Company Description
ALTEN is a global engineering and technology consultancy operating across over 35 countries worldwide. We partner with industry leaders across sectors including Aeronautics, Aerospace, Defence, Naval, Automotive, Energy, Rail, IT and many more to deliver innovative engineering solutions that drive technological advancement & support sustainable transformation.
Our teams of passionate and agile engineers work on cutting-edge projects that shape the future of technology and sustainability. At ALTEN, we empower talented engineers to innovate, solve complex challenges, and deliver impactful solutions that build tomorrow’s world—today.
Join us and start building tomorrow’s world today!
Job Description
You will be responsible for leading and overseeing software development activities across the full software lifecycle. Working closely with engineers, project managers, and other technical disciplines, you will ensure software deliverables meet programme objectives in terms of quality, schedule, and budget.
As a senior software leader, you will help define and implement development processes, manage resources and work packages, and support the continuous improvement of engineering practices. You may also contribute to proposal and bid activities by providing reliable software estimates and technical input.
- Location: Reading
- On Site: Yes
- Clearance: Yes
- Experience Level: Senior
Key Responsibilities:
- Define and adapt the appropriate software development processes for projects and maintain detailed software development plans.
- Work closely with software teams and other engineering disciplines to establish practical and achievable release schedules, ensuring dependencies and assumptions are clearly understood.
- Ensure development activities follow the agreed software processes and that required documentation and deliverables are produced to the appropriate standards, within agreed timelines and budgets.
- Provide regular reporting on the performance of assigned work packages to project and engineering management, including progress metrics, budget tracking, and forecast planning.
- Identify and manage risks and dependencies affecting software delivery.
- Provide day-to-day support and oversight to Agile development teams, collaborating with Product Owners and Scrum Masters to ensure delivery milestones are met.
- Prepare documentation and presentations required for programme milestone reviews and delivery gate assessments.
- Ensure software teams understand the implications of technical and architectural decisions, particularly regarding regulatory requirements such as licensing, intellectual property, export controls, and open-source usage.
Qualifications
Required Skills:
- A self-driven software professional with approximately 5–10 years’ experience leading software projects, ideally within environments involving embedded or real-time systems.
- Strong communication and presentation skills with the ability to convey technical information clearly to different audiences.
- Practical experience with Agile development approaches such as Scrum, SAFe, or Kanban, as well as familiarity with DevOps practices and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Proficiency in Jira for backlog management, including the creation of epics, stories, and performance metrics.
- A solid understanding of engineering best practices and software solution design, along with an interest in keeping up to date with new technologies and industry developments.
Required Qualifications:
- A Bachelor’s or Master’s degree in Engineering, or equivalent military experience.
Desirable Skills:
- Experience using IBM DOORS for requirements management, traceability, and compliance tracking.
- Exposure to developing secure software solutions that address cybersecurity requirements.
- Knowledge of functional safety or aerospace software standards, such as IEC 61508 or DO-178C.
- Previous experience as a C or C++ software developer, ideally working in an embedded or real-time environment (note: this position is primarily leadership-focused and does not involve hands-on development).
Additional Information
Why join us?
We bring together entrepreneurial, tech-driven people to deliver innovative solutions for leading companies.
At ALTEN, you’ll work on exciting projects, supported by ongoing learning, mentoring, and clear career development tailored to your goals.
Join a passionate team and help build tomorrow, today.
In short you get:
- A personalised career path and a rewarding management style
- A huge diversity of engineering projects and industries
- Private Medical Insurance
- Cycle & Tech Scheme
- Employee assistance programme
- Life insurance & Pension Scheme
- Social atmosphere, regular gatherings & team buildings
- Flexible way of working (role dependent)
We are proud to support the Armed Forces Covenant & actively encourage applications from members of the Armed Forces community, including veterans, reservists, service leavers, and military spouses/partners. We recognise the value of military skills and experience and are committed to ensuring that no applicant is unfairly disadvantaged during our recruitment and selection processes.
ALTEN is committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive workplace and values the strength that comes from a global mix of backgrounds and perspectives. We welcome applications from all suitably qualified candidates, regardless of background or protected characteristics under the Equality Act 2010. If you require any reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process, please let us know.
This role may require you to have or be willing to go through Security Clearance. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected. Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.
- Contract Type: Permanent
- Region: South East UK
