Head of Underwater Solutions

Systems Engineering and Assessment Ltd; Frome; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid/flexible working

25 days annual leave

Private medical health insurance

Life assurance policy

Group Pension Plan up to 8% employer

Job summary

Systems Engineering & Assessment Ltd (SEA) invites a Head of Underwater Solutions to shape the future of undersea technology. You will lead a strategically important portfolio from concept to customer delivery, bringing together cross-functional teams and strong customer partnerships.

Based at Barnstaple, Bristol or Beckington with hybrid working, the role offers up to £100k depending on experience and a focus on delivering quality, time and cost targets while growing the team and managing

Qualifications

• Proven leadership at scale in defence or engineering sectors.
• Strong capabilities in portfolio shaping, integrated planning and governance.
• Degree and/or equivalent qualifications; ideally ChPP and CEng status.

Responsibilities

• Lead the Underwater Solutions portfolio across full lifecycle from concepts to delivery.
• Ensure quality, time and cost targets with robust governance and risk management.
• Develop cross-functional teams and manage resources and professional development.
• Grow growth through customer relationships and bid leadership.
• Oversee safe delivery and transitions into manufacturing and support services.

Skills

Leadership

Portfolio management

Stakeholder communication

Strategic thinking

Education

Engineering degree

Chartered status (CEng/ChPP)

Job description

About The Role

Engineered to Protect, that's our promise, we protect what matters - our nations, our waters, our land, our cities, our people, our environment, our world.

As Head of Underwater Solutions at SEA, you'll shape the future of undersea technology, leading a strategically important portfolio from early concepts and research through to customer delivery and ongoing support. Bringing together cross-functional teams and strong customer partnerships, you'll turn innovation into deliverable solutions, drive growth and ensure programmes meet their quality, time and cost commitments.

The Head of Underwater Solutionscan be based at any of our three sites, Barnstaple, Bristol or Beckington. with a mix of on-site and home working.

The salary for this role is up to £100k, depending on experience.

What you'll be doing

• Lead the Underwater Solutions portfolio across the full lifecycle, from concepts and research through product development and sustainment to customer delivery, aligning future capabilities with SEA's strategic objectives.
• Deliver programme and financial commitments, ensuring projects meet quality, time and cost targets through robust governance, budget control, risk management, accurate forecasting and timely intervention.
• Build and develop cross-functional teams, leading programme and project managers, planning resources and skills, and supporting professional development to meet portfolio priorities.
• Support growth and customer relationships, identifying repeat and additional business opportunities, leading deliverable bids and working closely with Engineering, Commercial and Business Development.
• Ensure coordinated, safe delivery, managing stakeholder relationships and escalations, overseeing transitions into manufacturing and support services, and maintaining quality, environmental, health and safety standards.

About our company

At SEA, we develop and deliver advanced solutions to make our world safer, cleaner and more efficient.

We provide state-of-the-art applications for naval ship and fleet protection, and undersea surveillance systems. In-service across the globe, our systems deliver a rapid response to threats and system effectiveness and interoperation. Our systems support an ever-growing number of navies across the world, and we continue to bolster our already specialist, on-the-ground knowledge of key overseas markets.

What we offer

At our core, we encourage innovation, flexibility and out-of-the-box thinking to solve problems, so we're always looking for talented, flexible, and creative people to bring their best to SEA. In return we offer generous rewards, a fantastic work/life balance, and excellent career and training opportunities for everyone who joins. Have a look at the benefits we offer:

Work life balance

• Hybrid/flexible working arrangements
• 25 days' annual leave, plus buy and sell
• Up to 16 days flexi leave accrual
• Half day Fridays
• Reservists in the Armed Forces receive special paid leave

Family & wellbeing

• Private medical health insurance & Employee Assistance Program
• Health Cash Plan
• All Staff Bonus
• Group Pension Plan of up to 8% employer contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Wellbeing Centre
• Sports & Social activities
• Employee Discounts portal - online and in-store discounts, travel savings
• Life assurance policy
• Publication and recruitment bonus rewards
• Development opportunities, including LinkedIn learning

Facilities & resources

• Electric vehicle charging points at all sites
• Private seated lunch areas
• Onsite bistro (Barnstaple office) and free hot and cold beverages
• Onsite showers and toiletries provision
• Free onsite parking

The skills you need

• Proven leadership at scale: significant senior leadership experience in UK defence or engineering, leading large integrated project teams and portfolios generating more than £25m annually, with programme and project ownership exceeding £150m.
• Strategic thinking and delivery expertise: Expert skills in portfolio shaping, leadership, stakeholder communication and integrated planning, supported by strong financial, risk, governance and resource management capabilities, plus confident negotiation and decision-making.
• Relevant qualifications and professional standing: A degree and/or equivalent relevant portfolio, programme and project management qualifications, ideally ChPP and CEng status, or working towards achieving these

Join us and be part of something smaller - with 500 people in the UK and Canada - doing something bigger: protecting what matters.