Head of Software Engineering - ISP

Job Description:

Your impact

We have a fantastic opportunity for a Head of Software Engineering in the Integrated Sensing and Protection (ISP) line of business, covering our Basildon and Southampton sites.

Within the ISP line of business, it is our mission to develop and deliver solutions that protect lives and enhances mission effectiveness.  Delivering capability through technology, ISP brings capability to the frontline. Our technology counters the threat of drones, rockets, artillery and missiles, protects ground forces from improvised explosive devices and allows effective maritime communications, both on and under the sea.

You will lead the ISP software community of around 80 engineers across the breadth of our three capability areas of Sensors, Mission Systems, and Communications & Force Protection, to design, develop and deliver effective software solutions for land, sea, air and space.  Your responsibilities will span the Basildon and Southampton locations, alongside contributing to the UK Software Engineering strategy.

As Head of Software, you will be responsible for:

• Timely delivery of capability and capacity for Software development, including recruitment and training, establishing an end-to-end talent pipeline across the full career map.
• The Software Development Process, Toolchain, Resource and Technology strategy and its delivery to the business.
• Working closely with business sector stakeholders, Engineering Leadership and Product Architects in developing product and technology roadmaps.
• Providing strategic technical leadership and ensuring consistent technical excellence across the ISP portfolio.
• Promoting a culture of innovation.
• The execution of organisation, process and technology change programmes that support and deliver the UK business objectives.
• Collaborating with other areas of Engineering to achieve a coherent and integrated Engineering process and toolchain.
• Knowledge acquisition and knowledge sharing through participation in industry bodies, partnerships, conferences, benchmarking and recruitment.
• Vendor relationship management.
• The identification and management of long-term resource and technology partners.
• Process Governance, Legislative and Standards compliance.
• Cost Centre management, budget control and strategic planning.

What you’ll bring

• Strong leadership capabilities are essential to drive technical excellence and team performance.
• A strategic mindset, clear decision-making, and the ability to inspire and guide software teams through complex engineering challenges.
• Strong software design background to work with our product architects to realise a coherent software design and technology strategy.
• Fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement, while effectively communicating vision, priorities, and feedback.
• A track record of managing a broad range of technical and management stakeholder expectations and delivering high-impact solutions is essential.
• This role demands resilience, integrity, and a passion for empowering others to succeed.
• Experience of one or more of the following would be ideal: Agile Transformation, Component Architectures, Model Driven Engineering, Digital Transformation, Embedded Software, Avionics Software.

This is not an exhaustive list, and we are keen to hear from you even if you might not have experience in all the above. The most important skill is a good attitude and willingness to learn.

Security Clearance

This role is subject to pre-employment screening in line with the UK Government’s Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS). An additional range of Personnel Security Controls referred to as National Security Vetting (NSV) may apply, this could include meeting the eligibility requirements for The Security Check (SC) or Developed Vetting (DV). For more information and guidance please visit: https://careers.uk.leonardo.com/gb/en/security-and-vetting

Why join us

At Leonardo, our people are at the heart of everything we do. We offer a comprehensive, company-funded benefits package that supports your wellbeing, career development, and work–life balance. Whether you're looking to grow professionally, care for your health, or plan for the future, we’re here to help you thrive.

• Time to Recharge: Enjoy generous leave with the opportunity to accrue up to 12 additional flexi-days each year.
• Secure your Future: Benefit from our award-winning pension scheme with up to 15% employer contribution.
• Your Wellbeing Matters: Free access to mental health support, financial advice, and employee-led networks championing inclusion and diversity (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Armed Forces, Carers, Wellbeing and Ethnicity).
• Rewarding Performance: All employees at management level and below are eligible for our bonus scheme.
• Never Stop Learning: Free access to 4,000+ online courses via Coursera and LinkedIn Learning.
• Refer a friend: Receive a financial reward through our referral programme.
• Tailored Perks: Spend up to £500 annually on flexible benefits including private healthcare, dental, family cover, tech & lifestyle discounts, gym memberships and more.
• Flexible working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us about what might be possible for this role.

For a full list of our company benefits please visit our website.

Leonardo is a global leader in Aerospace, Defence, and Security. Headquartered in Italy, we employ over 53,000 people worldwide including 8,500 across 9 sites in the UK. Our employees are not just part of a team—they are key contributors to shaping innovation, advancing technology, and enhancing global safety.

At Leonardo we are committed to building an inclusive, accessible, and welcoming workplace.

We believe that a diverse workforce sparks creativity, drives innovation, and leads to better outcomes for our people and our customers. If you have any accessibility requirements to support you during the recruitment process, just let us know.

Be part of something bigger - apply now!

Primary Location:

GB - Basildon

Additional Locations:

GB - Southampton

Contract Type:

Permanent

Hybrid Working:

Hybrid