Senior Manager - C&I Protection Systems

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited; East Midlands; Hybrid; GBP 71,000 - 93,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bonus – up to 12.5%

Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per year

Pension – 12% employer, 6% employee

Holidays – 28 days + 8 bank holidays (

Private Medical Insurance – BUPA

Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay

Home Office Support – £250 one‑off

Job summary

Rolls-Royce SMR Limited is seeking a Senior Manager – C&I Protection Systems to lead the specification, design and delivery of nuclear protection and safety systems. The role requires deep experience in safety‑critical C&I architectures, verification and regulatory engagement, with the ability to guide large cross‑functional teams.

You will drive governance, supplier relationships and strategic delivery, shaping programme planning and safety assurance across the protection systems, while

Qualifications

• Degree in Control, Electrical, Electronic, Instrumentation or Systems Engineering; CEng or equivalent registration.
• Significant experience delivering protection and safety systems in safety‑critical environments.
• Proven leadership of large multidisciplinary engineering organisations; strong requirements management.

Responsibilities

• Lead specification, design and delivery of nuclear protection and safety systems.
• Define and maintain protection architectures and safety functions.
• Ensure alignment with nuclear safety requirements, safety cases and regulatory expectations.
• Lead system verification, validation and qualification strategies.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary teams delivering safety‑related system functionality.
• Support regulatory engagement and independent assessments.
• Drive governance and safety assurance across all protection systems.
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and oversee delivery of safety‑significant solutions.
• Lead programme planning, risk management and employee capability development.
• Mentor and develop engineering leaders and specialists.

Skills

Safety CI systems experience

Functional safety principles

Leadership of large teams

Stakeholder engagement

Education

Engineering degree (Control/Electrical/Instrumentation)

Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent

Job description

Role Title: Senior Manager – C&I Protection Systems

We are Rolls‑Royce SMR and we’re doing something that’s never been done before. We’re revolutionising an industry. That’s a once‑in‑a‑career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.

About the Role

The Electrical, Control & Instrumentation (EC&I) function is responsible for delivering the systems that protect and control the power station under all operating conditions. Protection and Safety Systems are among the most safety‑significant systems within the plant and form a fundamental part of the nuclear safety case.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead the specification, design and delivery of nuclear protection and safety systems
• Define and maintain protection system architectures and safety functions
• Ensure alignment with nuclear safety requirements, safety cases and regulatory expectations
• Lead system verification, validation and qualification strategies
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering teams delivering safety‑related system functionality
• Support regulatory engagement and independent assessment activities
• Drive technical governance and safety assurance across all protection systems
• Develop strategic supplier relationships and oversee delivery of safety‑significant solutions
• Lead programme planning, risk management and organisation capability development
• Mentor, coach and develop engineering leaders and specialists within the function

Key Skills Required

We know there’s no such thing as the ‘perfect’ candidate. If you meet around 75% of the criteria below, we’d love to hear from you:

• Extensive experience delivering safety‑related C&I systems within nuclear or other highly regulated sectors
• Strong understanding of functional safety principles and protection system design
• Experience with safety classification, safety case development and regulatory assurance
• Knowledge of protection architectures, reactor protection systems and safety automation
• Experience leading verification, validation and qualification activities
• Strong systems engineering and requirements management capability
• Proven leadership of large multidisciplinary engineering organisations
• Experience managing technical suppliers and strategic delivery partners
• Excellent communication and stakeholder engagement skills
• Ability to influence engineering and programme decisions at a strategic level

Qualifications

Degree qualified in Control Engineering, Electrical Engineering, Electronic Engineering, Instrumentation Engineering, Systems Engineering or another relevant STEM discipline; Chartered Engineer (CEng) or equivalent professional registration; Significant experience delivering protection and safety systems within a safety‑critical environment.

Location

Hybrid working with one of the following as your primary site: Derby, Manchester or Warrington.

Salary and Package

The salary band for this role will be between £71,000 – £93,200 dependent on the skills, values and knowledge you bring. There may be flexibility in exceptional cases.

Benefits include:

• Bonus – Performance‑related target opportunity up to 12.5%
• Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum for a bespoke package
• Pension – 12% employer and 6% employee contributions
• Holidays – 28 days (+ public holidays) with the ability to buy or sell up to 5 days
• Private Medical Insurance – BUPA single cover
• Life Assurance – 6× pensionable pay
• Home Office Support – £250 one‑off payment for new starters

Why Join Us?

You’ll be joining a forward‑thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness and innovation. We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment, opportunities for growth in a rapidly scaling business, and a culture that values diversity, continuous learning and engineering excellence.

• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment
• Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business
• A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning

We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone can thrive.

Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate.

Our Application Process

Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening.

• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance
• Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check
• Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity check

Selection Process

The closing date for this role is 18th October 2026. The process will begin with an introductory call with the Talent Acquisition Partner, with interviews being able to take place straight away.

Pay Range: £71,000.00 - £93,187.50

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