At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead a high-performing engineering team to deliver innovative projects and support contracts.
- Company: Join James Fisher, a global leader in engineering services across Energy, Defence, and Maritime Transport.
- Benefits: Enjoy early finishes on Fridays, competitive salary, and a comprehensive benefits package.
- Other info: Inclusive culture with clear career development pathways and a commitment to diversity.
- Why this job: Make a real impact in safety and innovation while driving progress through technology.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in leading engineering teams and delivering complex projects.
The predicted salary is between 70000 - 90000 £ per year.
This role is pivotal to the successful delivery of projects, product line extensions, and in-service support contracts. It will build and lead a high-performing international engineering team to develop cutting-edge products and deliver best-in-class aftermarket support. By driving execution and meeting contractual commitments, the role will play a key part in improving overall business performance.
What you'll be doing:
- Leading and tracking engineering delivery, ensuring progress aligns with agreed timelines and budgets.
- Driving accountability across engineering teams to consistently deliver against plans, with clear oversight and governance.
- Embedding strong engineering discipline by ensuring adherence to processes and best practices across the function.
- Developing and managing resource plans and budgets in line with strategic business priorities.
- Ensuring full compliance with safety standards, stage-gate governance, and customer requirements.
- Strengthening team capability through targeted development, training, and strategic hiring.
- Monitoring and delivering against key portfolio KPIs, including schedule, cost, and capability maturity.
- Championing a culture of continuous improvement, applying lean, agile, and systems engineering principles.
- Enabling innovation by supporting the integration of emerging technologies (such as AI, autonomous systems, and advanced materials) into product development.
What we're looking for:
- Proven experience leading a multi-disciplinary engineering function across a range of products or programmes.
- Demonstrated track record of successfully delivering complex engineering projects.
- Strong technical leadership skills, with the ability to inspire, develop, and guide high-performing teams.
- Commercially astute, with an understanding of how engineering decisions impact business outcomes.
- Collaborative leadership style, with experience empowering teams and driving cross-functional working.
- Experience operating within robust governance frameworks, ensuring compliance while delivering complex programmes.
- Excellent communication and presentation skills, able to engage effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
- Degree-qualified in Engineering (or equivalent), with Chartered Engineer status (or willingness to obtain), and experience within a technical IT environment; defence sector experience would be advantageous.
Why join us?
- Early finish on Fridays
- Competitive salary and benefits package aligned with experience (Private Medical Insurance, Life Assurance, Cycle to work scheme, Company Pension, etc.)
- Clear pathways for career development and organisational visibility
- Inclusive and supportive culture that values individual contributions
- Meaningful work with impact across safety, innovation, and global operations
Head of Engineering in Aberdeen employer: James Fisher and Sons
At James Fisher, we pride ourselves on being an exceptional employer, offering a dynamic work environment in Westhill, Aberdeenshire or Inchinnan, Glasgow. Our inclusive culture fosters individual contributions and provides clear pathways for career development, alongside a competitive salary and benefits package that includes private medical insurance and a cycle to work scheme. Join us to engage in meaningful work that impacts safety and innovation while being part of a high-performing international engineering team dedicated to delivering cutting-edge solutions.
