Assurance & System Integration Manager

Costain Group PLC; City of Westminster; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading construction and engineering firm in the UK is seeking a Systems Integration Lead to oversee the delivery of system integration and assurance processes for the HS2 project. The role demands exceptional stakeholder management, technical governance expertise, and the ability to deliver under tight deadlines. The ideal candidate will have a strong track record in managing assurance regimes in major projects. This position offers the chance to play a crucial role in a transformative railway project.

Qualifications

• Ability to work with delivery teams, customers, and regulators.
• Managerial capability with accountability for resources.
• Ability to deliver work under pressure to meet deadlines.
• Expertise in major project assurance regimes.
• Proven technical governance track record.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.

Responsibilities

• Deliver all system integration and assurance management plans.
• Build relationships with HS2 stakeholders and sister contracts.
• Create a systems integration assurance culture.
• Design an assurance regime supporting budgets and schedules.
• Manage technical scope using DOORS.
• Lead on technical configuration against standards.

Skills

Stakeholder management

Technical assurance governance

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Project management

Education

Chartered Engineer or equivalent (such as INCOSE CSEP)

Job description

HS2 is Great Britain's new high‑speed railway. Once operational, HS2 trains will facilitate journeys between Birmingham and London, with services extending to Manchester, the North West, and Scotland using conventional railways. The new route will comprise 140 miles of track, four stations, two depots, 32 miles of tunnel, and 130 bridges. HS2 has awarded several railway systems contracts, valued at over £4 billion, for the design, supply, construction, testing & commissioning, and maintenance of the route between London and Birmingham. Siemens Mobility and Costain (SMCjv) has successfully won Package HRS03: High Voltage Traction and Non‑Traction Power Distribution. Reporting to the project's senior leadership team, you will lead the systems integration and technical assurance aspects of the work. This will include the establishment and leadership of a team to deliver requirements management, configuration management, and HS2's technical assurance regime. You will be responsible for writing and managing the project's Requirements and Assurance Management Plan, child management plans within the systems integration and assurance functions, including providing training on their content and auditing them during delivery. You will also be responsible for configuring and controlling the project's DOORS database, its access into the client's systems and alignment with the project's technologies. Supporting the respective lead designers, the rail systems integrator (the employer), you will also be expected to manage specialised topics such as system safety, interoperability, and RAM, in addition to the previously mentioned functions.

Responsibilities

• Responsible for the delivery of all system integration and assurance management plans (as detailed in WI300), their sign‑off with HS2, the training of project staff, and audits against the plans during delivery.
• Building relationships across the rail systems alliance with your equivalents from sister contracts, and with SMEs in HS2.
• Creating a systems integration and technical assurance culture across our projects and contributing to sharing this learning within Costain and Siemens.
• Designing, and agreeing with the client, an assurance regime that is right‑sized and supports our budgets and schedules, whilst providing the minimum viable product to HS2 and/or regulatory bodies.
• Through the use of DOORS, your team will strongly manage technical scope and ensure that there are clear acceptance criteria, allowing the project to understand how it will be efficiently delivered.
• In support of the commercial team, you will lead on technical configuration against standards and requirements, and, where necessary, support instructed changes and EWNs.
• Engage with the delivery team to capture or define acceptance criteria for design approval, demonstration of capability, acceptance of equipment, and operability as appropriate.
• Engage with HS2 stakeholders to achieve the delivery of an efficient and effective assurance regime.
• Confirm and manage design and assurance requirements with subcontractors/supply chain.
• Undertake requirements and assurance activities, including leading reviews, collating evidence, and providing progress reports, subcontractors, supply chain, and consultants.
• Maintain procedures, competence levels, and systems for assurance management as used by the project.

Qualifications

• Demonstrable ability to work with delivery teams, customers, regulatory bodies, and other major stakeholders.
• Demonstrable managerial capability with accountability for resources and task delivery.
• Demonstrable ability to deliver work under pressure and to tight deadlines.
• Demonstrable expertise in the use and application of assurance regimes in major projects.
• Proven track record in the management and delivery of successful technical assurance/technical governance on major schemes.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills and interpersonal skills.
• Credible in building relationships with all levels of internal and external stakeholders.
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to work flexibly.
• Well‑practiced in communicating technical proposals in an understandable manner for various audiences.
• Strong understanding of delivering projects to NEC3, Chartered Engineer or equivalent such as INCOSE CSEP.