Engineering Lead

Sanderson Government & Defence; England; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology and services organisation in the United Kingdom seeks an Engineering Leader to shape engineering processes and governance. The successful candidate will drive standards across multiple suppliers and lead a team of engineers, ensuring alignment with best practices. This role requires exceptional communication skills and a strong background in engineering leadership. The position offers benefits like 26 days annual leave, pension contributions, and private medical care.

Benefits

26 Days annual leave plus public holidays

Pension - Double matching contributions of up to 10%

Life assurance

Companywide incentive plans

Private Medical

Flexible benefits like increased holidays or dental

Employee discounts

Employee assistance programme / virtual GP

Flexible working available from day 1

Qualifications

• Proven experience in IT systems and software engineering principles.
• Ability to define and implement engineering standards and governance.
• Experience leading engineering teams and promoting best practices.

Responsibilities

• Own engineering processes and strategy within the customer's Design Authority.
• Define and implement standards across software and service management.
• Drive compliance and quality across multiple suppliers.
• Lead the Engineering Community of Practice.
• Ensure engineering outputs meet cost and time commitments.

Skills

Strong engineering leadership

Agile methodologies

Waterfall methodologies

DevOps (CI/CD)

ITIL/ITSM frameworks

Exceptional communication skills

Job description

Sanderson are working with a leading technology and services organisation on a high-profile programme requiring strong engineering leadership in software, systems and IT delivery.

This position offers the chance to shape the engineering vision and processes that underpin delivery. The successful candidate will operate as part of the customer's Design Authority, driving excellence across technology, governance, and end-to-end lifecycle standards. While this is not a hands-on technical role, a solid understanding of IT systems, software engineering principles, and modern technology practices is essential to influence and guide outcomes effectively. You will be embedded into a team of 20 highly skilled and ambitious individuals.

You will be embedded within a team of around 20 engineers, working closely with both internal stakeholders and the customer. The role demands a self-starter with exceptional communication skills, able to mix cohesively with the customer and build strong relationships. Key responsibilities include leading code reviews, refining and rewriting engineering processes, and ensuring alignment with best practices and governance standards.

This role requires experience in some or all of the following: Waterfall and Agile methodologies, DevOps (CI/CD), and ITIL/ITSM frameworks.

Your role will involve:

• Own engineering processes, governance, technology, and strategy as part of the customer's Design Authority
• Define and implement standards and guidance across the full lifecycle of software, infrastructure, and service management
• Drive governance across multiple suppliers, ensuring consistent quality and compliance
• Specify requirements and architecture for engineering and automation tooling, supporting delivery teams
• Develop and deliver an engineering vision aligned with medium- to long-term business objectives
• Lead the Engineering Community of Practice and manage a team of engineering professionals
• Promote automation capabilities, sharing best practices and lessons learned across the programme
• Ensure engineering outputs meet cost and time commitments while supporting strategic goals

This role will require an active DV clearance on the day of start and will be based fully onsite.

Your benefits:

• 26 Days annual leave plus public holidays (3 flexible)
• Pension - Double matching contributions of up to 10%
• Life assurance
• Companywide incentive plans
• Private Medical
• Your choices (Flexible benefits such as increased holidays / travel / dental critical illness and more)
• Perks at work - employee discounts
• Employee assistance programme / virtual GP
• Work Your Way is our approach to flexible working - this is available from day 1 of joining

If you're interested or would like to find out more, please Apply or contact me directly: [e-mail]

Reasonable Adjustments:

Respect and equality are core values to us. We are proud of the diverse and inclusive community we have built, and we welcome applications from people of all backgrounds and perspectives. Our success is driven by our people, united by the spirit of partnership to deliver the best resourcing solutions for our clients.

If you need any help or adjustments during the recruitment process for any reason, please let us know when you apply or talk to the recruiters directly so we can support you.