Head of Project Management

Job Title: Head of Project Management

Location: Waterbeach, Cambridge 

Department: R&D

About Xaar

Inkjet Innovator. Trusted Partner. Sustainable Future. Xaar is here to create a world where you can print anything you can imagine.

For more information, visit www.xaar.com.

Xaar Values:

Xaar has defined 5 values which are vital to our business; each represents an area of essential importance to us. Their existence is intended to guide difficult decisions and shape behaviour.

Creative – we push the boundaries of what’s possible

Collaborative – everyone is a partner; we help each other freely and willingly

Innovative – we always strive to constantly improve

Integrity – we deliver on our promises

Passion – we care about our technology, our products, our partners and each other

 

Purpose of Role

  • Head the Project Management Team
  • Ensure all Development projects within Xaar are being delivered at high project quality and following robust, high-quality processes.
  • Direct the evolution of our Project Management processes in line with industry best practice.
  • Maintain and build resource capacity and capability within the team in support of our 3-year plan.
  • Represent Xaar externally to key customers.

 

Scale

The role is likely to involve line management of a team of three to ten people. The role will be responsible for delivering the R&D Project Portfolio including multi-million pound development projects.

 

Freedom to make decisions

  • The role will line manage the personnel within the team and own the working processes which the team follow.
  • The role will, whilst working with Technical Authorities, define R&D projects and steer the project work to ensure that the team run successful projects.
  • The role will personally project manage key projects to ensure on time and on budget delivery, whilst working with a Technical Authority to ensure on quality delivery.
  • The role will work closely with the Commercial team to ensure the live project portfolio is well aligned with the business commercial priorities.
  • The role will proactively foster collaboration between Development and other non-Development functions (Field Applications, Product Management, Business Development, Operations) to support knowledge sharing.
  • The role will work closely with the Commercial team and the Technology team, to stay abreast of new industry sectors and applications which our technology could be applicable to.
  • The role will manage the Project Management budget; working with the Finance team to track spend, update forecasts and allocate budget where felt necessary.

 

Complexity

  • The role will be required to work with, and clearly communicate to, multiple functional areas and stakeholders – some non-technical and some senior stakeholders.

  • The role will need to communicate with external customers and may be running customer funded projects.

  • The role will need to work closely with Technical Authorities; balancing project technical quality with “on-time” and “on-budget” delivery.

  • The role will need to steer key project management decisions to ensure projects deliver in support of the three-year roadmap.

  • The role will be personally project managing complex, multi-discipline R&D projects involving mechanics, electronics, software, fluidics.

  • The role will need to stay aware of project management trends, including novel approaches, processes and tools.

  • The role will need to govern the entire R&D Project Portfolio to ensure that all projects are delivering on time and to budget, including tracking and reporting methods.

  • The role will need to proactively identify process and tool improvement opportunities for the Project Management team, and work as a change agent to have these implemented

 

Planning horizon 

  • Mostly working to a set of annual targets related to approved projects § Daily tracking of the projects being managed personally

  • Contribute to the organisational 3-year plan – bringing new project ideas to the team for review and discussion.

 

Key Accountabilities 

On a typical day you’ll be expected to:

  • Line manage the Project Management team members – ensuring good people management practice is in place.

  • Project manage one or more key R&D projects.

  • Keep an eye on the live project portfolio to ensure project deliverables are on track, forecasts remain updated and key issues and risks are being managed well.

  • Develop a positive team culture in line with the Group’s values and behaviours.

  • Work with Technical Authorities to steer Development Projects related to new product developments

  • Communicate with new and existing customers

 

Knowledge, experience and qualifications:

  • Degree level educated in an engineering or scientific field
  • Ideally, some experience in inkjet or a printing industry – any experience of digital print considerations would be an advantage (print head operation, waveform fundamentals, ink chemistry, media, drying techniques, colour management, ink system operation)
  • Experience of line management
  • Experience of leading innovation within a technical organisation
  • Experience of best-in-class project management methods and tools
  • Experience of driving change to process, people, tools

 

Skills & behaviours:

  • Resourceful, flexible and able to work on own initiative
  • Able to communicate clearly and effectively in conversation and in writing, even to non-technical people 
  • Highly collaborative
  • Dynamic, able to react to changing situations
  • Able to think analytically and apply skills and knowledge in new environments
  • Commercially aware and results orientated – comfortable of representing Xaar in front of key clients.

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