Head of Engineering Projects

Job Description:

Your Impact

With the continued growth within ISP, we are offering an exciting opportunity for a dynamic and experienced leader to take on the role of Head of Engineering Projects within our ISP Line of Business. This is a pivotal position, combining strategic vision with hands-on delivery, and offers the chance to shape the future of engineering capability within Leonardo.

As Head of Engineering Projects, you will lead the successful delivery of complex technical programs from early concept through to production support. You will work closely with customers and partners to ensure we provide best-in-class solutions, while driving innovation and operational excellence across all engineering initiatives.

What You’ll Do

• Strategic leadership: Provide strategic direction and oversight across all programmes, motivating, leading and inspiring engineering teams to achieve excellence
• Deliver Engineering Success: Shape and direct the planning, resourcing, prioritisation, execution, and delivery of engineering projects, with accountability for the technical outcomes, alongside schedule and cost adherence
• Develop Talent: Build a high‑performing engineering organisation which includes proactive mentoring across the team, shaping capability development, and driving a culture of continuous improvement, accountability, and technical excellence.
• Drive Innovation: Champion the evolution of engineering capability, by driving the adoption of cutting‑edge technologies, modern methodologies, and process enhancements that improve efficiency, quality, and competitiveness.
• Collaborate: Work alongside the internal engineering disciplines, to ensure the forward load is representative of future requirements, forecasting the skills and capability needs of the programmes, and develop robust succession plans to ensure continued future success 
• Build effective partnerships: Forge strong working relationships with internal teams, external stakeholders, customers and partners to ensure alignment and seamless delivery across ISP
• Due diligence and governance: Apply effective Life Cycle Management processes across bids and projects, taking overall responsibility for all Engineering governance assurance activities.
• Maintain Quality & Compliance: Guarantee adherence to safety, security, and quality standards, across the Engineering teams
• Manage Budgets: Lead the optimisation of engineering budgets, making informed trade‑off decisions that deliver value without compromising quality, safety, or programme integrity
• Risk Management: Drive a proactive and transparent risk management approach across all Engineering practices, anticipating risks, guiding effective controls, and ensuring alignment with organisational priorities
• Support the Sector VP in monthly Project Reviews, Demand Reviews, Supply Reviews and LoB Reviews

What We’re Looking For

• A degree in Engineering or a related scientific discipline (or equivalent experience).
• Proven experience in a senior engineering role, managing complex projects and product creation in a regulated environment.
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal abilities.
• Strategic thinker with a track record of solving complex problems.

Why Apply?

This is a fantastic opportunity to:

• Influence the future of ISP capability within Engineering.
• Collaborate across IPTs and technology units to build a robust engineering pipeline.
• Play a key role in shaping our growth and innovation strategy.

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). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

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.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid