At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a diverse team in engineering and design for the UK's historic waterways.
- Company: Join the Canal & River Trust, a key player in preserving our waterways.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, private medical insurance, pension scheme, and generous holiday entitlement.
- Other info: Home-based role with travel across England and Wales; embrace innovation and continuous improvement.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on the safety and resilience of vital infrastructure.
- Qualifications: Degree in engineering and experience leading multidisciplinary teams.
The predicted salary is between 90000 - 100000 £ per year.
Join Our Team: Head of Engineering & Design Opportunity. Navigate your future and lock in your career as we keep our canals open and alive. We're excited to have created a new Head of Engineering & Design in our new Operations division. This is a unique opportunity to lead a diverse multidisciplinary function responsible for engineering, design, asset inspection, lock gate production and health & safety expertise across one of the UK's largest historic infrastructure networks.
Working Hours & Location
This is a home-based role which follows a 37 hour working week and will be assigned to one of the Trust's key operational hubs. Regular travel across England and Wales as required to competently perform the role. A valid UK driving licence and access to a vehicle are essential.
Role Overview
Reporting to the Chief Operations Officer, you will provide strategic leadership across multi-disciplinary engineering and other key technical disciplines, ensuring our waterways and infrastructure remain safe, resilient, and operationally effective. You'll lead a team of technical experts across England and Wales to manage asset performance, address emerging risks and deliver practical solutions that protect the network, its heritage and environmental value.
Key responsibilities
- Provide strategic leadership for the Trust's engineering and design function, bringing together civil, mechanical, electrical and other key technical expertise to support the safe, resilient and effective operation of the waterways network.
- Lead a large multidisciplinary function spanning engineering, environment, inspection, condition monitoring, health & safety, lock gate production, restoration and heritage engineering, creating a high-performing and integrated team aligned to operational priorities.
- Ensure engineering, environmental and operational considerations are effectively balanced, delivering pragmatic solutions that manage risk, optimise asset performance and support long-term network resilience.
- Assessing, providing advice and prioritising solutions to customer and third party related issues arising from canal infrastructure.
- Provide visible professional leadership across the Trust, setting engineering standards, driving technical assurance, and fostering a culture of innovation, continuous improvement and operational excellence.
- Develop organisational capability across engineering and specialist disciplines, ensuring the Trust has the skills, expertise and capacity required to meet current and future challenges.
- Lead strategic relationships with operational teams, regulators, local authorities, developers, utilities and other partners, ensuring effective management of risk and opportunities across the network.
- Drive improvements in engineering delivery, asset intelligence, manufacturing capability and environmental performance, leveraging technology, innovation and modern ways of working to enhance outcomes.
- Provide Gold Command cover as part of the Trust's incident management framework, delivering strategic leadership during major incidents and ensuring effective organisational response and continuity.
- Display the Trust values and behaviours at all times, ensuring that diversity and inclusion are integrated into all aspects of Trust life.
About You
You will be a commercially astute and influential engineering leader with the breadth and credibility to lead multiple technical disciplines and bring them together around common goals. You will bring a proven track record of leading multidisciplinary technical functions within complex, asset-intensive organisations.
You will be a collaborative and visible leader who thrives on bringing together different professional disciplines to tackle complex challenges. Comfortable balancing strategic priorities with operational realities, you will be known for making sound decisions, driving continuous improvement and leading through influence, expertise and partnership.
Skills & Qualifications
- Technical: Degree-qualified in Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, Water Engineering, or a closely related engineering discipline, holding Chartered status with a relevant professional institution.
- Significant experience leading multidisciplinary engineering functions within a complex, asset-intensive environment.
- Proven experience managing and integrating engineering disciplines such as civil, mechanical, electrical, and/or water engineering to deliver operational and asset performance outcomes.
- Experience operating within a regulated, publicly funded, charitable, or similarly governed organisation.
- Strong understanding of engineering governance, technical assurance, design standards, CDM regulations, temporary works, and infrastructure risk management.
- Ability to balance engineering excellence with practical operational delivery, making sound decisions in complex and often time-critical situations.
- General: Demonstrable experience leading large, geographically dispersed professional teams through periods of operational challenge, change, and continuous improvement.
- Strong stakeholder management skills, with experience influencing senior leaders, regulators, partners, and technical specialists.
Contact & Application
If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at CRT.recruitment@canalrivertrust.org.uk. We encourage early applications as we may close the vacancy once we receive enough suitable candidates.
What We Offer
We offer a salary of £90,000 - £100,000 plus £6,240 car cash allowance per annum. Enjoy private medical insurance, a competitive pension scheme, increasing holiday entitlement, and a range of employee benefits.
Head of Engineering and Design employer: Canal & River Trust
At Canal & River Trust, we pride ourselves on being an excellent employer that values innovation and teamwork. Our supportive work culture fosters professional growth through continuous learning opportunities, while our commitment to flexible working arrangements ensures a healthy work-life balance. Join us in making a meaningful impact on the UK's canal network, where your expertise will be valued and your contributions will help shape the future of our vital infrastructure.
StudySmarter Expert Advice🤫
We think this is how you could land Head of Engineering and Design
✨Join Engineering Meetups!
Get yourself along to local engineering meetups or tech conferences. These are great places to connect with like-minded folks and industry leaders who might just have a lead on that full-time Head of Engineering and Design role you’re after at Canal & River Trust.
✨Show Off Your Projects!
Don’t be shy about showcasing your engineering projects. Whether it’s a funky app, a mechanical design, or a complex algorithm, having a solid portfolio on platforms like GitHub can really make you stand out. Plus, it gives potential employers at Canal & River Trust a taste of what you can bring to the table!
✨Engage with Online Communities
Dive into engineering forums and online communities, like Reddit or specific engineering Discord channels. Sharing your insights, asking questions, and being active can help you build connections that might lead to job opportunities at Canal & River Trust.
✨Apply Through Company Websites
When you spot a role like Head of Engineering and Design at Canal & River Trust, apply directly through their website. Often, this can show your genuine interest in the company and you might just get noticed quicker than via typical job boards.
We think you need these skills to ace Head of Engineering and Design
Some tips for your application 🫡
Showcase Your Technical Expertise:When applying for an engineering role like Head of Engineering and Design, it’s essential to highlight your technical skills. Include any relevant software or tools you're proficient in on your CV—think CAD software, simulation tools, or programming languages. Don't skimp on any engineering projects you've worked on that demonstrate your ability to solve complex problems.
Focus on Results and Impact:In the engineering world, we love numbers and real-world impact. Quantify your achievements wherever possible—like reducing costs by a certain percentage, improving efficiency, or successfully completing a project ahead of schedule. This gives your future employers at Canal & River Trust a clear picture of the value you can bring.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter:Use your cover letter to express your passion for engineering and explain why you’re drawn to Canal & River Trust specifically. Share what aspects of their work excite you and how your values align with theirs. This is your chance to show a bit of personality while keeping it professional!
Include Relevant Certifications:If you have any engineering certifications, especially ones that are recognised in your field, make sure to feature them prominently on your CV. They demonstrate not just your knowledge, but also your commitment to professional development, which is something we at StudySmarter value highly.
How to prepare for a job interview at Canal & River Trust
✨Brush Up on Core Engineering Principles
Before heading into the interview with Canal & River Trust, make sure you're solid on the fundamental engineering principles relevant to the role. Be ready to discuss concepts such as thermodynamics, fluid mechanics, or structural analysis, depending on the specifics mentioned in the job description. Don’t skip any hands-on projects or coursework; these can be excellent talking points!
✨Show Off Your Problem-Solving Skills
Expect technical questions or case studies during your interview—after all, engineering is all about solving problems! Prepare a few examples of how you've tackled engineering challenges in the past, whether at university or in any practical experience. Practising with mock technical interviews can really help you articulate your thought process and solutions.
✨Relate Your Experience to the Role
In a full-time role, employers like Canal & River Trust want to see that you can adapt and grow within their team. Be ready to discuss how your previous internships, projects, or studies relate directly to the work you'll be doing. Highlight specific experiences that showcase your collaborative skills and how you've successfully worked within a team environment.
✨Know Your Tools and Software
Most engineering roles require familiarity with specific tools and software. Prepare to talk about your proficiency with programmes like AutoCAD, MATLAB, or SolidWorks if they’re relevant to the role. Even better, have examples of projects where you’ve used these tools, as it'll demonstrate your hands-on experience and readiness for the job.
