Head of Digital Engineering is required working within the Client Organisation responsible for the New High-Speed Rail project in the UK this is a multi-billion-pound high-speed railway to directly link the city centres of: London, Birmingham, Leeds and Manchester.

This role is responsible for providing overall leadership on Digital Engineering practices across the organisation as a whole, covering the four key areas of process, people, data and technology. It will also implement policies relating to Digital Engineering (BIM) to bring greater efficiencies into the design, build, test, operate and maintain project phases.

The Head of Digital Engineering reports directly to the Chief Engineer for the entire HS2 project (Infrastructure Engineering Director) managing a Digital Engineering team of 32 made up of BIM, CAD, GIS, Asset information, Strategy specialist.  The role sits within the Chief Engineering Group the central Engineering group responsible for setting the processes, technical specification across the entire project both Phase 1 & 2.

The successful Candidate

This is a high-profile Digital Engineering Senior Leadership role with huge interface externally with government departments (digital agenda), supply chain and other third parties as well as internally across all departments within HS2.  Clearly the successful candidate needs to be credible within the space and understanding of the Digital Standards, digital twin strategy, have an overview on how to create, store, share and use asset and engineering information and capitalise on technologies to drive efficiencies.  This is a Leadership role not technical expert with their time split between: 25% Strategy 25% Project Delivery 25% Stakeholder Management 25% Commercial & Line management.  Essential to this role is to have an appreciation that this is a Programme Delivery role with an understanding of what it takes to deliver on a hugely complex programme, manage a budget and pragmatism on what can be effectively delivered.

Work Situation – Hybrid

The office location is London, Euston but would consider Birmingham with travel to either office coupled with some home working.  Overall, this is a very flexible modern employer who cares about delivery not where deliver from although there will be need to travel to other offices and manage a team of 32,

Head of Digital Engineering               £1000 – 1400 INSIDE IR35

12 month Contract after which great opportunity to turn into a permanent role.

Duties & Responsibilities

• To be responsible for managing the design and delivery of the Digital Engineering programme, pursuing clear objectives consistent with the wider Infrastructure and project objectives, and setting and managing agreed deliverables and budgets.
• To be accountable for managing the design, development, implementation and maintenance of the ‘Digital Engineering Platform’ to support the delivery of HS2 and enable employees and the Supply Chain to carry out activities consistently and to the UK leading standard.
• To be responsible for leading on the delivery of and monitor the adequacy, execution and effectiveness of the Digital Engineering Platform (encompassing data and processes), including the reporting of findings and the placing and close[1]out of corrective actions.
• To be accountable for achieving process and manpower efficiencies through the implementation of Digital Engineering.
• To be responsible for developing processes and reviewing policies relevant to functional discipline in order to ensure they are in line with strategic business objectives, whilst establishing and nurturing a culture that understands and prioritises data and uses it to make decisions.
• To be accountable for developing standards, methods and procedures to provideHS2 and its Supply Chain with a consistent and standardised approach to data management.
• To be responsible for defining and gaining support for the design and delivery of the HS2 Digital Twin for use during design and construction (Virtual Railway) and operations and maintenance (Digital Twin).
• To be accountable for managing the development and implementation of the strategies required to promote HS2 as an exemplary project in the application of Digital Engineering, its use of data, and its digital transformation.

• To be responsible for supporting the Chief Engineer engage with Network Rail, Transport for London and other relevant stakeholders and Government bodies to ensure HS2 receives the information and support needed to carry out HS2’s work effectively and efficiently.
• Actively promote and embed Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) in all your work and support and comply with all organisational initiatives, policies and procedures in EDI

Candidates Criteria

Will have had a Digital Engineering Senior Leadership role in an organisation (Client, Contractor, Consultant), will have programme delivery experience on major project ideally linear new build but any major infrastructure project is still of interest.  Alongside Superb communication skills will have the ability to influence senior stakeholders such as from the Department of Transport.

Skills:

• Complex problem solving – the ability to identify complex problems and reviewi related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions

• Clear Direction - Defining and prioritising objectives, analysing inputs, assessing and challenging data, defining strategies and supporting rationales

• Decision Quality - Gathering and synthesising information, identifying options and applying sound judgement based on logic and reason, making use of a variety of analytical approaches to provide relevant information to suppliers, stakeholders and decision makers using key facts and data

Technical Leadership –

• Ability to provide specialist technical support and leadership on all discipline[1]specific scientific, technical and digital engineering principles
• Ability to provide strategic oversight and contextual technical support and leadership on innovative / sensitive / contentious multi discipline- technical and digital engineering principles
• Communicate – ability to communicate with most discipline-specific technical ideas to stakeholders and colleagues, based on examples of application where necessary.
• Ability to apply principles and methods to information management, modelling and data security; understanding the approaches and consequences to data creation, transformation and visualisation and knowing when to seek guidance from Subject Matter Expert

Knowledge:

• Specific knowledge of the UK context surrounding HS2, which includes having knowledge and understanding of the political and environmental implications which may/may have impacted HS2

• Understanding of the Regulatory/Legislative Framework relevant to HS2

• Knowledge of Digital Engineering standards such as ISO19650, BS/PAS1192; data standards such as ISO8000; and asset management standards such as ISO55000.

• Understanding of different approaches to data analysis, data modelling, and data visualisation to realise tangible benefits

• Understanding of the technology landscape in and around the construction and manufacturing sectors, including identification and implementation methodologies
• Degree qualified MSC / MBA in a relevant field or equivalent experience.

Type of experience:

• Experience in managing digital engineering data make use of information consistently that supports the integration of information.
• Experience of assuring that an integrated IT platform and infrastructure is developed to host the application of Digital Engineering.

• Experience of assuring the integration of data through the design and construction phases of major infrastructure programmes in a timely and efficient manner to the highest standard.
• Experience in leading big data programmes including data definition, quality, integration, and provision.
• Experience in leading teams including resource allocation, l project delivery, building and maintaining internal and external relationships, and financial control
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Leadership Competencies

Inspirational Leadership: Demonstrating leadership flexibility, motivating and inspiring people from diverse functions and cultures.

Execution: Stretching the performance of people with a wide range of skills and capabilities.

Influence: Cross-matrix influencing, using a range of interpersonal approaches to persuade people with differing perspectives and interests.

Collaboration: Collaborating across boundaries, to establish reciprocal relationships and alliances across the organisation.

Direction: Co-ordinating cross business teams, creating a shared sense of purpose and keeping diverse teams focused on the same HS2 goals.

Business Judgement: Ensuring values for money, making judgements on what will ensure commercial viability, appropriately balancing risk and return.

Innovation: Inspiring differentiation, innovating and encouraging early adoption of new ideas and ‘pushing the boundaries’

Growing Talent: Fast-tracking talent, taking risks with growth opportunities for high potential performers to ‘raise their game.’