Head of Engineering Governance
Overview of Responsibilities
For more information on UKIFS, visit: https://careers.ukaea.uk/wp-content/uploads/download/UKIFS_CandidateRecruitmentPack.pdf
Employees of UKIFS can be based at either of our sites; West Burton, Nottinghamshire or Culham, Oxfordshire
This role requires employees to complete an online Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS), including The Disclosure & Barring Service (DBS) checks for criminal convictions.
The Role
Are you looking for an exciting opportunity to make a difference on a global scale? Join our team and contribute to the future of fusion energy as Head of Engineering Governance in the field of fusion energy. In this role you will play a pivotal role in leading a team of 3-5, indirectly managing a larger team to include strategic partners, and overseeing all technical governance aspects of the organisation as it transitions from Programme to Organisation.
You will be accountable for the design and delivery of governance on the STEP programme and focus on developing, maintaining and evolving the key governance requirements for UKIFS to operate as Design Authority and deliver a major, first of a kind, programme. You will ensure the programme is able to manage a significant portfolio of technical risk by developing policies, process and procedures to enable the development and of a first of a kind fusion power plant. As many systems currently have low technical readiness, you must evolve the governance regime as the design evolves to ensure governance is proportionate to the phase of the engineering lifecycle. Critical to the role will be ensuring that you not only bring together the UKIFS engineering organisation but also take into account the views our partners in the UKAEA and Industry, linking hearts and minds within the disparate groups to create one ‘best for programme’ vision.
Within the framework of a systems engineering approach, you will own and set the direction of complex and evolving technical, regulatory and commercial governance and will be required to work with strategic partners to ensure that the engineering done outside of UKIFS is governed to an equivalent standard. In addition, you will institute an engineering lifecycle management approach and the framework in which UKIFS engineering takes place. You’ll oversee engineering configuration and change management, drive continuous improvement, and set a culture of excellence within the organisation. Your role includes promoting organised work practices without stifling innovation and representing engineering in discussions with senior management and other product areas.
Establishing a fusion company in the UK is pioneering work. You’ll thrive in this role if you can both embrace uncertainty and ambiguity and effect change across disparate organisations as we build UKIFS and its team. You’ll shape standards as we grow, while also seeking new technologies, efficiencies, and leadership opportunities in nuclear fusion.
Additional Responsibilities:
- Setting strategic direction and taking responsibility for the direction and delivery of engineering governance for UKIFS Ltd and the STEP Programme, including influencing at all levels of the organisation to create a ‘best for programme’ mindset and ensuring all technical contributors are brought along on the journey
- Develop and execute the technical governance strategy to align with the programme’s goals and objectives, looking beyond the programme and working closely with the technical leadership in UKIFS, UKAEA and the WPPs.
- Identify new advancements, new efficiencies, and new ways for UKIFS to be leaders within Nuclear Fusion.
- Responsible for exploiting digital opportunities to increase performance of the technical delivery, including migration of standards/existing processes into workflows within the Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) system.
- In collaboration with the Director of Engineering Programme and Chief Engineer, develop a STEP engineering lifecycle management approach and engineering management framework, including design review standards and safety, security and environmental sustainability management system(s)
- Define all required policies, mechanisms, approvals and ways of working to ensure UKIFS can operate as design authority, including the Design Certification process
- Create and manage the Delegation of Authority (DoA) process, including granting and revoking DoA
- Creation/management of UKIFS Engineering Policy/Process/Procedure, as required, to include modification of existing Authority processes for use by STEP
- Development of process to determine, and be final arbiter of, the use of non UKIFS governance/process on the STEP programme
- Ensure robust processes are in place to allow STEP to meet legal and regulatory obligations, especially relating to safety cases and environmental compliance
- Responsible for a direct team of 3-5 and providing oversight of an extended team comprised of strategic partners and suppliers
- Budget responsibility of circa £1M rising as the programme and team grow
- Responsible for engineering configuration management and change control
- Owner of the document release process
- Provide input into the Office of the Chief Engineer for as part of their technical assurance process
- Support audits (internal and external).
- Lead continuous improvement to include process improvement
- Regardless of your formal position, you embody a leadership mindset and a set of ‘best for enterprise’ behaviours. You embrace and embody our organisation’s culture, values, and mission in all aspects of your work.
- Contribute to maintaining a respectful and collaborative workplace, valuing diversity, and promoting teamwork.
- Act as a cultural ambassador, representing our organization’s values and professionalism in interactions with colleagues, clients, and stakeholders.
- Lead by example, demonstrating integrity, professionalism, and ethical behaviour.
- Make informed decisions and solve problems effectively, considering diverse perspectives and organisational goals
Qualifications
Essential Requirements:
- Degree in a STEM related field or equivalent qualification
- Delivery of engineering governance frameworks/systems
- Experience of working in a business that holds design authority
- Demonstrable ability to effect change at the most senior level
- Managing change and change control
- Development of technical policy, process and procedures
- Safety case experience
- Knowledge of ISO standards
- Experience coordinating diverse governance systems across multiple partners or businesses.
- Ability to adapt to change and uncertainty, and embrace the evolving nature of the job
- Ability to upskill quickly and have an entrepreneurial mindset.
- Knowledge of the legal and regulatory obligations required by government.
- Proven ability to inspire and motivate technical teams.
Beneficial Requirements:
- Experience with the Design Approved Organisation Scheme (DAOS) and/or the Maintenance Approved Organisation Scheme (MAOS) regulatory frameworks
- Public Sector Knowledge UK: Familiarity with the specific regulations, policies, and governance frameworks applicable to public sector organisations
- Experience working in an emergent tech environment.
- Experience delivering major programmes.
- Experience with Product Lifecycle Management systems.
- Assurance experience.
- Migration of written processes into toolsets/workflows
- Chartered Engineer or willingness to obtain chartered status
Additional Information
A full list of our benefits can be found here https://careers.ukaea.uk/life-at-ukaea/employee-benefits/
We welcome applications from under-represented groups, particularly individuals from black and other ethnic minority backgrounds, people with disabilities, and women. Our Executive team, supported by our 'Equality, Diversity and Inclusion' (EDI) Partner and Inclusion Ambassadors, actively promotes EDI and takes steps to increase diversity within our organization. We reinforce best practices in recruitment and selection and evaluate approaches to remove barriers to success.
Please note that vacancies are generally advertised for 4 weeks but may close earlier if we receive a large number of applications.
For applicants applying from outside the United Kingdom or those who have spent time outside the UK in the last five years, please visit the following link for information on criminal records checks: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/criminal-records-checks-for-overseas-applicants If your country of residence or previous residence is not listed on the website or if the UK Government does not have information on obtaining a criminal records check from that state, we regret to inform you that we cannot process your application.
