Our mission is to deliver clean, affordable energy for all. Rolls-Royce SMR provides a British solution to a global energy challenge, leading the way in Small Modular Reactor technology and shaping the UK’s premier green export opportunity.
As we now scale our operations to deliver upon our contractual commitments, we aim to appoint a Head of New Part Introduction (NPI) . The role will ensure that supply chain capability, industrialisation readiness, and supplier performance are fully aligned with engineering releases, customer programme requirements, commercial commitments, and long‑term business strategy. The Head of NPI will provide enterprise leadership to deliver First‑of‑Fleet (FOAF) and ongoing NPI demand with strong governance, disciplined programme management, and high levels of operational, regulatory, and quality readiness and act as the primary integrator across functions, and suppliers, to ensure new parts are industrialised, qualified, and delivered on time to cost, quality, and performance targets. Managing a sizeable team, with up to nine direct reports, this will include:
Defining and delivering the end‑to‑end NPI strategy across the global supply chain, and translating this into actionable supply chain capability and industrialisation plans
Developing and leading governance of all NPI activity across our global supply chain, creating and deploying standardised NPI frameworks (e.g., APQP, PPAP), integrated with risk management, reporting, and schedule control
Providing portfolio‑level oversight, prioritisation, and resourcing of NPI activity across multiple sites and customer programmes whilst ensuring alignment of NPI delivery with SIOP, Planning & Control, and broader business planning processes
Ensuring our supply chain meets all technical, regulatory, operational, and rate requirements to support NPI demand
Being a Senior Ambassador for RR SMR product development and delivery with customers, external bodies, and the RR SMR Board and Executives
We seek an experienced NPI leader who, recognising that this role is the first of its kind in the nuclear sector, will embrace the challenge of creating a best-in-class team. Strategic, pragmatic, charismatic and disciplined, the Head of NPI must bring:
Extensive NPI/NPD experience in a complex international business operating in a highly regulated sector
Large-scale project and programme management leadership, with evidence that their supply chain has successfully delivered on time and to plan
Fabulous management and influencing capabilities - across multi-disciplinary teams, senior executives, our supply chain and, of course, our customers
Please feel free to request a full and more detailed role profile from Alex Jordan (I'm easy to find on LinkedIn) if this appeals, otherwise click on the link to apply.
Location & Ways of Working
This role can be based from our Derby, Manchester or Warrington offices, with hybrid working and regular engagement with stakeholders and suppliers.
What’s In It for You?
The salary for this role is £85,000 – £113,800 dependent on the skills, experience and values you bring.
You’ll also receive:
Bonus: Up to 17% (performance related)
Personal Benefits Allowance of £8,500
Pension: 12% employer / 6% employee
Holidays: 28 days + public holidays (option to buy/sell up to 5/4 days)
Private Medical Insurance: BUPA
Life Assurance: 6× pensionable pay
Home Office Support: £250 one off payment for new starters
We offer a flexible, inclusive and supportive working environment, with opportunities for career growth in a rapidly scaling organisation. We value diversity, innovation and continuous learning.
Pay Range:
£85,600.00-
£112,350.00Why Join Us?
You’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 check
#LI-hybrid
Skills Required
- Extensive NPI/NPD experience in a complex international business operating in a highly regulated sector.
- Large-scale project and programme management leadership with evidence of supply chain delivery on time and to plan.
- Proven management and influencing capabilities across multi-disciplinary teams, senior executives, supply chain and customers.
- Experience defining and delivering end-to-end NPI strategy and translating it into supply chain capability and industrialisation plans.
- Experience developing and leading NPI governance and deploying standardised NPI frameworks (e.g., APQP, PPAP) integrated with risk management and schedule control.
- Portfolio-level oversight, prioritisation and resourcing of NPI activity across multiple sites and customer programmes, aligned with SIOP and planning processes.
- Ensure supply chain meets technical, regulatory, operational, and rate requirements to support NPI demand.
- Experience acting as a senior ambassador to customers, external bodies, Board and Executives.
- Experience managing a sizeable team (up to nine direct reports).
- Willingness/ability to be based in Derby, Manchester or Warrington offices with hybrid working and regular stakeholder engagement.
- Successful completion/participation in additional screening: BPSS clearance, DBS check, and basic financial probity check.
What We Do
Rolls-Royce SMR is a UK-based company developing an affordable, integrated small modular reactor (SMR) power plant. It leverages established nuclear technology and a factory-based philosophy for fabrication and assembly to provide a repeatable, standardised, and investable energy solution globally, with the mission of providing clean and affordable energy for all.
