Warfare Systems Engineering Support Manager

About the role

Join Saab Australia as a Warfare Systems Engineering Support Manager

Join a mission-driven team delivering sovereign naval combat support—where your leadership ensures our fleet stands ready and secure.

We are seeking a dynamic and experienced Warfare Systems Engineering Support Manager to lead our Warfare Systems Support function, ensuring mission-ready Combat Systems.

In this strategic leadership role, you will ensure the operational availability and combat readiness, supporting national maritime defence capabilities today and into the future.

We work in a fast-paced, demanding, challenging as well as time sensitive environment; we’re diverse, global, resilient, adaptable and agile, therefore the ability to solve problems is critical.

This position also offers Flexible working options and a 9 Day Fortnight.

The opportunity

As the Warfare Systems Engineering Support Manager, you will lead a high-performing, cross-functional team responsible for sustaining complex warfare systems. Working collaboratively across our Combat Systems Integration team, our customer, and stakeholders, you will ensure combat system readiness through effective engineering change management, technical oversight, and system lifecycle support.

Key responsibilities:
Systems Engineering & Technical Delivery
- Oversee sustainment of complex systems, including our Combat Management System, sensors and effectors.
- Lead the helpdesk response function and coordinate planned/unplanned maintenance, upgrades, and obsolescence management.
- Define, review and deliver engineering change packages and scopes of work aligned with technical and operational requirements.
- Ensure all documentation, plans and deliverables meet Navy Technical Regulatory Framework (NTRF) standards.
- Drive resolution of in-service engineering issues through thorough investigation and stakeholder collaboration.

Leadership & Team Development
- Lead a multidisciplinary team of engineers, technical officers, and ILS professionals to achieve performance targets.
- Foster a culture of continuous improvement, learning, and compliance with safety and quality standards.
- Provide mentorship, clear direction, and performance management aligned with company values and Defence expectations.

Project, Financial & Stakeholder Management
- Deliver projects within scope, budget, and schedule while optimising cost of ownership for the customer.
- Maintain strong working relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Contribute to organisational change management plans and long-term support strategies

About you

You’re a Defence-minded leader with deep technical knowledge of naval warfare systems and a track record of successfully delivering in-service engineering support in complex environments.

Essential Skills & Experience:

- Extensive experience in combat systems engineering
- Project/program management in a Defence engineering organisation.
- Demonstrated leadership in multi-disciplinary, cross-functional teams.
- Proficient in systems engineering, integrated logistics support (ILS), and sustainment processes.
- Familiar with RAN Technical Support Network.

Core Capabilities:

- Strategic Leadership: Inspire and manage distributed teams to achieve technical and performance targets.
- Customer-Focused Delivery: Balance Navy needs, budget constraints, and regulatory compliance.
- Change & Crisis Management: Develop change scopes, implement solutions swiftly during unplanned events.
- Continuous Improvement: Embed a learn-and-adapt culture in sustainment operations.
- Communication Excellence: Relay technical insights to senior internal and external stakeholders.

**Qualifications**:

- Tertiary qualification in Engineering (preferably Systems, Electronics, or Naval).
- Postgraduate qualifications in project or systems engineering (desirable).
- Eligibility to hold Engineering Level 3 SQEP Delegation.

Join Us and Lead Australia’s Naval Combat Systems Sustainment into the Future.

As Defence security clearance is required for this role, applicants must be Australian citizens and eligible to obtain and maintain an NV1 clearance.

About us

Saab Australia is a defence, security and cyber solutions provider, specialising in the development and integration of major defence and security systems. For over 30 years in Australia, we have built a reputation for delivering complex systems integration projects that provide proven and advanced capabilities to keep us ahead of today’s challenges.

From combat, communications, security and underwater systems to mixed reality, cyber security and deployable health solutions, our extensive portfolio of products and services provide high-technology solutions for defence forces and civil industries across the globe.

Culture and benefits

We employ over 1000 Australians and are committed to fostering a culture of excellence and enriching the employee experience.

By joining Saab, you’ll be a part of a collaborative