Aerospace Head of Function (Systems, Safety and Embedded Software)

The Aerospace Head of Function (Systems / Software) is a senior technical manager for the discipline within Expleo’s aerospace engineering environment.

• Provide technical authority across projects and bids, approving key technical outputs, plans, and estimates.
• Act as escalation point for technical risk, quality, and engineering integrity issues.
• Assure compliance with relevant standards, legislation, and engineering governance.
• Conduct and oversee technical reviews and audits in line with project quality plans.
• Intervene where technical risk exists, including stopping work on technical grounds.
• Ensure projects are resourced with appropriately SQEP engineers.
• Lead and develop Engineering Team Leads (ETLs) and Team Leads (TLs), ensuring strong technical input to appraisals and development planning.
• Drive continuous improvement in engineering practice and capability maturity.

• Essential
  • Degree in a relevant engineering or computing discipline.
  • Strong lifecycle knowledge (requirements, architecture, integration, V&V, quality)
• Preferred
  • Chartered Engineer (or equivalent)
  • INCOSE CSEP (Systems); ESEP-aligned capability preferred.
  • Lead H&S Auditor.

• Systems (INCOSE-aligned)
  • Requirements definition and management
  • System architecture and trade studies
  • Integration, interfaces, V&V
  • Technical leadership and mentoring

Software (SFIA-aligned – Level 6)

• Demonstrable authority across core SFIA software skills, including:
  • Architecture (ARCH)
  • Requirements (REQM)
  • Design (DESN)
  • Integration & build (SINT)
  • Testing & quality (TEST / NFTS)
  • Configuration & change (CFMG)
  • Lifecycle engineering (SLEN)
• At SFIA Level 6, the role sets technical direction, influences across programmes, and assures delivery through governance rather than direct execution.

Safety (CAA MAA Aligned)

• FTA, HAZID, HAZOP and SFMEA development
• Technical leadership and mentoring

• Strong technical authority in systems or software engineering within complex, safety-critical environments
• Ability to provide independent technical challenge, governance, and decision-making across multiple programmes
• Deep understanding of engineering lifecycles (requirements, architecture, design, integration, verification & validation, in-service support)
• Proven capability in technical review, assurance, and audit of engineering outputs and plans
• Strong risk, quality, and compliance mindset in regulated environments
• Ability to set technical direction and influence delivery without direct control (matrix environment)
• Excellent stakeholder engagement and communication, including senior client and internal leadership interaction
• Strong coaching and mentoring skills, with ability to develop senior technical leaders

• Significant experience in a senior technical leadership or technical authority role (e.g. Head of Function, Chief/Lead Architect, Technical Authority)
• Experience working in complex, safety-critical, and regulated environments (e.g. marine, defence, aerospace, nuclear, rail)
• Demonstrated track record of approving engineering solutions and assuring delivery across multiple projects or programmes
• Experience acting as a technical escalation point for delivery, quality, and risk issues
• Proven experience in technical governance, including design reviews, audits, and compliance assessments
• Experience leading or influencing multi-disciplinary engineering teams in a matrix organisation
• Demonstrated ability to develop engineering capability, including mentoring senior engineers and improving SQEP coverage
• Experience ensuring projects are correctly resourced with appropriate technical capability
• Systems-specific experience
  
  • Extensive experience applying systems engineering lifecycle processes in complex programmes
  • Experience in system architecture definition, integration challenges, and V&V strategy
  • Evidence of operating at INCOSE Lead Practitioner level or equivalent, with experience guiding others and resolving complex technical issues
  • Experience contributing to or aligning with safety cases, regulatory frameworks, and assurance activities
• Software-specific experience
  
  • Extensive experience in software engineering leadership or architecture roles
  • Experience operating at SFIA Level 6 (Initiate / Influence) or equivalent level of responsibility, including:
  • Setting technical direction across projects
  • Influencing engineering decisions across teams
  • Governing software lifecycle practice and standards
  • Experience in safety-critical or high-assurance software development, including quality, security, and compliance considerations
  • Experience implementing or improving software engineering processes, assurance frameworks, and tooling
  • Strong background in architecture, integration, testing, and lifecycle governance within complex systems
• Safety Specific Experience
  • Aerospace Safety
  • Reliability Engineering
  • Fault Diagnosis and Analysis
  • Risk Assessment
  • Failure Modes and Effects Analysis
  • Human Factors in Aviation Safety
  • Maintenance and Inspection Strategies
  • Safety Management Systems
  • Quality Assurance for Aerospace
  • Regulatory Compliance and Standards
• Significant experience in senior technical leadership, technical authority, or architecture roles.
• Experience in safety-critical software, secure systems, or model-based engineering.
• Experience in complex, safety-critical, regulated environments (marine, defence, or equivalent)
• Experience driving continuous improvement in engineering processes, standards, and tools

• Collaborative working environment – we stand shoulder to shoulder with our clients and our peers through good times and challenges  
• We empower all passionate technology loving professionals by allowing them to expand their skills and take part in inspiring projects   
• Expleo Academy - enables you to acquire and develop the right skills by delivering a suite of accredited training courses  
• Competitive company benefits
• Always working as one team, our people are not afraid to think big and challenge the status quo 

• As a Disability Confident Committed Employer we have committed to:
  • Ensure our recruitment process is inclusive and accessible
  • Communicating and promoting vacancies
  • Offering an interview to disabled people who meet the minimum criteria for the job
  • Anticipating and providing reasonable adjustments as required
  • Supporting any existing employee who acquires a disability or long term health condition, enabling them to stay in work at least one activity that will make a difference for disabled people

“We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all suitably qualified persons regardless of their race, sex, disability, religion/belief, sexual orientation or age”. 

We treat everyone fairly and equitably across the organisation, including providing any additional support and adjustments needed for everyone to thrive