Engineering Director; Defence

Overview

Empowering impactful projects in a complex world. At Atkins

Réalis, our impact is defined by the calibre of our people and the breadth of our technical capability. Across some of the UK's most significant and complex engineering programmes, we bring together diverse perspectives, deep domain expertise and a culture that values professionalism, integrity and collaboration. When you join us, you become part of a community that supports each other to perform at our best – while still recognising the importance of balance, flexibility and life outside of work.

Additionally, if you’re returning to your career after a break, we offer structured pathways to help you re-enter the profession with confidence, backed by mentorship and development tailored to your experience.

We are now looking for an Engineering Director to play a pivotal role in our Advanced Engineering Delivery & Consultancy (AEDC) practice. This is a senior position where your decisions will shape programmes that safeguard the UK's national interests and enable critical capabilities for decades to come. You will guide large, multidisciplinary teams delivering some of the highest-profile and technically demanding programmes in the country – including work with MOD across the equipment acquisition lifecycle.

In this role, you will operate across the full engineering lifecycle, from early concept development through to integration and delivery, spanning land, sea, air and Critical National Infrastructure domains. You'll provide expert and trusted technical leadership, ensuring alignment across complex systems and bringing a holistic and enterprise-level perspective to decision making.

You will engage directly with senior stakeholders – from engineering specialists to programme executives – working collaboratively to shape strategies and support strong outcomes and ensuring that our solutions stand up to the highest levels of scrutiny. And because the work you lead underpins national security, you'll know that your contribution delivers real and lasting impact.

• The purpose of this role is to lead the delivery of high value engineering work for our Defence clients. As Engineering Director, you will act as a senior technical authority on our most complex programmes – setting the standard for delivery excellence, ensuring alignment and providing visible leadership that gives clients confidence their critical challenges are being managed with clarity and accountability.
• Alongside this, you will drive growth across the Defence market by shaping compelling multidisciplinary engineering solutions and strengthening our position with MOD and industry customers. Working closely with market and business development leads, you will identify new opportunities, develop client focused, compelling strategies and help secure programmes of national significance.
• You will provide senior leadership to our major Defence campaigns, ensuring clear technical direction, differentiated value propositions and alignment with wider business priorities. Through your holistic thinking, enterprise level perspective and strong client relationships, you will strengthen our reputation as a trusted, collaborative partner capable of delivering enduring impact for the UK's national security.
• Central to the role is your ability to inspire confidence – both internally and with clients. You will provide clear, holistic and enterprise-level thinking across the entire engineering lifecycle, giving clients assurance that their most complex challenges are in safe, capable and accountable hands.

• Influential Leader:
  Credible at senior levels; able to engage, challenge and influence MOD, industry primes and internal executives.
• Strong Technical Foundation:
  Deep experience with complex defence systems, safety critical engineering and relevant standards/regulation.
• Financial Awareness:
  Understanding of budgeting, cost control, business cases and contract structures.
• Commercial Acumen:
  Understanding of how decisions shape the risk profiles of programmes; balancing technical decisions with commercial realities.
• Holistic Thinker:
  Sees the whole…