Senior Software Engineering Delivery Manager

Location: Crawley, United Kingdom

Thales people architect solutions at the heart of the defence-security continuum. Interoperable and secure information and telecommunications systems for defence, security, and civil operators, are based upon innovative use of radiocommunications, networks, and cybersecurity. We are ground breaking new digital technologies such as 4G mobile communications, cryptography, cloud computing and big data for use in physical protection systems, and critical information systems.

Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that’s why we offer you the flexibility to do what’s important to you; whether that’s part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Overview of the role

Thales is seeking an experienced Senior Engineering Delivery Manager – Software to support the planning, coordination and governance of software engineering activities across our growing software community across our Crawley and Reading sites. Working as part of a growing and diverse team, you will work across a diverse product portfolio that encompasses cutting edge communications products in our sea domain and fulfil an integral software leadership role, involved in managing and monitoring software developments across the full software development life-cycle (Agile).

The role provides senior leadership across the delivery of complex software-enabled capabilities, ensuring software work packages are planned, governed and executed in accordance with programme objectives, engineering standards and customer commitments.

Working closely with programme managers, engineering leads and software teams, the role focuses on establishing robust delivery plans, maintaining oversight of engineering progress and managing risks, dependencies and integration challenges associated with complex software systems. Operating across the full software development lifecycle, the role ensures that appropriate engineering processes, governance structures and lifecycle artefacts are applied to support successful programme delivery.

In addition to programme delivery responsibilities, the role contributes to the ongoing development and modernisation of software engineering practices within the SIX Software Discipline. This includes strengthening lifecycle governance, supporting improvements to engineering processes and mentoring engineering teams to enhance delivery performance across the organisation. The role operates across multiple programmes and contributes to the evolution of the delivery framework used by software teams across broad and diverse portfolios.

Key Responsibilities

You will provide:

Engineering Delivery Leadership

• Work collaboratively with programme managers, engineering leads and software teams to develop realistic delivery plans and schedules for software work packages supporting wider programme objectives.
• Provide oversight of software engineering activities across the development lifecycle, ensuring delivery progress, dependencies and risks are clearly understood and effectively managed.
• Coordinate multidisciplinary engineering activities where software capability integrates with hardware platforms, communications infrastructure and wider system components.
• Maintain and update software development plans to reflect evolving programme requirements, engineering governance expectations and customer commitments.
• Support programme milestone reviews and engineering gates by ensuring appropriate engineering evidence and supporting materials are prepared.
• Provide regular reporting of software delivery performance to programme leadership and the Head of Software Discipline, supporting effective programme governance and decision making.
• Support estimation and planning activities for software work packages within programmes and bids, helping establish realistic delivery plans and resource requirements.
• Represent the software discipline within programme reviews, engineering governance forums and customer engagements where required.

Process Ownership and Engineering Improvement

• Act as a process owner within the SIX Software Discipline, supporting the continuous improvement and modernisation of software engineering practices across the organisation.
• Work with the Head of Software Discipline and engineering leadership to maintain and evolve the software development framework used within the Naval and Land portfolios.
• Strengthen lifecycle governance across software programmes by promoting consistent engineering processes, development practices and delivery structures.
• Support the development and adoption of improved planning practices, engineering documentation standards, development workflows and review mechanisms across software teams.
• Identify opportunities to improve engineering efficiency, delivery confidence and collaboration across the software discipline through engagement with programme teams and engineering leaders.
• Contribute to the development of guidance, templates and working practices that enable software teams to operate effectively within complex defence programmes while maintaining appropriate engineering governance.
• Support the Head of Software Discipline in driving continuous improvement initiatives across the software engineering function.

Team Leadership and Mentoring

• Provide professional leadership and line management to software engineers within the discipline, supporting performance development and career progression.
• Mentor engineers and emerging technical leaders, helping develop capability across the software discipline.
• Promote knowledge sharing and collaboration across engineering teams to strengthen the overall capability of the organisation.
• Support the development of a culture focused on delivery excellence, continuous improvement and strong engineering governance.

Requirements

We would love to hear from you if:

• Extensive experience leading engineering delivery within complex technology programmes, ideally within defence, aerospace or similarly regulated industries.
• Strong background in engineering programme or project management, including planning, governance and delivery of multidisciplinary engineering activities.
• Demonstrated experience managing engineering work packages across the development lifecycle, including planning, estimation, delivery monitoring and risk management.
• Strong understanding of engineering governance and lifecycle management within complex systems development environments.
• Experience working within organisations delivering integrated hardware, software and communications systems.
• Experience supporting programme planning, engineering estimation and bid development activities.
• Strong stakeholder management skills with the ability to engage effectively with programme leadership, engineering teams and customer representatives.
• Experience mentoring and developing engineering teams and supporting the growth of technical capability within organisations.
• Professional project management accreditation or equivalent experience in engineering leadership is desirable.
• Supported developing software systems to meet international safety systems such as IEC 61508, DO-178C/278 or EUROCAE – ED109 is desirable.
• Supported the development of software systems to meet the cyber-security needs of the customer and other stakeholders.

Due to the nature of the work, candidates must currently hold or be eligible to obtain UK Security Clearance (SC). Existing Developed Vetting (DV) clearance is highly desirable.

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided. For further details of the evidence required to apply for Baseline and Security Clearance please refer to the Defence Business Services National Security Vetting (DBS NSV) Agency.

At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.

Thales UK is committed to providing an inclusive and barrier-free recruitment process. We will provide reasonable adjustments and support to ensure neuro-diverse applicants or those with a disability or long-term condition can be their best during the recruitment process. To request an adjustment, if you need this job advert in an alternative format or if you have any questions about the recruitment process, please contact Resourcing Ops for mid to senior roles, or the Early Careers Team for graduate and apprentice roles.

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