Job Title: Senior Contract Resource Manager – Defence & Aerospace Programmes

Location: London (Hybrid – 2 days on site more remote after a while)

Employment Type: Permanent

Salary: £90k with full package to around £110k

About the Role

We are seeking a Senior Contract & Resource Manager to take ownership of contractor engagement, agency relationships, and supply chain workforce planning across high-profile defence and aerospace programmes. This is a strategic role, providing the link between engineering teams, procurement, and programme leadership to ensure the right talent is available to deliver critical projects on time and to budget.

You will play a key role in optimising resource utilisation, improving supply chain efficiency, and shaping contractor strategy, working closely with programme managers, engineering leads, and external partners.

Key Responsibilities

Contractor & Agency Management:

• Own the full lifecycle of contractor engagement for multiple complex engineering programmes.

• Manage relationships with approved recruitment agencies, ensuring quality, cost-effectiveness, and compliance with contractual terms.

• Oversee contractor onboarding, performance management, and offboarding processes.

Supply Chain & Workforce Planning:

• Collaborate with procurement, project, and engineering teams to forecast skills demand and align with project timelines.

• Advise on contractor vs. permanent resourcing strategies, including external supply chain optimisation.

• Ensure that contractor assignments are aligned with compliance requirements, technical standards, and programme deliverables.

Programme Support & Compliance:

• Provide oversight on workforce allocations across multiple sub-projects within a programme.

• Ensure all engagements comply with defence standards (Def Stan, MIL-STD, ISO) and internal policies.

• Support audits, continuous improvement initiatives, and KPI tracking for contractor utilisation and agency performance.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as the primary interface for contractor-related issues between engineering teams, project leadership, and procurement.

• Present updates and reports to senior stakeholders on resource risks, agency performance, and workforce planning.

• Mentor and guide internal teams on contractor management and supply chain best practices.

What We’re Looking For

• Extensive experience managing contractors and agencies in defence, aerospace, or high-tech engineering programmes.

• Strong understanding of supply chain dynamics, workforce planning, and resource allocation.

• Proven ability to collaborate with multiple stakeholders across technical, commercial, and procurement functions.

• Familiarity with regulated environments and industry standards.

• Excellent negotiation, problem-solving, and reporting skills.

• Strategic thinker with a hands-on approach to solving complex resourcing and supply chain challenges.