Systems Engineering Manager - Programmes

ultra; Tenby; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Bonus Scheme

Private Medical Cover

25 days’ holiday + option to buy 5

Pension Contribution

4x Life Assurance

Flexible working hours

Cycle to work scheme

Security Clearance Allowance

Job summary

Ultra Intelligence & Communications is seeking a seasoned Systems Engineer to lead delivery across programmes, coordinating engineering resources from bid through full development lifecycle. You will ensure compliance with requirements, manage budgets, and mitigate risks while driving efficiency and innovation within a defence-focused environment.

The role emphasises leadership of a systems engineering team, technical documentation, and collaboration with production and test functions to deliver

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or Defence/Aerospace experience.
• Significant experience and a full understanding of Systems Engineering, lifecycle, System of Systems principles, capability delivery and development models.
• Experience in developing high quality requirements and a compliant capability/solution.
• Experience in product line/capability-based approach supporting a capability framework.
• Experience implementing full Engineering lifecycle per ISO/IEEE/IEC standards and practices.
• Technical and line management experience of a team of systems engineers across programmes.
• Experience writing high quality technical documentation and conducting formal reviews.
• Substantial knowledge of System Engineering practices and tools.
• Hands-on capability development of hardware, software or firmware embedded solutions.

Responsibilities

• Execute engineering delivery of a programme and multiple projects of varying sizes.
• Support Programme Management with planning and scheduling; optimize logic.
• Identify resource needs and prepare recruitment inputs; align with leads.
• Deliver artefacts to budget and schedule; aim to improve margins.
• Raise impediments and propose solutions with limited guidance.
• Quantify and mitigate technical risks to minimise impact.
• Manage engineering budget and forecast costs to completion with limited support.
• Coordinate engineering resources and provide reporting for stakeholders.
• Pre-authorise engineering work and drive cost/time-saving solutions.
• Propose innovations to increase programme margins.
• Resolve cross-functional concerns to optimise business needs.
• Manage information security per Security manual.

Skills

Systems Engineering

Lifecycle management

Requirements development

Technical leadership

Education

Engineering/Math/Physics degree

Job description

Company: Ultra Intelligence & Communications

Cyber (UK) Business

Powering Decision

Join the team redefining defense technology. From engineering systems that save lives to leading programs that change the battlefield—find your place in the future of defense.

Cyber Business

Our Cyber business unit is at the forefront of pioneering advanced cryptographic and key management solutions, facilitating the confidential exchange of vital information for customers operating at both tactical and strategic echelons. Join our team and participate in the innovation that ensures the highest security and trust worldwide.

Job Description

The Ultra Engineering function manages a portfolio of specialist capabilities, generating highly differentiated solutions and products by applying electronic, mechanical, and software technologies in demanding and critical environments to meet customer needs.

The Project/Systems Engineering function in Ultra provides expertise to all projects through the bid and full development lifecycle. It ensures that both project and statutory requirements are met and works to improve the effectiveness of the systems design function within the company. It is responsible for the system architecture and integration of the solution. It is responsible for design for cost and design for manufacture.
A professional at this grade applies technical / professional knowledge, making independent judgements based on practice and significant previous experience to support decision making. Seen as a referral point or more senior team member to elevate more complex problems. Roles will act independently with minimal guidance, and may act as project managers/formal mentors for junior staff.

Key Responsibilities

• Responsible for the executing the engineering delivery of a programme/numerous projects of a variety of sizes.


• Supports the Programme Management team in the planning and scheduling of their programme/projects; proposes optimisations to schedule logic that improve schedule.


• Identifies resource needs in good time for their introduction to the programme/projects; works with the discipline leads, at programme and project levels, to ensure that resource requirements are generally always met; provides input to longer term recruitment strategy (skills gap identification etc.); adapts to manage resource problems on programme/projects.


• Ensures that engineering artefacts for their programme/projects are delivered to budget and schedule; strives to beat schedule and deliver improved margin.


• Quickly and clearly raises resource concerns or any other impediments to programme/projects success; proposes and manages solutions to those; requires only limited support in this activity.


• Articulates and quantifies technical risks on the project; actively manages their mitigation to minimise risk to programme/projects.


• Is responsible for the engineering budget on the programme/projects and both monitors and forecasts costs to completion; seamlessly implements solutions to remedy overspend or schedule slip; requires only limited support in this activity.


• Coordinates all engineering resources on the programme/projects; performs day-today tasking. Provides any input required for business and customer reporting; proposes improved means of monitoring and reporting (metrics); represents the company on their programme/projects with customers, suppliers and subcontractors.


• Ensures that all engineering work carried out on the programme/projects is pre-authorised; proposes solutions that are cheaper/quicker than the obvious.


• Proposes improvements and drives innovation to increase programme/projects margin.


• Effectively resolves any concerns with other functions (e.g. production engineering, test systems); optimises business needs across all functions.


• Manage security of information as defined in the Security manual

Essential Qualifications, Skills & Experience Required

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Engineering, Mathematics, Physics or have suitable Defence/Aerospace industry experience.




• Significant experience and a full understanding of Systems Engineering, the lifecycle, System of Systems principles, capability delivery, various development models and associated processes.




• Significant experience of developing high quality requirements and establishing a fully compliant capability/solution.




• Attained experience in a product line/capability-based approach supporting a capability framework/family of products, quantifying the common and explicit aspects and means to manage the associated dynamics of all.




• Demonstrable experience/vast understanding of implementing the full Engineering lifecycle as per the applicable ISO/IEEE/IEC standards/fundamental practices/principles and processes.




• Technical and Line management experience of a team of systems engineers across a programme/set of projects




• Experience in writing high quality technical documentation and the formal technical review of such material.




• Substantial knowledge of System Engineering practices, methodologies, processes, techniques and technology trends and use of appropriate tools.




• Previous experience of hands‑on capability development of hardware, software or firmware embedded solutions.

Desirable Skills & Experience:

• INCOSE recognition CSEP/ESEP




• Experience working as a technical Subject Matter Expert (SME) and developing new areas of expertise as and when required.




• NCSC security processes and familiar with deliver of associated security artefacts.

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Notice

Due to the nature of the programs we deliver for our customers, candidates may need to obtain the relevant security clearance or handle export‑controlled material as defined by the role's requirements. Applicants must be able to obtain and maintain the appropriate level of security clearance for the role. Due to the nature of our work, you must be a British Citizen who has been resident in the UK for the past 5 years in order to apply for SC clearance and 10 years for DV. For more information, please visit the UKSV website.

Our Benefits

Every employee is critical to our success, and as such, we offer a range of flexible employee benefits, including:

• Participation in an Annual Bonus Scheme




• Private Medical Cover




• 25 days’ holiday (plus Bank Holidays) with the option to buy an extra 5 days




• Pension Contribution




• 4 x Life Assurance Cover




• Flexible working hours with opportunity for a 1pm finish on a Friday




• Flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme, will writing and more




• Security Clearance Allowance – where relevant and subject to you holding the required security clearance

Diversity, Equity & Inclusion Statement

At Ultra I&C, we are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity and inclusivity. Underpinned by our values, behaviours, and policies, we want you to feel empowered to be the best version of yourself. We also believe that people from different backgrounds and cultures will increase our diversity of thinking, ensuring we successfully deliver to our customers. We, therefore, do not discriminate based on race, religion, colour, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status. We also support requests for flexible working arrangements wherever possible. If you have any issues with your application, please email us at [e-mail]