We believe in the power of ingenuity to build a positive human future.  

As strategies, technologies, and innovation collide, we create opportunity from complexity. 

Our teams of interdisciplinary experts combine innovative thinking and breakthrough technologies to progress further, faster. Our clients adapt and transform, and together we achieve enduring results. 

We are over 4,000 strategists, innovators, designers, consultants, digital experts, scientists, engineers, and technologists. And we have deep expertise in consumer and manufacturing, defence and security, energy and utilities, financial services, government and public services, health and life sciences, and transport.  

Our teams operate globally from offices across the UK, Ireland, US, Nordics, and Netherlands. 

PA. Bringing Ingenuity to Life. 

Reporting & Operating Model

• Operationally aligned to the Heads of Capability within Design Engineering & Science
• Works in close partnership with the Design Engineering & Science Leadership Team
• Open to PA and Jacobs (consulting or corporate teams) in the UK

Role Purpose

The Operations Manager for Design Engineering & Science exists to enable consistent, disciplined delivery of strategy across the Design Engineering & Science capabilities.

The role supports strategy execution, governance, delivery cadence, and performance tracking, ensuring that agreed objectives and key results (OKRs) are translated into executable plans and delivered against.

This role enables Capability Leads to focus on market leadership, technical excellence, and client delivery, while maintaining a clear operational management of transformation.

The role is not responsible for defining strategy, nor for implementing a new business design. Instead, it ensures that existing strategy is delivered effectively, progress is visible, and corrective action is taken when required.

Key Responsibilities

1. Strategy Delivery & Execution Support

• Translate Insight, Design, Engineering, & Science strategic priorities into clear operational plans across these capabilities
• Support Capability Leads in defining, tracking, and delivering Objectives and Key Results (OKRs)
• Maintain an integrated view of interdependencies, risks, and delivery health across capabilities with Resource Management support
• Proactively identify assignment delivery performance concerns and work with capability leadership to define corrective actions

2. Operational Governance & Cadence

• Establish and run a time‑effective, fit‑for‑purpose business review cadence for Design Engineering & Science Stream
• Prepare, coordinate and track outcomes from leadership and operational review forums
• Ensure clarity of ownership, actions, and decisions arising from reviews
• Provide concise, insight‑led reporting on progress against agreed goals, milestones and outcomes. 
• 3. Performance & Delivery Management
• Monitor delivery performance against agreed objectives, milestones and success measures
• Track delivery health at capability and cross‑capability level, surfacing risks early
• Support Capability Leads in maintaining strong delivery discipline and operating rhythm
• Ensure focus remains on outcomes achieved, not activity volume or process adherence alone

This is a senior operational delivery role requiring experience operating at leadership‑team level within complex, multi‑capability environments in PA as a part of Jacobs.

Ownership of Strategic Initiatives:

• Own and lead one or more strategic initiatives as prescribed by the Design Engineering & Science Leadership Team
• Be fully accountable for planning, execution, stakeholder management and delivery of these initiatives
• Coordinate contributors across capabilities and corporate functions as required
• Ensure initiatives are delivered to time, scope and intended impact, with progress transparently reported.
  
  Stakeholder & Capability Partnership:
   
• Act as a trusted operational support partner day-to-day to Capability Leads
• Work closely with relevant corporate and Jacobs teams where required to enable delivery
• Ensure alignment between capability‑level execution and Design Engineering & Science‑wide strategic priorities
• Share good practice and insights across capabilities to improve overall delivery effectiveness

The role has authority to define and run delivery governance and review cadence, and to escalate delivery risks and dependencies to the Design Engineering & Science Leadership Team.

What This Role Is Not

• Not a transformation or change‑programme implementation role
• Not a Chief Operating Officer role with broad enterprise accountability
• Not responsible for sales leadership, people performance management, or financial ownership within the Capability Operating Units (OU)
• No direct line management accountability for capability P&L or people performance
• Not a junior or rotational role – this is a senior operational delivery position tailored to the Design Engineering & Science context

Performance Assessment:

Performance is only qualitatively assessed against achievement of agreed goals and outcomes, including:

• Delivery of agreed capability‑level OKRs
• Effectiveness of governance and operational cadence
• Successful delivery of assigned strategic initiatives on-time
• Evidence of collaboration on a PA strategic initiative with additional Operations Managers
• Quality of partnership with Capability Leads and the Leadership Team through feedback

Apply today by completing our online application

Please be aware that some of our UK roles at PA Consulting require a UK security clearance.

All PA people are required to undergo background checks and to achieve the Baseline Personnel Security Standard however, some UK roles also require higher levels of National Security Vetting, where applicants must have at least 5 years of continuous residency in the UK.

We therefore ask that you only apply if you meet the residency requirements (i.e. you are a British citizen or have been resident in the UK for the past 5 years), as this is the prerequisite for a security clearance. If you're unsure about your eligibility, we encourage you to review the UK Government’s guidance on security vetting before applying.

Life At PA encompasses our peoples' experience at PA. It's about how we enrich peoples’ working lives by giving them access to unique people and growth opportunities and purpose led meaningful work. 

Our purpose guides how we work with our clients and our teams, and support our communities, to deliver insight and impact, solving the world’s most complex challenges. We're focused on building a workplace that values human difference and diverse mindsets, and a culture of inclusion and equality that unlocks the potential in our people so everyone can be their best self. 

Find out more about Life at PA here. 

We are dedicated to supporting the physical, emotional, social and financial well-being of our people. Check out some of our extensive benefits: 

• Health and lifestyle perks accompanying private healthcare
• 25 days annual leave (plus a bonus half day on Christmas Eve) with the opportunity to buy 5 additional days 
• Generous company pension scheme 
• Opportunity to get involved with community and charity-based initiatives 
• Annual performance-based bonus 
• Tax efficient benefits (cycle to work, give as you earn) 

We’re committed to advancing equality. We recruit, retain, reward and develop our people based solely on their abilities and contributions and without reference to their age, background, disability, genetic information, parental or family status, religion or belief, race, ethnicity, nationality, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity (or expression), political belief, veteran status, or any other range of human difference brought about by identity and experience. We welcome applications from underrepresented groups. 

Adjustments or accommodations - Should you need any adjustments or accommodations to the recruitment process, at either application or interview, please contact us on [email protected]