Head of Engineering Operations

Location:

Ottawa, Canada In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.

For decades, Ottawa has been a global technology leader. Today, Canada’s capital holds one of the brightest and most diverse technological ecosystems in North America. Voted as Canada’s best place to live 2017 by Maclean's, Ottawa offers a low cost of living with a high quality of life. The Thales Ottawa office has been a major supplier and long-term trusted partner to DND, enabling the Canadian Armed Forces and the Canadian Coast Guard to achieve mission success.

This role is Hybrid Halifax, Fredericton, Ottawa or Victoria

Head of Engineering Operations (HoEO)

Position Summary

Thales Canada Defence & Security (TCDS) is looking for a Head of Engineering Operations (HoEO).

The HoEO is responsible for ensuring operational excellence within the Engineering function, supporting the successful delivery of projects, products, and bids across the Engineering Competence Centre. The HoEO oversees workforce planning, resource allocation, Engineering budget management, process governance, and operational performance. This role champions digital transformation, continuous improvement, compliance, and training—ensuring engineering teams are equipped to meet business objectives efficiently, effectively, and with the highest standards.

The HoEO reports to the Director of Engineering.

Key Areas of Responsibility

The main responsibilities are:

Bid, Project, and Product Delivery:
Oversee planning and tracking at the team level to ensure on-time, on-quality delivery, effective risk management, and proactive issue resolution. Participate in and contribute to program reviews.

Engineering Budget Management:
Manage the engineering budget, monitor expenses, and implement corrective actions to align actuals with financial forecasts.

Process Governance and Continuous Improvement:
Own and maintain engineering processes, ensuring standardized methodologies, tools, and practices. Lead and implement process improvements based on feedback and lessons learned.

Operational Performance Monitoring and Reporting:
Establish, track, and report on key performance indicators (KPIs) such as chargeability and resource utilization, providing regular updates and insights to leadership.

Compliance and Audit Readiness:
Ensure compliance with Thale’s policies, customer requirements, and industry standards, supporting successful completion of internal and external audits.

Tooling & Digitalization Support:
Champion the selection, adoption, and effective use of engineering tools. Drive digitalization initiatives to enhance the productivity and efficiency of engineering teams.

Resource Planning:
Oversee resource management, aligning team skills and capacity with project priorities. Lead workforce planning and Labour Forecast Report meetings and manage engineering overhead labor.

Training and Competence Management:
Monitor and address training needs in relation to processes, tools, and standards. Develop training plans to maintain and enhance team competencies and operational capability.

Operational Risk and Change Management:
Lead the implementation of operational changes and proactively identify, assess, and mitigate operational risks across engineering functions.

Minimum Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in engineering, Science, or a related technical discipline

At least 10 years of demonstrated experience in Engineering operations, project management, or engineering leadership roles

Proven experience managing budgets, operational performance metrics, and workforce/resource planning

Strong familiarity with engineering processes, methodologies, and quality standards

Experience with process improvement initiatives and change management

Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities

Strong interpersonal and communication skills with the ability to collaborate across functional teams

Proficiency with Engineering…