left the European Union. Any EU, EEA or Swiss citizens living in the UK that wish to remain in the UK post Brexit need to apply to the EU Settlement Scheme. Although the closing date for applications was 30th Jun 2021, if you have not yet applied but believe that you would qualify under the EU Settlement Scheme, the Home Office have confirmed that they will consider late applications. For further information please see (url removed)> Many Thanks