Chief Programme Engineer - Gen X

Fortescue; Kidlington; On-site; GBP 110,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus scheme

Aviva Pension

Group Life Assurance

Group Income Protection

Electric Car Scheme

Health Cash Plan

Employee Assistance Programme

Private Medical Insurance

26 days holiday plus holidays purchase

Childcare Benefits

On-site gym access

Job summary

Fortescue is leading the way in decarbonising iron ore operations and renewable energy development. The Chief Programme Engineer will own the complete engineering delivery of a major programme, guiding cross-disciplinary teams to meet scope, cost, schedule, and safety objectives.

You will chair technical reviews, manage subcontracted work packages, and drive risk management, systems integration, and adherence to corporate standards, while balancing performance with safety and cost considerations.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in engineering delivery within large, complex programmes.
• Proven leadership of cross-disciplinary engineering teams and sub-contracted work packages.
• Strong commercial awareness and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Systems-thinking and lifecycle management expertise.
• Ability to balance programme delivery with technical integrity and innovation.
• Effective communicator and team contributor.

Responsibilities

• Own and manage the complete engineering delivery of the programme.
• Ensure engineering solutions meet technical, commercial, and regulatory requirements.
• Chair cross-disciplinary technical reviews and approve design maturity gates; ensure standards from each Chief Engineer (Discipline) are applied or formally waived.
• Manage sub-contracted Engineering programmes as part of the project delivery methodology.
• Manage technical risk & opportunity: interface risks, safety hazards, technology readiness, and supplier technical performance.
• Chair technical reviews and approve design milestones.
• Coordinate with Chief Engineers to apply corporate standards and processes.
• Represent engineering in programme boards reviews.
• Drive a culture of technical excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Drive systems integration: ensure interface contracts are baselined, integration rigs (SIL/HIL), and end-to-end validation scenarios exist and are resourced.
• Own engineering resourcing & budget across disciplines; align priorities with programme plan and product roadmap.
• Represent engineering to customers, partners, regulators; adjudicate tradeoffs between performance, cost, manufacturability, safety, and schedule.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Cross-disciplinary teams

Stakeholder engagement

Systems thinking

Risk management

Job description

The Power of Now

Be part of something big. Fortescue is leading the world with our plan to decarbonise our iron ore operations, projects that harness renewable energy and the development of technology that will change our planet forever.

An opportunity has arisen for a Chief Programme Engineer to join the Engineering department.

About The Role

Accountable for overall engineering delivery, quality, and technical integrity within a programme, leading all engineering activities and teams to deliver against scope, cost, schedule, and safety objectives.

What you will do

• Own and manage the complete engineering delivery of the programme.
• Ensure that engineering solutions meet technical, commercial, and regulatory requirements.
• Chair cross-disciplinary technical reviews and approve design maturity gates; ensure standards from each Chief Engineer (Discipline) are applied or formally waived.
• Manage sub-contracted Engineering programmes as part of the project delivery methodology.
• Manage technical risk & opportunity: interface risks, safety hazards, technology readiness, and supplier technical performance.
• Chair technical reviews and approve design milestones.
• Coordinate with Chief Engineers (discipline owners) to apply corporate standards and processes.
• Represent engineering in programme boards reviews.
• Drive a culture of technical excellence, safety, and continuous improvement.
• Drive systems integration: ensure interface contracts are baselined, integration rigs (SIL/HIL), and end-to-end validation scenarios exist and are resourced.
• Own engineering resourcing & budget across disciplines; align priorities with programme plan and product roadmap.
• Represent engineering to customers, partners, regulators; adjudicate tradeoffs between performance, cost, manufacturability, safety, and schedule.

About You

• Significant experience in engineering delivery within large, complex programmes.
• Proven leadership of cross-disciplinary engineering teams and sub-contracted work packages.
• Strong commercial awareness and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Systems-thinking and lifecycle management expertise.
• Ability to balance programme delivery with technical integrity and innovation.
• Effective communicator and team contributor.

What is in it for you?

Our UK Benefits Include

• Bonus scheme
• Aviva Pension
• Group Life Assurance
• Group Income Protection
• Electric Car Scheme
• Health Cash Plan
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Private Medical Insurance
• 26 days holiday plus public holidays and the opportunity to purchase an additional 5 days per year
• Childcare Benefits
• Free on-site gym access and discounted national memberships

Fortescue celebrates individual strengths and team members are encouraged to bring their whole selves to work. Our global workforce drives and promotes an inclusive culture, both within our organisation and throughout the communities we interact with. Diverse backgrounds include First Nations Peoples, people with disabilities, LGBTQ+ community, gender, neurodiverse, cultural diversity, all age groups, and those with an intersectional or multiple diverse characteristics. We encourage candidates from all backgrounds to apply.

https://fortescue.com/careers