About the role

The ACR Lead will manage two teams within their remit;

• Acceptance & Commissioning Integration team,
• Readiness team.

This requires an individual who is strategically focused, able to deliver against complex & changing demands, and has a background delivering in MOD and regulated environments.   Experience of stakeholder management across MOD TLBs and commercial frameworks, risk & schedule management, and governance development & adherence are key requirements. Ex-MOD Civil Servant or ex-Military would be particularly suited to this role.

The role will be split between attendance at client site and office (Glasgow), in addition to home working, aligning location with the need to integrate with the relevant stakeholders both in the programme and at client site. Occasional travel may be required to other locations such as Abbey Wood or supply chain partners to address specific programme demands.

🚀 Acceptance, Commissioning & Readiness Lead

Are you ready to lead the delivery of critical capability from concept to operational use? We’re looking for a driven professional to take ownership of Acceptance, Commissioning, and Readiness activities, working closely with client stakeholders and SMEs.

✅ Acceptance

• Define and agree clear acceptance criteria with stakeholders

• Lead FAT, SAT & UAT activities

• Oversee testing, manage issues, and secure formal sign-off

• Ensure compliance with client standards

⚙️ Commissioning

• Lead commissioning of new systems, equipment & infrastructure

• Coordinate across all partners

• Verify performance, inspections & operational readiness

• Deliver systems ready for service — on time and to standard

🎯 Readiness Assurance

• Develop plans to achieve IOC & FOC

• Assure delivery and interoperability requirements

• Identify and mitigate operational risks

• Ensure training, support, documentation & assets are in place

🤝 Stakeholder Engagement

• Act as the primary POC for acceptance & readiness

• Engage programme teams, supply chain & end-users

• Provide clear progress, risk & issue reporting

🛡️ Compliance & Handover

• Ensure adherence to site policy & governance

• Secure certifications, approvals & assurance evidence

• Manage seamless transition into operational service

🧩 Essential Skills & Experience

• ✅ Proven experience leading acceptance, commissioning & readiness activities within complex, defence-regulated environments

• 📘 Strong understanding of MOD capability integration, including Joint Service Publications (JSPs), Defence Standards

• 🗣️ Excellent stakeholder engagement skills — able to build trusted relationships across diverse teams and organisations

• 📝 Experience producing reports and briefs to MOD standards (including JSP101)

• 📊 Strong project management capability — planning, scheduling, risk management & performance reporting

• 🛡️ Experience managing compliance with safety, quality & regulatory requirements

⭐ Desirable Skills & Experience

• 🔄 Knowledge of defence acquisition processes, including the CADMID lifecycle

• 🎯 Familiarity with operational readiness planning and training delivery in a defence environment

• 🎓 Recognised project management qualification (e.g. PRINCE2, APM or equivalent)

• 🇬🇧 Former MOD Civil Servant or UK Armed Forces experience

Additional Information

Why join the community of Switchers?:

🔹 The Group is currently ranked Third in the world for nuclear engineering.

🔹A dynamic career management policy to enable our employees to progress through our five business lines: operations, project, technical, sales and support functions

🔹Provide opportunities to work on exciting, global projects

🔹Access to an employee assistance programme with free mindfulness, health, wellbeing resources and a confidential support line available 24/7 via phone or text

🔹Discount vouchers for days out and restaurants, eye test and glasses vouchers, cycle to work scheme, free flu jabs

Security clearance:

Due to the nature of work to be undertaken applicants will be required to meet certain residency criteria in order to attain a minimum level of UK security clearance if not already security cleared to a minimum SC level.

We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.

Staff role

We are committed to equal treatment of candidates and promote, as well as foster all forms of diversity within our company. We believe that bringing together people with different backgrounds and perspectives is essential for creating innovative and impactful solutions. Skills, talent, and our people’s ability to dare are the only things that matter !. Bring your unique contributions and help us shape the future.