Contract (Inside IR35) role via Matchtech for an SC-cleared Software Engineering Manager on a defence programme in Reading, hybrid ~50% onsite until March 2027. Day to day involves coordinating software engineering teams, technical leadership and decision-making, managing delivery risks and stakeholder reporting, requiring strong DevOps and CI/CD knowledge.
Duration: Until 28th March '27 initially (high chance of extension - early stage programme)
Rate: £82.50ph UMB (Inside IR35)
Active SC clearance required.
We are looking for an SC Cleared Software Engineering Manager to support our defence client on an exciting programme in the early stages. This contract role is offered on a hybrid basis, with approximately 50% onsite working, and is initially scheduled to run until March 2027 with a strong possibility of extension.
Key Responsibilities:
Coordinate technical activities across software engineering teams and key stakeholders
Monitor project delivery, technical risks, issues, assumptions and dependencies
Support the development and management of project plans, technical roadmaps and delivery milestones
Provide technical leadership and first-level technical decision-making
Act as the primary escalation point for engineering issues
Manage technical interfaces with customers, suppliers and internal teams
Support project reporting, forecasting, performance monitoring and resource planning
Facilitate technical reviews, milestone assessments and configuration management activities
Governance and Delivery:
Ensure project deliverables meet agreed scope, schedule and quality criteria
Promote compliance with engineering governance, processes and standards
Communicate project status, risks and mitigation plans to stakeholders
Support workload prioritisation, capacity management and effort estimation
Collaborate with architects, engineers and delivery teams to maintain technical alignment
Job Requirements:
Active SC Clearance
Significant experience in software, systems or platform engineering projects
Strong knowledge of DevOps principles and CI/CD practices
Experience in software engineering, systems development and software delivery environments
Technical leadership and stakeholder management experience
Strong risk, issue and dependency management skills
Excellent communication, planning and problem-solving abilities
A degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Information Technology or a related discipline
Desirable Skills:
Microsoft Azure DevOps certification
Experience within the aerospace, defence, automotive or another regulated industry
Familiarity with model-based development environments
Experience managing multidisciplinary engineering teams