Systems Engineering Manager in Portsmouth

CMS2, a specialist in advanced manufacturing and critical maritime systems, is seeking a Systems Engineering Manager to drive complex systems delivery across the full life-cycle. As a Systems Engineering Manager, you will lead a team through the technical development and management of complex engineering systems across their full life-cycle, including requirements, analysis, integration, verification, validation, and compliance. You will also act as a senior technical authority within a multidisciplinary team, ensuring stakeholder requirements are translated into structured, deliverable solutions.

Department: Systems Engineering

Location: Portsmouth

Key Responsibilities

• Act as a senior technical authority within multidisciplinary teams, guiding systems engineering activities and supporting technical decision-making.
• Lead the development and management of structured requirements and system architectures, ensuring traceability and completeness throughout the life-cycle.
• Define and oversee verification and validation strategies, including the development of test plans, specifications, and execution activities.
• Produce high-quality technical documentation, including system descriptions, models, and engineering artifacts to support product development and new business activities.
• Lead and support design reviews at appropriate life-cycle stages to ensure compliance with requirements and engineering standards.
• Lead systems engineering activities across the full life-cycle, including concept development, detailed design, integration, verification, validation, and in-service support.
• Undertake and guide mathematical modeling, system analysis, and concept design using appropriate tools, models, and diagrams.
• Perform and lead root-cause analysis, failure-mode analysis, and reliability assessments to improve system performance and robustness.
• Identify technical risks and develop effective mitigation strategies in collaboration with project teams and stakeholders.
• Ensure alignment between engineering outputs, customer requirements, and project deliverables.
• Act as the technical focal point between engineering teams, project management, customers, and suppliers, ensuring clear and effective communication of technical information.
• Lead engagement with stakeholders to analyze customer specifications and translate them into actionable and structured requirements.
• Support business development and bid activities through the creation of compliance matrices, technical responses, and engineering input.
• Work closely with project management teams to support planning, definition of work packages, and estimation of effort required for delivery.
• Lead and contribute to continuous improvement initiatives, using data and lessons learned to enhance systems engineering processes and performance.
• Evaluate and implement new technologies, tools, and methodologies to improve engineering capability and efficiency.
• Drive improvements in system performance, reliability, and operational effectiveness through structured engineering approaches.
• Ensure compliance with company processes, procedures, and regulatory requirements.
• Lead or support safety assessments, risk assessments, design reviews, and technical assurance activities.
• Review and approve engineering documentation—including drawings, specifications, and standards—ensuring quality and consistency.
• Provide technical guidance, mentoring, and support to system engineers, helping to develop capability within the team.
• Promote knowledge sharing and the adoption of best practice systems engineering approaches.
• Encourage a culture of collaboration, innovation, and continuous improvement within the engineering function.
• Carry out any ad-hoc duties as required to support business needs.
• Follow company procedures, standards, and regulatory requirements at all times.
• Maintain continuous professional development to ensure knowledge and skills remain up to date.
• Act as an ambassador for the company in all interactions with internal and external stakeholders.

Skills, Knowledge and Expertise

Essential

• Degree, HND, or significant proven experience in an engineering discipline.
• Professional engineering recognition (Chartered Engineer status or working towards, or equivalent experience).
• Strong expertise in systems engineering, including requirements management, system integration, and verification and validation.
• Experience in complex engineering systems and equipment design and integration.
• Demonstrable technical leadership, influencing, and decision-making skills.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and communication skills.
• Ability to develop effective relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency in Microsoft tools, including the ability to manipulate and analyze data within Excel.
• Proven experience in a systems engineering role, typically 5+ years.

Desirable

• Masters Degree in an Engineering discipline.
• Chartered Engineering Status; experience of designing to meet military requirements; experience of model-based systems engineering (MBSE).
• Experience of requirements management software.
• Knowledge of ISO9000 or a similar QA system; experience within a lean manufacturing environment.

Other requirements

• Candidates must have an existing right to live and work in the UK.
• Candidates must have passed UK security clearance to Security Check level or be able to obtain this level.
• To gain SC clearance you will normally have had to have been a resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years.
• Candidates must be able to obtain a basic security check which will normally require you to have been resident in the UK for at least 3 years.

Benefits

At CMS2, we believe in rewarding our people and supporting their well-being. Alongside our competitive salaries we offer a comprehensive benefits package including Company Profit Share Scheme, generous holiday allowance and pension.