Engineering Capability: Competency Acquisition Lead

**Role Title: Engineering Capability: Competency Acquisition Lead****Location: Derby, Manchester, Warrington****We anticipate paying a salary of between £48,000 - £62,500 DOE**We are Rolls-Royce SMR and we're doing something that's never been done before. We're revolutionising an industry. That's a once-in-a-career opportunity for those excited by such a challenge. This is more than just a job; this is a legacy.We are now recruiting for the exciting role of Competency Acquisition Lead, to be involved in industry leading, cutting-edge design project for a new type of power station.The Competency Acquisition Lead is responsible for supporting the implementation and ongoing development of the Engineering Competency Acquisition Strategy, ensuring the engineering function has the skills, behaviours, and experience required to deliver the power station design safely, effectively, and in line with organisational objectives.This role will work closely with internal stakeholders, including Human Resources (HR), Development & Capability (D&C), and technical teams to translate strategic requirements into actionable plans, frameworks, and processes that enable competency acquisition, assurance, and continuous improvement.Key Results & What can be achieved in the role:* Strategy Delivery: Lead the execution of key activities outlined in the Engineering Competency Strategy, coordinating and tracking progress against immediate priorities and longer-term milestones.* Technical Training Oversight: Review and evaluate technical training requests to ensure alignment with engineering competency requirements and strategic priorities. Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritise training investments and maximise value for capability development.* Competency Framework Development: Support the design, development, and integration of competency frameworks across engineering disciplines and professional levels, ensuring alignment with organisational governance, quality assurance, and regulatory expectations.* Stakeholder Collaboration: Build and maintain strong relationships with HR, Development & Capability, and other enabling functions to ensure engineering needs are understood and embedded in relevant processes. Facilitate cross-functional collaboration to support workforce planning, training, and succession initiatives.* Tools & Systems Enablement: Contribute to the selection, implementation, and optimisation of tools and systems that support competency tracking, assessment, and reporting. Ensure visibility of competency levels across the engineering function.* Continuous Improvement: Identify and implement opportunities to refine and evolve the strategy based on feedback, business changes, and emerging needs. Promote a culture of learning, adaptability, and ongoing professional development.* Reporting & Communication: Provide clear, timely updates to senior stakeholders on progress, risks, and outcomes. Develop materials that communicate the strategy's purpose, progress, and impact across the business.* Best Practice Adoption: Promote the use of best practice learning and skills tools within the engineering function, with a focus on leveraging existing capabilities such as EPRI and INPO resources.* Competency Tracking & Metrics: Monitor and track competency acquisition activities across the engineering programme—including mandatory training—and maintain relevant metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs) to support decision-making and continuous improvement.Key Selection Criteria* Demonstrated experience in delivering complex engineering programmes within regulated environments, ideally in nuclear or similarly high-integrity sectors.* Experience working across multiple engineering disciplines is beneficial, but we also welcome applicants from non-engineering backgrounds who can demonstrate relevant experience and transferable skills.* Familiarity with lifecycle stages from concept through to commissioning.* Exposure to safety-critical systems and quality assurance processes* Interpersonal & Stakeholder Engagement Skills* Ability to build strong relationships across technical and enabling functions (e.g. HR, D&C, programme teams).* Skilled in influencing without authority.* Comfortable facilitating workshops, consultations, and cross-functional discussions.* Able to translate technical requirements into business-aligned actions.* Analytical & Continuous Improvement Mindset* Ability to interpret data, identify trends, and drive improvements in competency acquisition.* Experience developing KPIs and metrics to track progress.* Comfortable reviewing training requests and assessing value against strategic goals.* Proactive in identifying gaps and proposing solutions.* Knowledge of Competency Frameworks & Skills Strategy* Understanding of competency frameworks, skills taxonomies, and workforce capability planning.* Experience developing or implementing competency strategies.* Knowledge of regulatory expectations around SQEP and training assurance.* Project Management* Strong organisational skills to manage multiple workstreams, priorities, and stakeholder inputs.* Experience in planning and tracking delivery against strategic objectives.* Ability to manage budgets or funding streams related to training and development.* Familiarity with project management tools and reporting frameworks.Salary and Package* We anticipate paying a salary of between £48,000 - £62,500 DOE* Bonus - Performance related target opportunity 12.5%* Benefits Allowance – £2,200 per annum, enabling you to create a bespoke package* Pension - 12% employer and 6% employee contributions.* Holidays - 28 days holiday (+ public holidays) and the ability to buy or sell up to 4 days.* Private Medical Insurance - BUPA single cover health care* Life Assurance - 6x pensionable pay* £250 - One-off payment for new starters for home office purchasesYou’ll be joining a forward-thinking organisation that values transparency, fairness, and innovation. We offer:• A flexible, inclusive, and supportive working environment. • Opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling business. • A culture that values diversity, innovation, and continuous learning.We are an equal opportunities employer and welcome applications from all backgrounds. Inclusivity is important to us, and as a Disability Confident organisation, we are committed to fair, supportive, and continually improving recruitment practices that ensure everyone has the opportunity to thrive.Confidence can sometimes hold us back from applying for a job. But we'll let you in on a secret: there's no such thing as a 'perfect' candidate. If you feel you meet 75% of the requirements for this role, we would love to hear from you.Also, if you are considering a career move or a sector-jump, please get in touch – we welcome applications from people with transferable skills.**Our Application Process**Due to the safety regulations within the nuclear industry, applicants will be required to participate in additional screening. These are:• Obtaining Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance • Satisfactory completion of a Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) check • Satisfactory completion of a basic financial probity checkWe are Rolls-Royce SMRRolls-Royce SMR is a rare employer because it blends the world-class brand of Rolls Royce with an exciting start-up that has a hugely challenging mission. We’re doing work that contributes to the survival of the planet. Because of our mission, there’s a pace and energy that is palpable, and our leaders draw you in with their passion, energy, and determination.We’re one of a handful of employers who can genuinely say we’re a strengths-based organisation – our people are here because of what makes them great, and our job is to help them make the best contribution of their careers doing work they love.The start-up mentality
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