Power Discipline Lead

This role is built for an experienced power engineer who enjoys developing people, solving technical challenges and shaping how engineering is delivered.

At ESCO Maritime our engineers develop power and control systems that support critical defence and maritime capability.

As Power Discipline Lead you will lead the people, expertise and engineering practices that enable our Power team to deliver with confidence. You will combine technical leadership with responsibility for team development and resource planning.

Working closely with Project Engineering Leaders you will ensure that the right expertise is available when it is needed, balance competing demands and help engineers succeed in their project roles.

You will also stay close to the engineering itself—contributing to technical activities, providing guidance and constructive challenge, and using experience from live projects to improve our tools and processes. You will be trusted to build a capable, motivated team, uphold engineering standards and make sound decisions that support both our people and our customers.

What You’ll Be Doing

• Lead and develop the Power engineering team, providing clear direction, regular support and meaningful career development.
• Work with Project Engineering Leads to understand project needs and assign engineers with the right skills and experience.
• Balance workloads across the discipline, addressing capacity gaps, competing priorities and underutilisation.
• Lead recruitment and structured induction, helping new engineers become effective members of the team.
• Maintain close engagement with projects and programmes, identifying technical challenges, risks and emerging capability needs.
• Contribute directly to engineering activities where appropriate, providing technical guidance, coaching and oversight.
• Work with Engineering Authorities to support independent reviews and resolve complex engineering challenges.
• Develop and improve engineering methods, tools and procedures, drawing on feedback and lessons from live projects.
• Ensure engineering activities meet applicable standards, regulatory requirements and company policies.
• Conduct regular one-to-one meetings and performance and development reviews, informed by feedback from project stakeholders.
• Monitor utilisation and time booking, and contribute to fair, consistent salary and remuneration decisions.
• Collaborate with other engineering leaders to strengthen cross-discipline working and share good practice.

What We’re Looking For

• Strong capability in power engineering, demonstrated through relevant qualifications, practical experience or both.
• A sound understanding of power engineering principles and techniques, with the credibility to guide others and contribute to technical decisions.
• Experience leading, managing or developing engineers, including coaching and supporting individual performance.
• The ability to balance people, technical and resource priorities while keeping project needs in view.
• Confident decision-making, with an understanding of the wider consequences for projects and the business.
• A forward-looking approach to capability development, recruitment and succession planning.
• Clear, professional communication and the ability to influence across engineering and programme teams.
• A practical approach to problem-solving, quality and continuous improvement.
• Flexibility to work in office and on-site environments, with occasional travel as required.

The behaviours that matter

• Technical credibility – you understand the engineering and provide guidance that others trust.
• People leadership – you take time to understand your team, develop their strengths and address challenges fairly.
• Accountability – you take ownership, make informed decisions and follow through.
• Constructive challenge – you raise concerns early, with evidence and a focus on finding a solution.
• Practical judgement – you apply appropriate engineering rigour while keeping work moving.
• Collaboration – you build strong relationships across disciplines and programmes.
• Integrity – you communicate openly and uphold our commitments to safety, quality and customer service.

It helps if you have

• Experience in defence or maritime engineering.
• Experience with safety-critical or mission-critical systems.
• Knowledge of the UK Ministry of Defence regulatory environment.
• Experience of power electronics, power conversion, electrical machines or associated control systems.
• Experience improving engineering processes, tools or technical capability across a team.

Why this role stands out

• You’ll shape the capability and direction of the Power engineering discipline.
• You’ll develop engineers while remaining involved in meaningful technical work.
• You’ll influence how we resource projects, apply engineering standards and improve delivery.
• You’ll work alongside experienced engineering leaders on systems that support critical maritime capability.
• You’ll see the impact of your leadership in the growth of your team and the quality of its work.

Who This Suits

This role suits an established engineering leader, or an experienced technical lead ready to take on broader people and capability responsibility, who:

• Enjoys helping engineers develop and perform at their best.
• Wants to combine technical involvement with leadership and longer-term planning.
• Is comfortable balancing competing demands and having clear, constructive conversations.
• Takes pride in building a team that delivers safe, reliable and high-quality engineering.

Note: All candidates must meet the security vetting requirements relevant to the role. For reasons of national security, applicants must be British nationals. Dual nationals may be permitted in exceptional circumstances.

Values

Integrity: Our values are the cornerstone of building and maintaining trust with our customers. When we align our actions with our values, we earn loyalty and respect, ensuring ESCO Maritime reputation remains strong.

Safety: We prioritise uncompromising safety standards to protect our people, partners, and mission critical operations at every level.

Quality: We deliver superior quality through rigorous engineering, disciplined processes, and an unwavering commitment to excellence.

Customer Service: We build enduring partnerships by anticipating customer needs, exceeding expectations, and delivering with integrity.

Innovation: We drive mission success by applying forward-thinking solutions and advancing technology beyond conventional limits.

Teamwork: We achieve exceptional results through collaboration, mutual respect, and a shared dedication to our collective mission.