Head of Engineering

Head of Engineering

The Head of Engineering is a senior leader within the leadership team, accountable for the performance, capability, compliance and strategic direction of the engineering function. The role ensures engineering delivery is safe, compliant, commercially effective and aligned to long-term strategy, while building sustainable capability for future growth.

1. Business & Leadership

• Act as a core member of the leadership team, shaping and delivering strategy.
• Translate business strategy into a clear, prioritised engineering plan.
• Drive cross-functional alignment to ensure engineering supports commercial, operational and growth objectives.
• Champion inclusive leadership, professional integrity and high-performance standards.

2. Engineering & Technical Leadership

• Lead multi-disciplinary engineering teams across all business units.
• Set clear direction, priorities and performance expectations.
• Develop current and future engineering leaders through mentoring and succession planning.
• Ensure consistent, high-quality engineering delivery across projects.

3. Capability, Capacity & Talent

• Own engineering capability strategy, including skills, competencies, SQEP, recruitment and training.
• Ensure effective deployment of engineering resources to meet project and business demands.
• Establish and oversee graduate, apprentice and early-career programmes.

4. Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Accountable for engineering compliance with all regulatory, QSHEW and assurance requirements.
• Own engineering risk management, including proactive identification, mitigation and escalation.
• Maintain the Engineering Risk Register and contribute to enterprise risk management.

5. Process, Standards & Continuous Improvement

• Own engineering processes, standards and templates.
• Drive continuous improvement to improve quality, efficiency and delivery certainty.
• Act as custodian of engineering tools and software, ensuring value for money and consistency.

6. Innovation & Technology

• Sponsor engineering innovation aligned to business strategy and market need.
• Evaluate and prioritise technical ideas for commercial and operational value.

7. Business Winning & External Engagement

• Act as senior engineering authority for bids, frameworks and key client relationships.
• Provide technical leadership in bid/no-bid decisions and proposal development.
• Represent NSG externally with clients, partners and industry bodies.

Person Specification

Essential

• Degree-qualified in an engineering or technical discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Senior engineering leadership experience in a highly regulated environment.
• Proven track record leading multi-disciplinary teams and complex engineering delivery.
• Strong commercial awareness and experience supporting business development.
• Deep understanding of engineering governance, risk and assurance.
• Ability to influence at Board and Executive level.

Desirable

• Experience in nuclear, energy, infrastructure, defence or similarly regulated sectors.
• Chartered Engineer or equivalent professional recognition.