VP of Operations and Engineering

The Vice President of Operations, Engineering & Planning is a senior leadership role responsible for the full lifecycle of complex sensor systems and their supporting infrastructure, including design, deployment, integration, and ongoing management. The position leads multidisciplinary engineering teams, field operations, technical planning, and programme delivery to ensure solutions are scalable, resilient, and commercially viable.

This role requires a leader with deep technical credibility, strong operational capability, and the ability to manage diverse engineering functions, complex deployments, and mission‑critical performance standards.

The VP oversees four key technical groups:

Technical Design Team

Focused on creating the next generation of sensor deployment solutions.
The team includes a principal engineer (team lead), senior engineer, engineer, and an additional graduate engineer currently being recruited.

Technical Operations Team

Delivers contracted deployments, manages all existing site infrastructure, and ensures long‑term scalability.
The team includes an operations manager (team lead), senior engineers, engineers, apprentices, and additional senior and principal engineers currently being recruited.

Project Management Function

A dedicated project manager responsible for planning and coordinating all deployment, installation, and maintenance activities.

Infrastructure Team

Responsible for the company's platform, DevOps, support engineering, and secure technical infrastructure.
The team includes a senior DevOps engineer, software engineer, support engineers, DevSecOps engineer, and a junior software engineer.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Leadership

Develop and implement operational and engineering strategies aligned with business growth.
Lead long‑term planning for infrastructure, capability development, and scalable deployment models.
Drive innovation in systems integration, surveillance technologies, data platforms, and automation.
Produce technical roadmaps outlining short‑ and medium‑term priorities.

Engineering & Technical Oversight

Provide oversight across systems engineering, hardware integration, and network and communications infrastructure.
Ensure designs meet demanding standards for environmental resilience, regulatory compliance, cybersecurity, and data integrity.
Establish robust engineering governance through design reviews, validation processes, and structured documentation.

Operational Deployment & Field Execution

Lead the deployment of field assets including sensor networks, tower‑based systems, radar, UAV platforms, and containerised infrastructure.
Develop and maintain standard operating procedures for installation, maintenance cycles, remote diagnostics, and full lifecycle asset management.
Oversee supply chain, logistics, and vendor relationships.
Ensure operational uptime, reliability, and performance targets are consistently achieved.

Planning & Programme Management

Translate customer requirements and strategic objectives into clear technical plans.
Oversee project planning, resource management, budgeting, and risk mitigation.
Implement structured project management methodologies.
Define, track, and report on engineering and operational performance metrics.

Team Leadership & Development

Build, lead, and develop high‑performing teams across engineering disciplines, field operations, infrastructure, and programme delivery.
Foster a culture of accountability, ownership, and continuous improvement.
Establish mentorship pathways and succession planning across the department.
Support recruitment, coaching, and professional development initiatives.

Key Deliverables

Operational readiness frameworks
Engineering design and governance standards
Infrastructure master plans
Deployment and maintenance frameworks
Vendor and technology evaluation outputs
Risk, resilience, and compliance assessments

Required Experience

Extensive leadership experience in engineering, systems integration, infrastructure, or operations.
Proven record delivering complex, multidisciplinary technical systems.
Strong background in hardware-software integration, networked systems, distributed or remote assets, and data‑driven platforms.
Experience working in regulated or mission‑critical environments is beneficial.

Preferred Experience

Maritime or border surveillance technologies
UAV operations
Radar, AIS, or multi‑sensor fusion
Secure communications infrastructure
Containerised or remote power systems (such as solar or hybrid)

Core Competencies

Strategic and systems‑level thinking
Structured decision‑making in uncertain or complex environments
Commercial and operational acumen
High technical credibility with both engineering and executive audiences
Strong stakeholder management skills
Risk‑based planning
High execution discipline and delivery focus

Education

Degree‑qualified in a relevant engineering, technical, or scientific discipline.
Master's‑level qualification (MSc or equivalent)
Additional professional certifications or chartership (CEng, CITP, PMP, etc.) desirable.

Reporting Structure

Reports to: CEO / CTO
Direct reports: Head of Technical Design, Head of Operations, Project Manager, Head of Infrastructure & Support

Salary & Benefits

£100-£110K (dependant on experience)
BUPA healthcare and cash plan
Company share options
Life cover
Semi‑annual performance bonus