Description
WSP is recruiting a Defence Systems Engineering Lead to grow their Defence systems capability, strengthen client relationships, and lead high-quality delivery across complex programmes.
This senior role sits within their Systems Engineering, Integration and Assurance team and works closely with WSP's Defence business. You will shape sector strategy and propositions while maintaining a clear line of sight from operational outcomes to architecture, requirements, interfaces, evidence, and acceptance.
Key Responsibilities:
- Set the strategy and grow the market: Own the Defence systems engineering strategy, track market and policy developments, build trusted senior client relationships, shape differentiated propositions, and lead capture plans, bids, and commercially robust proposals.
- Lead systems delivery and technical governance: Direct assignments across the lifecycle, tailoring management approaches, plans, reviews, and assurance so that evidence supports timely decisions.
- Integrate the whole system and manage performance: Oversee concepts, architectures, requirements, interfaces, configuration, and verification across multidisciplinary teams, balancing capability, affordability, schedule, safety, security, quality, commercial performance, and client satisfaction.
- Grow WSP's capability and provide visible leadership: Connect teams across the business, recruit and mentor practitioners, strengthen communities of practice, represent WSP in industry forums, and set clear expectations for collaboration, professional development, and sustainable growth.
Requirements:
- Professional standing and Defence experience: A relevant degree or equivalent experience; Chartered Engineer status or comparable professional recognition is preferred, with INCOSE or IfSE certification desirable; significant leadership experience on complex Defence or other safety- and security-critical programmes and a strong understanding of the UK Defence market and acquisition environment.
- Growth and commercial success: A proven record of developing strategies and pipelines, building senior client relationships, winning work, leading major bids, and delivering commercially successful consultancy assignments.
- Systems engineering and digital expertise: Strong lifecycle knowledge across concepts, architecture, requirements, interfaces, configuration, integration, verification, validation, acceptance, and assurance, with experience of digital engineering or model-based systems engineering, relevant tools, and technical governance.
- Influential and collaborative leadership: Credibility with senior stakeholders, experience leading multidisciplinary teams and facilitating difficult decisions, and a One WSP approach that promotes inclusion, mentoring, knowledge sharing, and high performance; an established Defence network would be advantageous.
- Security clearance: The ability to obtain and maintain the level of UK national security clearance required for the role and relevant assignments.