UK Product Line Manager

Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.

Senior Product Line Manager

Location: Glasgow, UK (with UK and international travel)

Shape the Future of Defence Capability at Thales

As Thales Optronics & Missile Electronics (OME) continues its transition towards a product-led organisation, we are looking for an experienced Senior Product Line Manager to lead our Land Vehicles portfolio.

This is a strategic leadership role for a product professional with a strong background in the defence sector. You will be responsible for defining product strategy, driving portfolio growth and ensuring our solutions remain aligned to evolving military customer needs.

Working across the UK and international business, you will engage with customers, defence stakeholders, engineering teams and senior leaders to shape future capability, identify growth opportunities and deliver long-term business success.

The Role

As the lead for the Land Vehicles Product Line, you will own the strategy, performance and growth of a portfolio of advanced electro-optical and situational awareness products supporting military land platforms.

You will develop product roadmaps, shape investment decisions, support business growth activities and ensure our products continue to meet customer and operational requirements. You'll play a key role in strengthening product management capability across the business while helping drive our transition to a product-led organisation.

Key Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the Land Vehicles product strategy and roadmap.
• Drive portfolio growth, profitability and long-term market positioning.
• Engage with defence customers and stakeholders to understand current and future capability needs.
• Support business development, campaigns and capture activities.
• Lead product lifecycle management, including investment planning, market positioning and portfolio performance.
• Gather customer, market and competitor insight to inform strategic decision-making.
• Collaborate across Engineering, Programmes, Commercial, Finance and Business Development functions.
• Build strong relationships across the UK and international Thales organisation.
• Mentor Product Line Managers and promote product management best practice.

Requirements

• Significant experience in Product Management, Product Line Management or Portfolio Management within the defence sector.
• Strong understanding of defence customers, procurement environments and military capability development.
• Experience working with land systems, defence electronics, electro-optics, mission systems or related defence technologies.
• Proven ability to develop and execute product strategies that deliver business growth and customer value.
• Experience engaging with Defence Ministries, Armed Forces, government stakeholders or defence prime contractors.
• Strong commercial and strategic thinking, with the ability to balance customer, business and technical priorities.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the credibility to influence senior leaders, customers and technical teams.
• Experience working within complex, matrixed and multinational organisations.
• Degree qualified in Engineering, Business or a related discipline, or equivalent professional experience.

Why Thales?

This is an opportunity to lead products that directly support military operations and future defence capability. You'll join a business investing in product management excellence and play a key role in shaping the future direction of our Land Vehicles portfolio.

Given the nature of our products, customers and markets, we are particularly interested in candidates with direct defence industry experience who can quickly establish credibility with military customers and defence stakeholders.

Security Clearance Requirement:

Due to the nature of the work that we do at Thales, many of our roles are subject to security restrictions.  This role requires Security Clearance (SC). It would be advantageous if currently held, however, if not currently held, it is a requirement that the successful applicant undergo, achieve, and maintain SC Clearance prior to commencing employment. 

To be eligible for full SC, you generally need to have resided in the UK for the last 5 years.  In some circumstances, a minimum of 3 years’ residence in the UK over the last 5 years may be accepted, with additional overseas checks.

Please visit the UKSV website for further guidance: https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/united-kingdom-security-vetting-clearance-levels/national-security-vetting-clearance-levels.

At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.
 

We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.

If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities. Join the Talent Community here.

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