Job Title: Head of Electronic and Communication Engineering
Location: Bristol, Southwest + Hybrid Working Arrangements
Compensation: Competitive Salary + Benefits
Role Type: Full time / Permanent
Role ID: SF
At Babcock we’re working to create a safe and secure world, together, and if you join us, you can play your part as the Head of Communication Technology. This can be delivered at one of the following sites: Ashton Vale, Bristol / Stoke Gifford, Bristol / Oakhanger, Hampshire / Corsham, Wiltshire / Tewksbury, Gloucestershire.
The Role
As the Head of Electronic and Communication Engineering, you’ll have a role that’s out of the ordinary. You’ll be responsible for providing motivated, talented, workforce to our project teams and Business Units. This includes developing our talent pipeline for current and future communication technology opportunities, including SatCom, Radio Frequency and Networking Engineering and Operations across our Sense & Connect and Space Business Units.
Day-to-day, you’ll lead and manage the Communication Technology Discipline defining its top-level strategy and provide effective direction and guidance. The role is to maintain a technical capability that delivers critical skills and resources aligned to business requirements to deliver the mission and integrated technical programmes.
1. Define and deliver the strategy of the Communication Technology Discipline to ensure a consistent pipeline of talent to service our Business Units.
2. Manage current resources in a safe, secure, and cost-efficient manner, ensuring consistency with broader Engineering, Operations, and Business Unit strategies.
3. Own and Deliver the Communication Technology Processes, Policies, and Supporting Documentation.
4. Responsible for leading improvement activities across the Lines of Business to achieve value adding performance.
5. Work effectively with Delivery areas, to build great relationships with people, programme, projects, disciplines, international collaborators, supply chain, and key stakeholders in delivering the Programmes.
This role is full time, 37 hours per week and can be delivered from one of the following regions Bristol, Hampshire, Wiltshire, Gloucestershire alongside home working arrangements.
Essential Experience of the Head of Electronic and Communication Engineering
6. Extensive experience in leading and managing Communication, Network, and Technology teams and programmes, both within and across disciplines.
7. Expertise in establishing talent pipelines, focusing on training, early careers, and developing in-house talent rather than solely relying on external recruitment.
8. Proven ability to drive delivery, performance, continuous improvement, and manage budgets with financial and commercial awareness.
9. Skilled in managing engineering and technical programmes, including projects and resource optimisation in complex organisations.
10. Previously held a people management role in a complex or large organisation or has operated in a role that included accountability for the optimisation of the people resource within an organisation.
11. Previous experience of Discipline management or Discipline leadership either as placement or deputy.
12. Proficient in applying HR policies, performance management, disciplinary procedures, and holding leadership roles within disciplines or as a deputy.
Qualifications for the Head of Electronic and Communication Engineering
13. Preferably Engineering Degree, or equivalent technical experience.
Security Clearance
The successful candidate must be a sole UK national who is able to achieve and maintain Security Check (SC) security clearance for this role. However, the successful candidate may be required to achieve Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance.
You will be eligible to start on Standard (BPSS) security clearance but will need to obtain Security Check (SC) and potentially Developed Vetting (DV) security clearance once in post.
Many of the positions within our company are subject to national security clearance and Trade Control restrictions. This means that your eligibility for certain roles may be affected by your place of birth, nationality, current or former citizenship, and any residency you hold or have held. Further details are available at
What We Offer
14. Generous holiday allowance
15. Matched contribution pension scheme, with life assurance
16. Access to a Digital GP, annual health check, and nutritional consultations through Aviva DigiCare+
17. Employee share scheme
18. Employee shopping savings portal
19. Payment of Professional Fees
20. Reservists in the armed forces receive 10-days special paid leave
21. Holiday Trading is a benefit that allows the majority of employees to buy additional leave or to sell up to one working week of annual leave from their annual entitlement
22. ‘Be Kind Day’ enables employees to take one working day's paid leave a year (or equivalent hours) to undertake volunteering work with their chosen organisation or registered charity
23. Excellent development opportunities and benefits package including an employee assistance programme supporting physical, mental and financial wellbeing
24. Flexible working – we give people more options to better integrate their work and personal life, whilst ensuring that business needs are met
25. A relocation package for those outside of the region