Systems Engineering Group Manager

Thales; Stockport; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private medical insurance

Cycle to work scheme

Annual bonus

Job summary

Thales is seeking a Systems Engineering Group Manager (Hardware) to lead the craft across UWS Hardware and ensure a reliable talent supply and optimal working environment. This dual-reporting role involves managing permanent, contingent, and external partners in a complex matrix structure.

The position requires strong leadership, a clear strategy for capability development, and coordination with Head of Hardware Engineering across UK sites.

Qualifications

• Talent Strategy and Resource Supply Management
• Total Talent Supply Owner: Own the strategy and delivery for all forms of tradecraft supply.
• Capacity Planning: Forecast future demand for Systems Engineering skills across all UWS sites.
• Contingent/Partner Quality: Support, Influence & enforce quality standards and onboarding processes for all non-permanent practitioners.
• Recruitment and Retention: Lead the recruitment lifecycle for permanent employees and implement targeted retention strategies.
• Craftsmanship and Technical Enablement
• Tooling Advocacy and Influence: Build strong business cases to secure funding for software, hardware, and infrastructure.
• Fit-for-Purpose Assurance: Ensure deployed tools and infrastructure remain fit for purpose.
• People Leadership and Development
• Pastoral Care and Well-being: Provide mentorship and pastoral care within the matrix structure.
• Functional Performance Management
• Technical Leadership: Direct, coach, and support site-based Technical Leads across locations.

Responsibilities

• Talent Strategy and Resource Supply Management.
• Capacity Planning to forecast future demand for Systems Engineering skills across all sites.
• Contingent/Partner Quality and onboarding processes for non-permanent practitioners.
• Recruitment and Retention for permanent staff.
• Craftsmanship and Technical Enablement across hardware domains.
• Tooling Advocacy and Budgeting for infrastructure and software.
• Fit-for-Purpose Assurance for tools and infrastructure across sites.
• Define and maintain the Systems Engineering Craft Standard.
• People Leadership: coach Technical Leads and drive professional development.
• Career development and pastoral care for staff within the matrix structure.
• Performance reviews focused on craftsmanship, standards, and growth.
• Technical Leadership across site locations.

Job description

Location: Cheadle, United Kingdom

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Systems Engineering Group Manager (Hardware) - Cheadle/Stockport

Primary Purpose of the Role:

To serve as the strategic leader and advocate for the entire Systems Engineering craft across UWS Hardware. This role is responsible for ensuring UWS has a reliable, high-quality supply of talent (permanent, contingent, and external partners) and that the working environment (tools, processes, and standards) is optimal for professional excellence and well‑being within the dual‑reporting matrix structure.

Key Areas of Responsibility

• Talent Strategy and Resource Supply Management
• Total Talent Supply Owner: Own the strategy and delivery for all forms of tradecraft supply. This includes managing permanent headcount, defining requirements for contingent workers, and vetting specialist external partners to ensure quality and continuity of the Systems Engineering craft.
• Capacity Planning: Work closely with Sector/Portfolio Engineering Leadership to forecast future demand for Systems Engineering skills. Ensure the Group's talent mix (permanent, contingent, external) is appropriately scaled and skilled to meet anticipated project needs across all UWS sites.
• Contingent/Partner Quality: Support, Influence & enforce quality standards and onboarding processes for all non‑permanent practitioners to maintain the integrity of the craft.
• Recruitment and Retention: Lead the recruitment lifecycle for permanent employees and implement targeted retention strategies, leveraging development and pastoral care to make the functional group the employer of choice for the trade.
• Craftsmanship and Technical Enablement
• Tooling Advocacy and Influence: Act as the key driver and influencer for tooling and infrastructure budgets. Proactively define the UWS needs in addition to Group strategy, building strong business cases to secure necessary funding for software, hardware, and infrastructure.
• Fit‑for‑Purpose Assurance: Responsible for ensuring the deployed tools and infrastructure remain fit for purpose for the Systems Engineering craft. Identify gaps, manage stakeholder expectations under existing constraints, and drive positive outcomes regardless of Group strategy potential limitations.
• Craft Standards and Quality: Define, maintain, and continuously improve the Systems Engineering Craft Standard (best practices, technical specifications, and quality gates) in accordance with the Thales Engineering Fundamentals. Ensure compliance through the Technical Leads across all sites.
• People Leadership and Development
• Career and Professional Development: Own and manage the long‑term career development and formal training for all permanent employees. Partner with Hw Delivery Leads to ensure project assignments support individuals development action plans (DAPs).
• Pastoral Care and Well‑being: Provide dedicated support, mentorship, and pastoral care to employees navigating the complexities of the matrix structure. Act as the primary escalation point for personal and structural conflicts, prioritizing employee well‑being and psychological safety.
• Functional Performance Management: Conduct formal performance reviews focusing on craftsmanship competency, adherence to standards, and professional growth (as distinct from project delivery performance).
• Technical Leadership: Direct, coach, and support the site‑based Technical Leads in their daily roles of coaching, mentoring, and quality assurance, ensuring consistency of the craft across all geographical locations.

Principal Relationships

• Head of Hardware Engineering
• Hw Delivery Managers
• Heads of Engineering Delivery
• Head of Engineering Operations
• Hardware Architects

Travel Percentage:

Up to 10%

Role Reports To:

Head of Hardware Engineering

No. Direct Reports:

Up to 40

Additional Information:

Requires UK Government Security Clearance

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all.

The benefits we offer include

• private medical insurance
• buying or selling annual leave
• cycle to work schemes
• employee discounts
• paid volunteering day
• stocks and shares
• annual bonus
• and much more depending on the role.

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring.