DIO - Mechanical and Electrical Engineering Manager

Job summary

You will lead Mechanical and Electrical Engineering excellence across Scotland and Northern Ireland, supporting some of Defence's most diverse and strategically important infrastructure assets.

Join the Defence Infrastructure Organisation (DIO) and apply your expertise across airfields, fuel infrastructure, accommodation, training facilities and major capital projects. As one of the Region's Mechanical and Electrical specialists, you will provide technical leadership, influence infrastructure investment decisions, assure safety and compliance, support Net Zero ambitions and help deliver infrastructure that enables Defence capability.

Collaborating with military customers, industry partners and technical specialists, you will tackle diverse and complex engineering challenges while benefiting from flexible working, excellent Civil Service benefits and professional development opportunities.

Regional Delivery Scotland and Northern Ireland is responsible for managing and maintaining the Ministry of Defence built estate across the region and is committed to delivering infrastructure services, facilities maintenance and customer-directed billable works programmes.

This is a varied and influential role requiring effective engagement across DIO, industry and wider-government. Strong communication and stakeholder management skills are essential for ensuring activities conform with DIO's customer processes and operating procedures.

This position is advertised at 37 hours per week. The Ministry of Defence supports flexible working where business needs allow however due to the volume, complexity and safety-critical nature of the work, the role is not suitable for reduced hours or job share arrangements.

The role involves managing a high volume of complex technical outputs, requiring rapid responses to compliance issues, operational risks and engineering challenges. It also includes remote management over a wide geographical area and challenging stakeholder management with diverse customers that require access to a single point of contact full-time.

A full UK driving licence is essential as many sites across the Region are not accessible by public transport. The role is primarily site-based in Northern Ireland with travel required to fulfil the role successfully and effectively, including travel across wider Scotland and Northern Ireland region and some national travel across the UK. Approximately 60% of working time will be spent at your permanent duty station or other Ministry of Defence sites.

Job description

Reporting to the Regional Technical Lead and working alongside other specialist technical advisers, this role provides strategic oversight, technical assurance and leadership across maintenance, compliance, and infrastructure projects.

You will influence decisions across a diverse estate, engaging with senior military, civilian and industry stakeholders, in a role supporting the delivery of Defence Infrastructure Services' contracts for maintenance services and new construction projects on the Defence Estate.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Influence engineering strategy across a diverse multi-billion pound Defence estate.
• Deliver Net Zero and sustainability initiatives including solar, EV charging and low-carbon heating projects.
• Support major infrastructure investments across airfields, fuel installations, accommodation, and training facilities.
• Work with industry-leading suppliers, consultants, and government stakeholders.
• Play an important role in ensuring the safety and resilience of critical Defence infrastructure.

As a key member of the Regional Technical Team, you will provide first-hand support on a wide range of technical specialisms to the Site Teams and wider DIO, using an agile approach to identify and implement solutions.

We have a Safety-First Ethos focusing on assuring safety standards in key areas such as asbestos, gas safety, electrical, fire safety, fuels, legionella and DSEAR management. The role will involve planned and preventative maintenance, project management, contract management, collaboration with customers, suppliers and consultancies to deliver a safe place for service personnel to work, live and train. DIO is investing in strategic asset management, and you could be part of the future management of the Defence Estate.

Proactively managing work tasks through clear and effective direction; supporting and participating in a culture of continuous improvement.

Providing support to maintain all DIO Business as Usual operational requirements and respond effectively to assist management requests to support changing departmental priorities.

Encouraging a working culture which promotes a healthy, safe and inclusive environment. Prioritising people's development and supporting smart ways of working. Building strong collaborative, professional working relationships with colleagues and other teams across DIO & the wider Ministry of Defence, to provide the continued level of support needed across a diverse estate in support of Defence.

Person specification

Delivery of Maintenance and Construction Projects:

• Developing requirements and solutions with key project partners, supporting pricing and procurement.
• Providing expert technical challenge and assurance of engineering solutions proposed by suppliers and consultants.
• Ensuring infrastructure investments and engineering projects are delivered safely, compliantly and in accordance with Defence requirements.
• Supporting with project handover and resolution of issues in use.
• Contract Compliance and Assurance.
• Undertaking compliance reviews for contracted works, including planned and reactive maintenance, reporting findings and making recommendations for statutory and mandatory compliance as well as operational capability.
• Working with our Strategic Compliance Team in planning, undertaking and reporting on programmed and reactive assurance checks, including learning from experience and continuous improvement.

Safety & Risk Management:

• Supporting the Regional Technical Team investigating Mechanical & Electrical safety alerts and notices within the Region.
• Identifying Mechanical and Electrical related risks and collaborating proactively with other partners in the identification, mitigation and closure of risks.

Technical Support:

• Providing technical guidance on electrical, mechanical, heating, cooling, power distribution and building services infrastructure.
• Contributing to a strong ethos of team development and continuous improvement through personal development and mentoring.

Desirable Skills & Experience:

• Previous experience on the Ministry of Defence estate or within large, complex, highly regulated infrastructure environments.

Licences

Full and valid UK Driving Licence.

Qualifications

A degree (BEng) in either Mechanical Engineering, Electrical Engineering, or a related engineering subject relevant to the maintenance of the MOD estate
OR
Alternatively, BTEC/ SQA HNVQ or SCOTVEC HNC/ HND in a construction, infrastructure or engineering related discipline.

Applicants with a background in either Mechanical or Electrical Engineering are encouraged to apply, although experience across both disciplines would be advantageous.

Memberships

Having attained or be working towards appropriate membership of a relevant professional body, e.g. Chartered Institution of Building Services Engineers (CIBSE), Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE) or Institution of Engineering and Technology (IET).

Behaviours

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