Critical Engineering Lead

ISS; City Of London; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading facilities management company in the UK is seeking a Critical Engineering Lead to oversee engineering teams across London and the Midlands. The successful candidate will provide technical leadership, implement critical environments processes, and manage relationships with stakeholders, ensuring high service standards and operational excellence. Strong leadership and engineering experience are essential. This role offers a dynamic work environment focused on continuous improvement and team development.

Qualifications

• Strong background in critical engineering, preferably in corporate or healthcare.
• Operational engineering experience with an electrical bias.
• Proven track record of effective team management.
• Experience in budget management.

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership to engineering teams in the region.
• Implement the Critical Environments Process.
• Manage the Optima CEM product and administration.
• Line manage a small team of engineers.
• Ensure effective service delivery and meet KPIs.
• Drive best practices through proactive reviews.
• Manage reactive budget and supply chain strategy.
• Build relationships with key vendors.

Skills

Leadership

Technical expertise

Commercial acumen

Education

Qualified in an engineering discipline

Job description

About the Role

We are seeking a highly skilled Critical Engineering Lead to provide technical and operational leadership across UK London, Midlands, and UK Data Centre engineering teams.

This role is pivotal in ensuring the delivery of exceptional service standards, adherence to governance, and implementation of best practices within critical environments.

You will work closely with ISS Integrated teams and key client stakeholders to promote quality of service and operational excellence. The successful candidate will act as the UK lead for the implementation of the Critical Environments Process, ensuring compliance with all governance, processes, and procedures.

You will also drive continuous improvement initiatives, enhance ISS self-delivery capability, and manage relationships with global risk teams and corporate operations.

This position requires strong leadership, technical expertise, and a proactive approach to change management within critical engineering.

Key Responsibilities

• Provide technical and operational leadership to campus and regional engineering teams within the designated region.
• Act as the UK lead for the implementation of the OPTIMA Critical Environments Process, ensuring adherence to governance and procedures.
• Own and manage the Optima CEM product administration and lead the Optima CEM Process Technical Review Board.
• Line manage a small team of Authorised Engineers (AEs) and Technical Administration staff.
• Ensure effective service delivery by ISS and key suppliers, meeting all contract KPIs and SLAs.
• Drive standards and best practice implementation through site and desktop reviews with a proactive “Find & Fix” approach.
• Manage reactive engineering spend within the region, aligning with budget expectations and supporting supply chain strategy.
• Build and maintain strong relationships with key vendors, acting as a single point of escalation.

Qualifications

• Strong background in critical engineering, ideally within corporate head offices, data centres, or healthcare environments.
• Operational engineering experience with a preference for electrical bias.
• Proven leadership experience and ability to manage teams effectively.
• Strong commercial acumen and experience managing budgets.
• Suitably qualified in an engineering discipline.

Disability Confident

We are a Disability Confident employer and will offer an interview to any applicant that declares they have a disability and meets the minimum criteria for the job as defined by us. In certain recruitment situations, such as high-volume, seasonal, and high-peak times, we may wish to limit the overall numbers of interviews offered to both disabled and non-disabled people. For more details please go to .

About ISS

ISS is a world‑leading workplace and facility management company, connecting people and places to make the world work better. Working with customers day by day, side by side, we understand every aspect of the user experience.

Through a unique combination of intelligent solutions, high standards and people who care, we help our customers achieve their purpose, whether it's hospitals healing patients, businesses producing the next great innovation, or airports bringing passengers home to their families. ISS is committed to doing business the right way, taking its corporate responsibility very seriously. Our passion is people.

We offer you a challenging and exciting career in an organisation with people at its heart. In ISS, everyone has the opportunity to develop, grow and make a difference.

Diversity and Inclusion

ISS is proud to be a diverse and inclusive employer. ISS welcomes all applicants regardless of age, disability, gender identity or gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, pregnancy or maternity, race (including race, colour, nationality, ethnic or national origin and caste), religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation or educational background. ISS is a Disability Confident Committed (Level 2) employer, proudly supporting and promoting inclusive hiring practices in line with the UK government's Disability Confident scheme.

Our passion for inclusivity and diversity makes ISS a more creative, productive and happy place to work.