Head of Engineering Operating System

Location: 

Hybrid – Warrington, Derby or Manchester (with regular on-site collaboration) 

Our Mission 

At Rolls-Royce SMR, we are transforming the future of clean energy. By developing world-class Small Modular Reactors, we are delivering scalable, low‑carbon power solutions that will support global energy security and net-zero ambitions. Our work is complex, highly regulated and impactful—offering a unique opportunity to shape a new era of nuclear innovation. 

The Team 

You will sit within the Engineering Directorate, working closely with the Head of Engineering Capability and a broad network of senior leaders across engineering, digital (DigIT), safety and programme delivery. 

This is a pivotal leadership role that operates across the enterprise—connecting capability platforms, delivery teams and governance structures into a single, integrated system. You will collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to ensure the Engineering Operating System (EOS) enables consistent, high-quality delivery across a complex and rapidly evolving programme environment. 

The Role 

As Head of Engineering Operating System, you will provide operational leadership of the EOS—ensuring it functions as a coherent, integrated and regulator‑credible system. 

You will oversee the performance, integration and continuous improvement of the EOS, enabling predictable, controlled and auditable engineering delivery. Acting as the operational authority for capability systems, you will ensure governance frameworks, digital platforms and engineering processes work seamlessly together to support programme delivery at pace. 

This role is critical in providing enterprise-level insight into capability, capacity and system health—helping identify risks early and ensuring the organisation remains resilient under delivery pressure. 

What We’ll Need You to Do 

• Lead and continuously evolve the Engineering Operating System so it operates as a single, integrated, high-performing enterprise system 

• Provide clear operational oversight of engineering capability, capacity and resilience, ensuring teams can deliver predictably under pressure 

• Turn governance frameworks into practical, system-enabled controls that drive consistent, compliant delivery 

• Drive adoption of standard processes, tools and digital platforms, reducing fragmentation across engineering teams 

• Partner with DigIT and platform owners to optimise system performance and resolve issues impacting delivery 

• Identify and manage systemic risks, providing early visibility and ensuring effective mitigation across the organisation 

• Deliver clear, data-led insight into EOS performance, trends and system health to inform leadership decision-making 

What You’ll Bring 

• Strong senior leadership experience in enterprise-scale engineering environments, ideally within regulated or safety-critical industries 

• A track record of operating and improving engineering systems, governance and assurance processes in live delivery environments 

• Deep understanding of risk, controls and information integrity at an organisational level 

• Experience working across engineering, digital and programme delivery functions, with a strong focus on integration 

• Degree qualification in engineering (or equivalent experience) and professional recognition such as Chartered Engineer 

• A collaborative, pragmatic leadership style, with the ability to influence and align diverse senior stakeholders 

• The judgement and resilience to maintain control, pace and quality in complex, high-pressure delivery settings 

Location 

This role is hybrid, with flexibility built in to support work-life balance. You will be expected to regularly attend one of our key sites in Warrington, Derby or Manchester, with occasional travel as required to support collaboration and programme delivery.