Systems Engineer Package Lead / Work Package Manager
Location: Portsmouth Hampshire
Working Pattern: Hybrid
Clearance Level: Currently SC Cleared
The Opportunity
We are looking for an experienced Work Package Manager to lead the day‑to‑day delivery of systems engineering activities on a complex simulation and training programme within a highly regulated environment.
This role is ideal for someone who enjoys coordinating technical teams, managing delivery to plan, and acting as the interface between engineering and senior project stakeholders. The programme is entering an extended phase of bid activity, early design, requirements definition, and design development, expected to continue for the next 12-18 months.
This is a delivery‑focused role rather than a hands‑on engineering position.
What You'll Be Doing
- Lead and manage the day‑to‑day activities of a Systems Engineering team, ensuring delivery against agreed schedules and budgets
- Coordinate work across bids, early design, requirements capture, and design activities
- Task and monitor engineers in line with established engineering governance and lifecycle processes
- Act as a key interface between technical teams and management, ensuring progress, risks, and issues are clearly communicated
- Support project planning activities, including:
- Engineering estimates and schedules
- Resource forecasting and workload planning
- Risk identification and mitigation
- Contribute to proposal writing, costing, and bidding activities
- Prepare and support engineering inputs for governance and review meetings
- Deputise for the Project Engineering Manager when required
What We're Looking For
Essential:
- Strong experience working in systems engineering environments
- Sound knowledge of systems engineering principles, governance, and lifecycle management
- Proven experience managing engineering work packages, schedules, and delivery
- Ability to understand technical work well enough to challenge, prioritise, and report effectively
Desirable:
- Experience within defence or other safety‑critical, highly regulated industries
- Background in aerospace, mechanical, simulation, or complex systems programmes
- Awareness of hardware and software engineering principles
