Head of Engineering Projects

Leonardo; Luton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Flexible working

Hybrid working

Pension scheme

Learning & development

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Head of Engineering Projects to lead the Typhoon and Tornado export and product support services within the CS3 line. The role reports to the VP Engineering and requires steering multi-disciplinary teams across the UK and overseas to ensure delivery, governance, and continuous improvement.

You will drive complex operational support projects, foster a high-performance culture, and align with security standards while supporting sector growth and customer success.

Qualifications

• Experience leading complex engineering programmes in aerospace or defence.
• Proven track record delivering on time, budget, and quality.
• Ability to lead diverse teams across UK and overseas with a focus on customer delivery.

Responsibilities

• Lead Typhoon and Tornado export and product support services.
• Deliver engineering strategies and hub initiatives.
• Governance and compliance across portfolio.
• Monitor performance metrics, risks, and budgets.

Skills

Leadership

Engineering Mgmt

Stakeholder Mgmt

Strategic planning

Cross-functional

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Job Description:

As an engineering leader, do you thrive on bringing bold ideas to life through outstanding execution? Do you place exceptional customer delivery at the heart of everything you do? Are you passionate about fostering innovation and building a culture of high performance within your team?

Your impact

If so, we’re looking for a Head of Engineering Projects (HoEP) to lead the engineering activities in the Typhoon and Tornado Export and Product Support Services within our Customer Support and Service Solution (CS3) Line of Business. CS3 operates across the UK and overseas, supporting critical technologies and systems on Air, Land and Sea platforms, ensuring their readiness and availability to underpin national security. We are proud to be the largest supplier of avionic support to the UK MoD and a trusted partner for our customers worldwide, providing innovative and invaluable support solutions.

In this role you will report to VP Engineering in CS3 and be responsible for:

• Typhoon

  • Deliver the Captor Radar & Praetorian DASS product sustainment (Main & Test Equipment)
  • Run and deliver the Typhoon Technical Support Service for the Captor Radar system and Pretorian DASS system including the development and growth of the Technical Hub initiative.
  • Deliver the Product Industrialisation programmes for export nations
  • Provide engineering support and optimisation activities to the Operations team in delivering and improving the support service we offer to our Customers
  • Represent the Captor and Praetorian consortium partners at EDR/Eurofighter/NETMA meetings for Engineering.

• Tornado

  • Deliver the Tornado sustainment plan to OSD.
  • Provide Technical Support Service for Sky Shadow, RHWR, TNR, OFFSLATE, TADITS, SMS, SETER & SASR products

• Planning and delivering complex, integrated operational support projects — maintaining customer service levels while ensuring delivery on time, to budget, and to the required quality standards.

• Identifying engineering opportunities for strategic growth in Typhoon export and product support services, building on strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders to develop solutions that deliver value for both the customer and the business.

• Leading a multidisciplinary engineering team across the UK, fostering a supportive, accountable, and learning culture where everyone can thrive and contribute to shared success.

• Ensuring consistent governance and compliance across the support solutions within your portfolio, in alignment with internal and external standards and legislation.

• Monitoring and reporting on engineering activities at both sector and functional levels — including performance metrics, risks and opportunities, and resource planning and management. This includes related Engineering budgets and Forward Load.

• Act as Chair for Design, Supportability and EBR reviews.

• Hold the S/SDA position for the Captor and Praetorian system

• Collaborating with the wider engineering team to design and implement a continuous improvement strategy that enhances process effectiveness and develops the capability of our people.

• Collaborate closely with the HoEP in Typhoon UK/CASE/GCAP to identify synergies that can improve effectiveness, efficiency and performance in delivering to our Customers across both Sectors.

• Provide contingency support Typhoon UK if needed.

In addition, the position has a role as part of the Typhoon Export and Product Support Services Sector Management Team, supporting them by:

• Providing counsel to the Sector lead based on own expertise
• Developing and promoting Sector led initiatives within Leonardo as well as with business Partners and strategic Customers
• Acting as a Sector business champion to maximise profitability and growth
• Provide guidance to Sector Programme Managers on Engineering Issues

What you’ll bring

We’re looking for someone who brings a combination of curiosity, drive, and authentic leadership.

If you’re ready to take ownership of a high-impact engineering portfolio and lead teams to deliver meaningful results — and you bring some of the following qualities and experience — we’d love to hear from you:

• A proven ability to inspire teams and achieve exceptional results that contribute to business success.
• Demonstrated experience in leading change with an inclusive and collaborative approach.
• Strong influencing skills and the ability to build effective partnerships across projects, business areas, and the wider Leonardo organisation.
• The confidence and empathy to respectfully challenge established ways of working and implement improvements that enhance performance and customer satisfaction.
• A customer-focused mindset that balances customer priorities with business needs to create mutually beneficial outcomes.
• A values-led approach to leadership that fosters a culture of high performance, integrity, and accountability.
• A passion for driving efficiency and delivering innovative solutions in a dynamic and evolving environment.

You will require a level of de product domain knowledge to hold the S/SDA position for the Captor and Praetorian system but you will be supported by a strong team dedicated to helping you learn and develop in this area.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Note: This is a hybrid role which requires regular UK travel and occasional international travel.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). In addition, personnel security controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) apply and you must meet the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) for this role. For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you’re looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance : All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning : Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks : Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo UK operates a grade-based salary framework with broad bands. The salary range shown reflects the approved grade band for this role, or a narrower hiring range published within that band, and is benchmarked against the external market. Exceptions above the standard range are managed through governance controls to protect internal equity.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace. We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Primary Location

GB - Edinburgh

Additional Locations

GB - Luton - Cap. Green 300

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid