Head of Systems & Supportability Engineering

Sagentia Defence has a track record of success, as a trusted partner to customers within highly regulated Government programmes. We are looking for a new Head of Systems and Supportability Engineering (S&SE) to lead our team of engineers. The Head of Systems and Supportability Engineering will grow a team around them, and alongside other departments, to set strategy and deliver multi-disciplinary support to some of the most complex Government programmes. The S&SE team manage requirements at all stages of the Systems Engineering lifecycle, including elicitation of capability/user requirements, generation/management of system requirements, testing and acceptance.

What we are looking for?

The right applicant for this role will be someone who has a consultancy or Defence background, with the ability to work autonomously or within engineering and cross-functional teams. As the Head of Systems and Supportability Engineering, you will be responsible for:

• Vision and Strategy: Setting the vision and strategy for the department in collaboration with the other department leads. Ensuring that it is then communicated across the Company and aligned with the wider Sagentia Defence vision and strategy.
• Team leadership: Motivating, coaching and managing the performance of team members. Leading team meetings to share knowledge, co-ordinate activities, pursue opportunities and address issues.
• Resource Management: Allocating consultants to projects and accounts in support of the business, working with the Account Leads to successfully meet demand.
• Capability Development: Developing and maintaining S&SE service offerings aligned to account demand signal and collaborating with other departments to ensure services are coherent across the business.
• Training and Development: Identifying and setting up training courses for members of the department based on their training needs. Coaching people on the use of Systems Engineering and ILS tools and techniques. Collaborating with other Department Heads to ensure recruitment, training and performance reviews (including promotions) are coherent across the business.
• Business Development: Supporting Account Leads by writing technical approaches within bids and presenting to prospective customers. Collaborating with Account Leads to identify need for new capability across all our customers.
• Technical Assurance: Working on projects, providing technical guidance and review to ensure project deliverables are of a high quality and meet customers expectations.
• Recruitment: Attracting new people to the business via networking, thought leadership and advertising. Interviewing and recruiting new team members.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

You will be someone with firm understanding of requirements management across all Defence Lines of Development, with experience across Operating Domains. You should have a positive, flexible and self-motivated attitude, and be keen to develop yourself and others within the team. You will have experience in:

• Delivering Requirements Engineering, Integrated Logistical Support, MBSE, and Engineering Governance in a consultancy context.
• Experience of requirements management within the UK MOD (Frontline Commands or Delivery Agents), Knowledge of the UK acquisition framework (e.g. Business Cases, URD, SRD, CONEMP/CONUSE, ITEAP, etc.)
• Experience of DOORS/Dimensions RM software to support requirements management.
• Understanding of modern SE approaches like MBSE.
• Understanding of complex system of system projects and programmes, especially with respect to integration activities and SoS performance setting and acceptance.
• Capability Development of new tools and techniques.
• Providing technical guidance and reviews to ensure project deliverables are of a high quality and meet customers expectations.
• Leading multi-disciplined teams in a consultancy setting.
• Working within public sector with knowledge of government processes.
• Managing a variety of stakeholders both internally and externally.
• Developing employees and teams through internal and external training.
• Mentoring employees across all grades.
• Contributing and leading successful bids/technical proposals.

If you are interested in applying for this role, candidates must have:

• An existing right to live and work in the UK.
• Either hold a current SC clearance or be willing and eligible to undergo a Security Clearance check (SC level) upon starting their employment with the company. To gain SC clearance you will normally need at least 5 years UK residency.
• Degree level qualification or relevant experience.
• Significant experience as a Systems Engineer in MOD or defence-related projects.
• An Engineering Chartership or equivalent relevant to the role.

Benefits

To work in an exciting, fast paced environment where you will have the opportunity to add value and make a difference. To work for a forward thinking, agile organisation who embrace diversity. Empowerment to deliver in a trusting and supportive environment. The opportunity to further enhance your skills through a training and development programme tailored to support your career aspirations. The support and encouragement to develop a long term and rewarding career. To work in an environment where creativity and innovation is encouraged and rewarded.