Chief of Staff, Engineering Lisbon, Portugal

UNIT4 NV; Lisboa; Hybrid; EUR 90,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

UNIT4 NV in Lisbon seeks a practical, credible leader who can turn Engineering priorities into measurable results, collaborating with EVP Engineering and the global leadership team to create focus, improve decisions and drive action.

You will own the operating rhythm for the Engineering leadership team, translate strategy into plans, lead cross-functional initiatives and ensure delivery against commitments.

Job description

The opportunity

We are looking for a practical, credible leader who can turn Engineering priorities into measurable results.

Working directly with the EVP Engineering and the Engineering leadership team, you will create focus, improve decision-making and ensure important commitments lead to action. You will work across a global Engineering organisation, bringing structure to complex issues, challenging constructively and helping leaders deliver.

The role combines strategic judgement, operational discipline and hands-on execution.

What you will do

• Own the operating rhythm for the Engineering leadership team, including leadership meetings, planning cycles, business reviews, quarterly business reviews and town halls.
• Turn strategy and leadership discussions into clear plans, decisions, owners and measurable outcomes.
• Lead high-priority, cross-functional initiatives from problem definition through to delivery.
• Work with Engineering directors, VPs and partners to address delays, challenge assumptions and resolve competing priorities.
• Create clear agendas, briefings, recommendations and communications for executive and wider audiences.
• Improve the flow of decisions, information and performance measures across Engineering and its partner functions.
• Build and maintain trusted Engineering reporting and KPIs that support better and faster decisions.
• Improve visibility of delivery health, dependencies, risks and trade-offs across Engineering.
• Use AI, automation and connected data to improve reporting, decision-making and the efficiency of Engineering’s operating rhythm.
• Partner with Product, Finance, People and other functions on planning, budgets, workforce priorities and organisational change.
• Support workforce planning, organisational design and investment decisions by connecting business priorities, capacity and delivery needs.
• Identify gaps in ownership or delivery and step in to create clarity and momentum.
• Bring an external perspective and challenge established ways of working where a better approach is possible.

What success looks like

In your first 90 days

• You have built trusted relationships with the EVP Engineering, the Engineering leadership team and key partners.
• You have taken ownership of the leadership operating rhythm, including agendas, decisions and action tracking.
• You understand the current planning, reporting and delivery landscape and have agreed the most important gaps to address.
• You have established credibility across Engineering through practical knowledge, sound judgement and reliable follow-through.

In your first 12 months

• Planning, reviews, reporting and leadership communications run consistently and lead to clear decisions.
• Priority cross-functional initiatives move from discussion to delivery with visible ownership and measurable outcomes.
• Engineering leaders have trusted measures and reporting to support their decisions.
• Delivery risks, dependencies and trade-offs are identified and addressed earlier.
• The EVP Engineering and leadership team have greater capacity to focus on strategic and organisational priorities.
• Established ways of working have been constructively challenged and improved where needed.