University of Bristol

The Holy Trinity School

Programme Management Consultant - Space, Aerospace, & Defence

Basingstoke, England, United Kingdom

Successfully founded, developed, and mentored Astroscale UK’s Programme Management function. Led, recruited, and grew the programme management team from 1 to 7+ senior and standard grade project managers, delivered a portfolio of 20+ programmes and projects. Recognised for building a strong and capable programme delivery function within the Business.

Executive Director of ASUK, at time of transitioning longest serving member of UK Leadership Team. Proactively contributed across broader functional disciplines (particularly Engineering and Product Assurance) to shape the strategic direction of the Company. Deployed hands-on leadership and technical experience to significantly contribute to company growth, resulting in commercial expansion (both in terms of size of company portfolio and generated revenue) from early start-up to established SME phase of maturity (company was 11 personnel at time of joining, grew to 140+ staff members in UK).

Successfully achieved top-level delivery of ASUK programmes portfolio. Respected by programmes team and broader company personnel as a pragmatic, capable leader. Balanced strategic oversight with helpful, hands-on approach in support of timely and efficient delivery. Included formally chairing Monthly Programme Reviews, direct line management of various team members, and offering experienced mentoring and guidance to up-and-coming mid-level leaders within the Company.

Efficiently led functions not directly related to programme management, including current top-level leadership of the Product Assurance function, and historical leadership of the Engineering, Ground Segment, and Spacecraft Operations functions prior to the assignment of an Engineering Director within the company.

Led the design and development of the Gen2 Astroscale docking plate prototype (mechanical device used by spacecraft to enable in-orbit rendezvous and docking capability), currently available globally from Astroscale (<a href="https://astroscale.com/docking-plate/">https://astroscale.com/docking-plate/</a>).
            

    
    

    
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Astroscale

Programmes Director, Astroscale UK

First active senior project manager to join Astroscale UK as an early lifecycle start-up.

Led ASUK’s flagship mission “Sunrise”, a Public Private Partnership, developing a ground-breaking (both in terms of innovative space technology and new business market) commercial on-orbit servicing solution, in collaboration with European Space Agency, UK Space Agency, and OneWeb.

Proactively contributed broadly across ASUK, from the early phases of its UK founding as a private investor funded start-up. Delivered a key role driving the transition toward establishing ASUK as a successful commercial entity within the UK and European space industries.
            

    
    

    
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Senior Project Manager

Led development of R&D spacecraft to establish flight heritage for next-generation on board computer system, to de-risk upcoming high value commercial missions.

Demonstrated capability to deliver full lifecycle project within exceptionally accelerated timescales, within application of appropriate Company processes.

Surrey Satellite Technology Ltd (SSTL)

Senior Project Manager, DoT-1

Recovered delivery of experimental space debris removal spacecraft with significant historical issues, within a severely constrained resource, timescale, and budget framework.

Successfully pulled together and led a matrixed cross-discipline team, resulting in significantly improved schedule performance and cost control.

Managed diverse range of internal and external stakeholders including academic, commercial, government, and international space organisations.

Senior Project Manager, Remove Debris

Successfully recovered and led concurrent delivery and bid activities for novel technology in-orbit servicing prototype from bid to Preliminary Design Review readiness.

Addressed sizable challenges including ambitious Customer, conflicting and often changing technical requirements, compressed timescales, and management of potential for significant technical and commercial risk to company.

Senior Project Manager, Effective Space In-Orbit Servicing mission

Led team to develop European navigation (GPS, GNSS) related future business as follow-on from leadership of Galileo Payload programme. Worked with European Space Agency and similar organisations.

Navigation Project Manager

Led Galileo (flagship European satellite navigation system) Full Operational Capability payload programme on behalf of SSTL.

Successfully delivered satellite payload production and qualification activities on time and to budget.
Built a positive Customer relationship, alongside providing effective internal leadership and management of core and matrixed cross-discipline teams.

Senior Project Manager, Galileo Full Operational Capability mission

Successfully led project management of Galileo FOC Payloads (Flight Model 05 onwards), delivered to senior project manager and end customer.

Large high value programme with challenging timescales, complex supplier / customer chain and political drivers.

Achieved required in financial year deliveries critical to top level Company P&L.

Payload Production Manager, Galileo Full Operational Capability mission

Successfully led and delivered a series of high profile projects including Galileo (European global navigation system) on behalf of SSTL.

Recognised for ability to recover and lead historically underperforming or at risk missions.

Membership of SSTL Senior Management Team (2017 to 2018).

Member of SSTL “talent management” scheme.

Summary of achievements at SSTL

Led team of Subcontract and Project Managers to deliver critical supply chain elements to the SSTL Galileo FOC Project.

Successfully analysed and greatly improved historically at risk team performance.

Established various project management best practices such as critical path scheduling, 3 point estimating, financial control, and formal monthly reporting.

Payload Equipment Manager, Galileo Full Operational Capability mission

Successfully delivered Tornado Advanced Mission Planning Aid (TAMPA) Safety Of Use Release. Achieved technically challenging project under very short timescales, with a team comprised primarily of new personnel, operating under considerable resource constraints, on schedule and below budget. Well received by Customer.

First project in Account to deliver using both Design Approved Organisation and iterative processes throughout whole lifecycle.

Successfully incorporated new at time legally mandated functionality (banning of cluster munitions) and various software quality improvement initiatives into release at very short notice.
            

    
    

    
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Hewlett Packard Enterprise

Project Manager, Tornado Advanced Mission Planning Aid In Service Support

Project Manager, In Service Support TAF (bid activities)

Project Manager, Design Approved Organisation Processes and Procedures

EDS Group

Project Manager, RSAF TAMPA v2.1

Project Manager, RSAF TAMPA Release To Service 2

Project Manager, Rotary Wing AMPA

Project Manager, UAE AMPA

Successfully led a series of increasingly complex delivery, process, and BD related aerospace defence projects to UK MoD and international defence partners.

Summary of achievements at HP Enterprise Services Defence & Security / EDS Defence Limited

Project Manager, AMPA

Sponsored by Thales while attending university.

Performed “year-in-industry” graduate scheme during degree, and two year rotational placement.

Delivered numerous early career assignments including avionics software engineering, and in-service commercial flight simulator project management roles.

Sean Ainley