Project Manager (Contract)

Contract Project Manager Location: Bristol (Hybrid - 4 days onsite) Rate: £430 - £475 per day Duration: Initial 6-month contract IR35 Status: Outside IR35 Start Date: ASAP We are supporting an innovative engineering organisation in Bristol operating within a safety-critical software environment within the aerospace and regulated engineering sector. The role requires a Project Manager with demonstrable experience delivering regulated or safety-critical software / engineering programmes, ideally within environments influenced by aerospace, defence, or similar high-assurance industries. This is a delivery improvement role focused on strengthening project governance, planning discipline, risk management, reporting standards, and delivery visibility across complex technical software development workstreams. You will be working closely with engineering and technical teams operating within structured lifecycle and assurance frameworks, where delivery confidence, traceability, and compliance are critical. Please note: this is not a generic IT software delivery role. We are specifically seeking experience from regulated or safety-critical engineering environments, rather than general commercial software or digital transformation projects. Key Responsibilities • Improve project planning, tracking and reporting processes • Establish and embed standardised project management methodologies • Strengthen risk, issue and change management practices • Improve project governance and delivery controls • Support the development of existing project management capability • Work closely with software engineering teams delivering complex products • Drive greater predictability, transparency and confidence in project delivery Essential Experience • Proven experience managing software development projects • Experience working within aerospace or safety critical environments • Strong project governance and stakeholder management skills • Experience improving project delivery frameworks and controls • Agile delivery experience within sprint-based development environments • Ability to influence and mentor project teams Desirable Experience • Aerospace industry experience • Experience working within DO-178C or similar regulated software environments • Background within aviation, defence, engineering or other safety-critical sectors • Familiarity with Azure DevOps, Microsoft Project and related project management tools This role would suit someone who enjoys improving delivery maturity, supporting others and bringing structure to complex technical environments. If you're an experienced software Project Manager with safety-critical experience and are looking for your next contract opportunity, we'd love to hear from you. Please note: We cannot provide sponsorship for this role and applicants MUST be based in the UK.