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 management tools and digital platforms
• Expertise in at least one Engineering Discipline
• Strong written and verbal communication skills in English

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in engineering, Science, or a related field
• Management of budget worth at least 1MCAD
• Experience in the Defence industry
• Fluency in French
• Experience in a large, matrixed, and/or multinational organization, ideally in aerospace or defence
• Direct experience with Make or Buy analysis, footprint strategy, and digital transformation programs
• Formal training or certification in project management, Lean/Six Sigma, or process improvement methodologies
• Experience supporting audit processes and ensuring compliance with international standards (e.g., ISO, CMMI)
• Knowledge of Thales engineering policies and tools

Special Position Requirements

• Schedule: 40 hours per week
• Travel: Occasional domestic or international travel – about 4 times per year.

Why Join Us?

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The reference Total Target Compensation(TTC) market range for this position, inclusive of annual base salary and the variable compensation target, is between

Total Target Cash (TTC) 132,829.88 – 234,100.80 CAD Annual

Thales provides an extensive benefits program for all full-time employees working 24 or more hours per week and their eligible dependents, including the following: 

• Company paid Extended Health, Dental, HSA, Life, AD&D, Short-term Disability, Cancer Care Program, travel insurance, Employee Assistance Plan and Well-Being program.

• Retirement Savings Plans (RRSP, DCPP, TFSA) with a company contribution and a match to a DCPP, with no vesting period.

• Company paid holidays, vacation days, and paid sick leave. 

• Voluntary Life, AD&D, Critical Illness, Long-Term Disability.

• Employee Discounts on home, auto, and gym membership.

Thales is an equal opportunity employer which values diversity and inclusivity in the workplace. Thales is committed to providing accommodations in all parts of the interview process. Applicants selected for an interview who require accommodation are asked to advise accordingly upon the invitation for an interview. We will work with you to meet your needs. All accommodation information provided will be treated as confidential and used only for the purpose of providing an accessible candidate experience.

This position requires direct or indirect access to hardware, software or technical information controlled under the Canadian Export Control List, the Canadian Controlled Goods Program, the Canadian Industrial Security Program, the US International Traffic in Arms Regulations (ITAR) and/or the US Export Administration Regulations (EAR). All applicants must be eligible or able to obtain authorization for such access including eligibility to the Canadian Controlled Goods Program and able to obtain a Canadian NATO Secret clearance.