Head of Hull Construction

Navantia; Belfast City District; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Company pension

Life Assurance

L&D opportunities

Health Care Cash Plan

Job summary

Navantia UK is seeking a senior leader to head the Structures area, aligning with H&W strategies and policies while building knowledge and capabilities across programs. You will lead and mentor a team, ensuring work is performed to approved procedures and quality standards.

The role requires coordination with Operations, Procurement and Engineering, with a focus on continuous improvement, cost control and effective resource management. BPSS security clearance is required during onboarding.

Qualifications

• Lead, mentor and develop a team as a leader.
• Excellent communication with multidisciplinary teams.
• Good planning and organisational skills; update project plans and recover variances.
• Familiarity with naval and maritime codes, classification society rules and Defence standards.
• Familiarity with ERP systems and Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to understand Earned Value Management (EVM) for project health.

Responsibilities

• Define and implement Structures policy/plan for projects.
• Provide technical support to programmes in all matters related to Structures.
• Improve production processes and promote continuous improvement.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Engineering and Operations in contracting and specifications.
• Suggest improvements to organization, personnel, infrastructure and investments.
• Ensure quality through QMS compliance within the Structures area.

Skills

Leadership

Communication

Planning

Naval codes familiarity

ERP

MS Office

Earned Value Management

Education

Engineering degree

Tools

ERP

MS Office

Job description

Navantia UK is a new force in British industry, supporting the UK’s defence, energy and maritime ambitions. We’re doing this by creating state-of-the-art sovereign defence capabilities, investing in the UK to modernise industrial facilities, and bolstering the nation's energy security. Established in 2022, Navantia UK is a subsidiary of Navantia SA, a Spanish state-owned company with over 300 years of naval shipbuilding history. In January 2025, Navantia UK completed the acquisition of Harland & Wolff and its four historic facilities in Belfast, Appledore, Methil, and Arnish. By combining Harland & Wolff’s proud heritage and facilities with Navantia’s global expertise, Navantia UK is well-positioned to strengthen Britain’s defence, maritime and energy industrial capabilities, supporting jobs and economic growth across the UK.

Job Description

Lead and manage the Structures area based on strategies and policies aligned with H&W's applicable strategies and policies. Develop and strengthen knowledge and operational capabilities within the Structures area to meet all Programs requirements effectively and efficiently.

The Role

HSE

• Preventive leadership.
• Coordinate the development of annual Prevention and Environmental plans for the Structures area and ensure compliance.

Resources Management

• Support the Operations Director in managing the productive resources within the area under their responsibility.
• Monitor and track Budget (U.P.A. and P.O.A.), area expenses, project scheduling, workload, and underactivity within the area under their responsibility.
• Coordinate the activities of the Structures area, for each project/program executed by H&W ensuring that work is carried out in accordance with proper procedures and work methods and applying established quality standards and criteria.
• To manage production carried out within the scope of Structures, to suggest hiring decisions when production requirements exceed the shipyard's own capacity and to manage and supervise subcontracted work.

Technical and Quality

• Define and/or execute the Structures Policy/Plan for each project/program to be executed by H&W.
• To provide technical support to the programmes in all matters relating to Structures.
• Improve production processes affecting Structural-related disciplines, promoting continuous improvement, the use of information technologies, and technological advancement, including training and development of personnel.
• Collaborate with Procurement, Engineering, and with the Operations areas in the contracting process through the preparation of specifications and/or technical evaluations.
• Propose any improvements or changes related to organization, personnel, infrastructure, and investments necessary for the optimized functioning of the area.
• Define and develop the necessary Procedures for the execution of each project/program to be carried out by H&W.
• Ensure the implementation, development, and communication of Quality through the integration and compliance with the QMS within their area of responsibility.

Qualifications

• Demonstrate ability to guide, mentor and develop a team as a leader.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to collaborate effectively with multidisciplinary teams and communicate technical information to non-technical stakeholders.
• Good planning and organisational skills, including ability to interpret and update project plans, identifying areas where progress is impacting the success of the project and proposing necessary changes to recover any variance.
• Familiarity with naval and maritime codes, including classification society rules and regulations and Defence standards.
• Familiarity with Enterprise Resources Planning systems, ERP, proficiency in Microsoft Office applications.
• Ability to understand Earned Value Management (EVM), to aid in decision-making to ensure the SPI and CPI of the project is in a healthy condition.

Additional Information

On offer

• Company pension
• Life Assurance
• L&D opportunities
• Health Care Cash Plan

***Please note as part of the onboarding process all candidates will need to complete BPSS security clearance***

We are an Opening Doors employer, committed to equal opportunity and an inclusive workplace. Our approach, shaped by our values of service, trust, excellence, agility, dedication, and you, we focus on removing barriers and recognising potential. We are committed to fairness at every stage, including providing reasonable adjustments and actively working to eliminate discrimination.

We believe talent is everywhere, and by widening access to opportunity and welcoming diverse experiences, we aim to create a workplace where every person feels valued and has an equal chance.

Job Location