Project Engineering Manager

Leonardo; Southampton; Hybrid; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension scheme

Bonus scheme

Flexible benefits

Hybrid working

Learning & development

Job summary

Leonardo UK is seeking a Project Engineering Manager in Southampton to lead multidisciplinary engineering teams across naval programmes, delivering against performance, schedule and cost. The role includes coordinating Engineering Leads, developing robust plans, and presenting status to governance.

You will work within a hybrid setting in the UK, contributing to strategy and engineering excellence while supporting growth in the Naval domain.

Qualifications

• Degree in engineering or related field.
• Significant experience leading multidisciplinary engineering teams on complex programmes.
• Strong understanding of engineering lifecycles, governance, and project delivery.
• Experience in engineering planning, resource management and risk management.
• Proven ability to manage engineering performance against cost, schedule and technical objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management across engineering, programme, and business teams.
• Commercial awareness and ability to make engineering decisions in a broader business context.

Responsibilities

• Lead multidisciplinary engineering teams across a portfolio of Naval programmes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Coordinate Project Engineering Leads responsible for individual projects or work packages.
• Ensure engineering solutions meet customer requirements, contractual obligations and regulatory standards.
• Develop and maintain robust engineering plans, identifying milestones, risks and interdependencies.
• Monitor performance and adapt plans to mitigate risks to cost, schedule and technical performance.
• Work with Project Managers to ensure successful programme delivery.
• Present engineering status in monthly governance meetings and reports.
• Coordinate inputs to bids, including cost estimation and planning.

Skills

Leadership

Systems thinking

Stakeholder mgmt

Governance

Cost control

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Your impact

Want to lead the engineering teams delivering the next generation of naval sensing, communications and protection capabilities?

As a Project Engineering Manager within Leonardo's Naval Line of Business, you'll play a key leadership role in delivering complex engineering programmes that support critical defence capabilities for customers around the world.

This is an exciting opportunity to join a growing part of Leonardo's Integrated Sensing and Protection (ISP) division. Our Naval business delivers a diverse portfolio of projects ranging from new product development and business capture activities through to customer-funding programmes and in-service support contracts. With ambitious growth plans over the next five years, we are looking for leaders who can help foster a high-performance culture while driving engineering excellence across multiple programmes.

What You Will Do As a Project Engineering Manager

You will lead and coordinate engineering activities across multiple projects, ensuring delivery against performance, schedule and cost objectives.

Key Responsibilities Will Include

• Leading multidisciplinary engineering teams across a portfolio of Naval programmes throughout the project lifecycle.
• Managing and supporting Project Engineering Leads responsible for individual projects or work packages.
• Ensuring engineering solutions meet customer requirements, contractual obligations and regulatory standards.
• Developing and maintaining robust engineering plans, identifying key milestones, risks, opportunities and interdependencies.
• Monitoring engineering performance and adapting plans as necessary to mitigate risks to cost, schedule and technical performance.
• Working closely with Project Managers to ensure successful programme delivery.
• Building strong relationships with Engineering Functional Leads to develop effective resource plans and resolve resourcing challenges.
• Producing and presenting engineering status reports as part of the monthly engineering governance process.
• Coordinating engineering inputs to bids, including cost estimation, engineering planning and engineering bid reviews.
• Representing engineering within the Naval Communications management team through regular programme reviews, progress meetings and governance activities.
• Presenting project engineering status and progress at senior leadership and Board-level reviews.
• Contributing to the development of a high-performing engineering culture that supports continued business growth.

What You'll Bring

We are looking for an experienced engineering leader who combines strong technical knowledge with excellent programme and team leadership capabilities.

Essential Experience And Qualifications Include

• Degree-qualified in an engineering-related discipline.
• Significant experience leading and managing multidisciplinary engineering teams on complex development, support or delivery programmes.
• Strong understanding of engineering lifecycles, governance processes and project delivery within technically complex environments.
• Experience in engineering planning, resource management and risk management.
• A proven ability to manage engineering performance against cost, schedule and technical objectives.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to build effective relationships across engineering, programme and business teams.
• Commercial awareness and the ability to make engineering decisions within a broader business context.

It Would Be Beneficial If You Also Have

• Experience leading leaders, including the management of Project Engineering Leads or senior engineering professionals.
• Knowledge of systems integration and test activities.
• Experience supporting the delivery and sustainment of military platforms.
• Knowledge of the Naval domain and/or communications technologies.
• Experience working within the defence sector.
• Broad engineering experience spanning multiple phases of the product development and support lifecycle.

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.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government's Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV).

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 - Southampton

Contract Type

Permanent

Hybrid Working

Hybrid