Head of Systems Engineering

ROLE & PURPOSE:

The Head of Systems Engineering will be responsible for ensuring the railway is engineered correctly and that technical decisions are optimised across safety, performance, cost, programme and maintainability associated with the implementation of the IÉ Rail 2050 strategy and with the recently published All-Island Strategic Rail Review

The Role will include Establishing and managing teams, across the whole of the Capital Investments portfolio:

• Technical authority for railway engineering decisions.
• Engineering governance and design assurance.
• Discipline engineering leadership.
• Engineering standards and specifications.
• Technical approvals and derogations.

Reporting Relationships:

Reports to:

• Railway Systems Director, Capital Investments

Manages as Direct Reports:

• Systems Engineers, Technical Leads and Discipline Engineers

Working Relationship with:

• Chief Mechanical Engineer
• Head of Operations
• Head of System integration
• Head of Test & Commissioning
• Head of System safety
• Programme and Project Managers
• Development and Design Director, CI
• Delivery Director, CI
• Commercial Director, CI
• Chief Civil Engineer
• Chief Engineer, Signal Electrical & Telecommunications
• Commission for Railway Regulation
• Relevant Safety Managers
• External Agencies as necessary, including NTA, DoT etc

Key Qualities:

Essential:

• Strong engineering judgement and technical authority.
• Ability to make balanced decisions across safety, performance, cost and programme constraints.
• Strategic thinker capable of translating organisational objectives into technical solutions.
• Excellent leadership and mentoring capability.
• Ability to challenge consultants, contractors and suppliers constructively.
• Strong commercial awareness and understanding of whole-life asset value.
• Comfortable operating at executive and board level.
• Pragmatic approach to engineering problem solving.
• Credibility across multiple engineering disciplines.
• Ability to lead through uncertainty and incomplete information.
• Skilled at resolving technical disputes and competing stakeholder interests.

Desirable:

• Knowledge and experience of European Traffic Management Systems, Control Systems & Fleet Systems

Competencies:

• Degree or equivalent experience in Engineering or Technical Subject
• Chartered Engineer or working towards this
• Strong leadership skills
• Excellent communication skills
• Demonstrable ability in planning and organising
• Demonstrable skills in stakeholder management (project sponsors, maintainers, operators, funding agencies, local authorities etc..).
• Commercial Awareness

General Management Responsibilities:

• Safety: Promote and maintain a positive safety culture, ensuring engineering activities are undertaken in accordance with the Safety Management System, relevant legislation and industry standards. Ensure technical decisions appropriately consider safety risks and support delivery of a safe and reliable railway.
• Engineering: Provide leadership and direction across railway engineering disciplines, ensuring technical solutions are compliant, fit for purpose and aligned with programme objectives. Support effective decision-making where engineering, programme and commercial priorities intersect.
• Business: Support delivery of programme objectives by balancing technical, commercial and operational considerations. Contribute to business planning, risk management, procurement activities and efficient allocation of engineering resources..
• People: Lead, develop and mentor engineering teams, promoting professional excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement. Foster an inclusive and high-performing culture that supports delivery of organisational objectives.

Specific Responsibilities:

Engineering

Provide technical leadership across all engineering disciplines.

• Establish and maintain engineering standards, policies and governance arrangements.

• Support resolution of complex technical issues and engineering risks.

• Ensure technical solutions are fit for purpose, deliverable and aligned with programme objectives

Safety

Promote a proactive and positive safety culture across engineering teams.

• Ensure engineering decisions appropriately consider safety risks and operational impacts.

• Support implementation of the Safety Management System and applicable standards.

• Ensure safety risks are identified and managed throughout design and delivery activities.

People

Lead, motivate and develop multidisciplinary engineering teams.

• Promote professional development, knowledge sharing and technical excellence.

• Build a collaborative and high-performing engineering culture.

• Manage performance and succession planning within the function.