IPT Engineering Lead
Salary: Competitive dependent on experience
Location: Horsham, West Sussex
Employment Type: Full Time
We are looking for an experienced IPT Engineering Lead to join the Land Integrated Portfolio Team in Horsham. Reporting to the Engineering Director, this is a key leadership role responsible for planning, coordinating, and driving the successful delivery of bids, projects, production activity, and research across the Land Portfolio.
Working closely with the IPT Lead, IPT Operations Lead, Technical Leads, Product Managers, and Functional Leadership, you will help ensure delivery is well planned, well governed, and executed in line with engineering process, customer expectations, and business priorities.
The role
As IPT Engineering Lead, you will take ownership of the planning and execution of portfolio activity, ensuring tasks are properly resourced, risks are managed, schedules are realistic, and delivery remains on track. You will play a vital role in design governance, resource profiling, and technical oversight, while supporting cross-functional collaboration and clear communication across the wider business.
Key responsibilities
Planning
Support the IPT Lead with planning, resourcing, set to work, risk management, execution, reporting, and closure of IPT activities.
Underwrite bids and proposals prior to submission for approval.
Support monthly and quarterly resource demand planning.
Ensure estimates and schedules are built on sound historical performance, burn rates, and risk management.
Help ensure development and integration plans are realistic, risk mitigated, and schedule optimised.
Support continuous improvement and individual development objectives.Execution
Support the IPT leadership team in delivering the portfolio on time, on budget, and to the required quality standard.
Maintain clear communication between customers, internal functions, and stakeholders.
Help manage resource conflicts while balancing wider business priorities.
Escalate significant delivery issues to the Engineering Director.
Work with Product Managers to support delivery of product roadmaps and identify opportunities arising from IPT activity.
Provide feedback on team performance and escalate concerns where needed.Governance
Oversee sub-IPTs and project teams to ensure adherence to engineering process, good practice, and active risk management.
Conduct regular progress reviews with Tech Leads and Project Managers as appropriate.
Own design governance sign-off at design gate reviews.
Ensure relevant stakeholders are involved in technical and sub-IPT decisions.
Promote collaboration across the engineering team and prevent siloed working.Skills and experience required
Essential
Extensive experience in a manufacturing or engineering environment with strong project delivery exposure.
Demonstrable understanding of the systems engineering lifecycle and Engineering V process.
Significant experience presenting design reviews throughout the full development lifecycle.
Strong background in design governance and approval of complex system designs.
Solid understanding of configuration control and configuration management.
Proven ability to produce accurate estimates and plans with risk mitigation and opportunities identified.
Experience dealing with high-profile customers and stakeholders.
Strong resource planning and profiling capability.
Excellent teamwork and problem-solving skills in complex environments.Desirable
Hands-on experience across systems, mechanical, electrical, or software disciplines.
Experience mentoring emerging leaders.
Understanding of land defence customer requirements.
Knowledge of electro-mechanical positioners and image processing.
Previous experience working in an IPT environment.What we are looking for
The ideal candidate will be a confident technical leader with a strong understanding of engineering delivery, governance, and resource management. You will be comfortable working across multiple teams, influencing stakeholders, and ensuring complex programmes are delivered in a structured, controlled, and collaborative way