About This Role
As Head of Engineering, you will lead the national engineering strategy for Dawsongroup Bus & Coach, based in Milton Keynes with occasional travel to UK sites. Reporting to the Managing Director, you will balance engineering excellence with commercial performance, ensuring safe, compliant and cost-effective operations that support ambitious business growth.
Own and deliver the agreed engineering budget, ensuring robust cost control, recharge governance and strong financial performance.
Develop and execute the national engineering strategy aligned to business growth, innovation and Group direction.
Provide engineering leadership across all UK customer locations, maintaining high standards of compliance, safety and operational effectiveness.
Act as the senior engineering sign-off authority, guiding technical decisions in partnership with subject matter experts.
Represent Engineering at Board level, providing clear reporting, insight and strategic recommendations.
About You
You are a strategic engineering leader with experience managing people, budgets and long-term plans, ideally within automotive, bus & coach, HGV or fleet environments. You combine commercial awareness with engineering credibility and have spent time in and around an engineering discipline, enabling you to challenge and support technical decisions with confidence.
Proven experience leading and developing multi-disciplinary teams to deliver results.
Strong financial and commercial acumen, with ownership of engineering cost centres.
Clear understanding of regulatory compliance within a vehicle or transport setting.
Ability to translate long-term strategy into practical, measurable delivery plans.
A change leader, comfortable driving innovation including alternative fuel and EV transition.
We actively encourage applications from underrepresented groups in engineering and leadership, including women, ethnic minority professionals, LGBTQ+ candidates and those returning to the industry. If you meet most of the criteria but not every single point, we would still welcome a conversation, please don't self-select out.
About Us
Dawsongroup Bus & Coach is part of Dawsongroup, one of Europe's leading asset rental, leasing and contract hire businesses, operating over 32,000 premium assets across multiple sectors. Our Bus & Coach business has built an outstanding reputation over 30 years for quality, reliability and long-term customer partnerships.
A financially strong, investment-grade rated Group with a disciplined, low-risk growth strategy.
A business committed to innovation, including low and zero carbon fleet development.
A culture built on long-term relationships with customers, suppliers and employees.
Strong Board-level engagement and clear strategic direction.
A reputation across the industry as a great place to work.
About Your Future
This is a Board-facing leadership role with the opportunity to shape the future engineering direction of a nationally recognised business. You will play a key part in fleet lifecycle strategy, EV transition planning and continuous improvement initiatives that directly influence commercial performance and market position.
Influence major fleet procurement and lifecycle decisions.
Lead continuous improvement to enhance reliability, utilisation and cost efficiency.
Build strategic partnerships with manufacturers and key stakeholders.
Shape the engineering roadmap in line with Group innovation objectives.
Develop and mentor the next generation of engineering leaders.
People are our greatest asset, and we invest in them accordingly. If you are an engineering leader who can combine strategic thinking with commercial discipline and operational credibility, we would welcome a confidential conversation about your next move.