Chief Engineer - Energy & Utilities

The role

Our projects are delivered through our Technology & Industrial Sectors; the former develops promising research ideas into innovative manufacturing value propositions, which are then tailored and managed to commercial impact by MTC’s dedicated Industrial sectors.

Our Industrial sectors management teams are comprised of experts in business development, technical and programme management, led by a Sector Head who has overall responsibility for the sector’s performance. 

The Chief Engineer reports to the Sector Director in a matrix organisation that includes the Technology Director. There are a number of varied sectors and key accounts that play an increasingly important role within the Power, Energy and Utilities Sector.  As a critical enabler of the UK’s net-zero economy, the MTC has ambitious plans to establish itself as the natural Catapult partner for identified sectors.  

The Chief Engineer is expected to bring technical knowledge and understanding of the key challenges facing these sectors and an understanding of, or previous engagement with, key players within each of the sub-sectors would be highly advantageous.

Consult the Strategy Hub for our latest strategic markets.

The purpose of the Chief Engineer’s role is to provide overall management of the technology-related aspects of the projects the sector delivers to meet in full the needs of MTC’s external clients.  Specifically, this involves:

• Understanding our client’s problems and how MTC can support their resolution;
• Developing roadmaps that describe how to enhance a client’s capability;
• Providing technical governance to all aspects of the sector’s project portfolio;
• Reviewing technical proposals ensuring objectives are correct, risk is accounted for, and delivery timelines are appropriate;
• Keeping continually informed on and helping to shape advances in MTC capability;

In addition, there are technical and administrative roles that also need to be performed to ensure effective delivery of MTC’s business.

• Informing the Technology Sector’s Chief Engineers of challenges industry has that need fundamental new research and innovation work to be carried out, indicating also the potential market that an appropriate value proposition would open up for MTC and any new skills the engineering team would need to develop;
• To liaise with the Technology Sector’s Chief Engineers and Technology Managers to understand fully MTC’s technology roadmaps and pipeline of innovation and to provide the insight to the client base on how these emerging value propositions can be exploited within the sectors;
• You will contribute to or define the forward strategy for the Resource Management and participate or lead corporate initiatives as required;
• The role requires you to work collaboratively with Senior Managers and Managers from other key functions (Business Development, Programmes, Product Development, Technology Management, and Resource Management) to understand and shape current and future capability requirements and product offerings.
• You will be required to drive continuous improvement in technical aspects of the MTC’s project delivery capability including: behaviours; processes; structures; and, tools.
• Based on your practical / operational experience and feedback from colleagues, you will need to identify and recommend improvements to processes, policies or procedures.
• Opportunities for improvement or innovation will come in area of product development, technology management, resource management or organisational management.
• You will be a post-graduate calibre engineer, technologist, or scientist have an understanding of the breadth of Engineering technologies and their respective manufacturing industrial applications across the Technology theme.
• A range of management and leadership skills along with knowledge and experience relating to this management role and lead the activities to contribute to broader debates on the tactical direction of the business;
• With at least five years practical engineering experience in a manufacturing environment in the delivery of Aerospace, Power, Energy or Utilities related projects or programmes is an advantage;
• A broad knowledge of modern manufacturing technologies, a strong knowledge of MTC’s technology offering and experience of delivering projects within the Aerospace, Power or Energy Sectors;
• Commercially aware to inform decisions that de-risk the benefits to MTC and customers.

Person Specification

• Working flexibly to support clients’ needs with a variety of people and sub-sectors.
• A range of experience in leadership and management in a R&D.
• An ability to manage relationships with internal & external stakeholders;
• Capability in communicating effectively with colleagues at all levels in the business;
• Recognised expertise both internally and externally within your field,   probably as a chartered engineer or scientist and Fellow of an appropriate institution.
• Leadership capability, resilient and courageous in the face of continuous change and growth, pro-active in seeing the opportunities that this creates;  
• A good decision-making capability, demonstrating diligent agility in managing concurrent tasks effectively;
• A creative mind-set, able to "think out of the box", identify and resolve issues using a strongly analytical approach and challenge the status quo;

• A one MTC mind-set.