Design Manager – Manufacturing / Product Innovation
Permanent | Competitive salary + benefits
Tonbridge
Contact: Emily or Sammy – Pearson Whiffin Recruitment
Do you thrive in fast-paced, hands-on environments where ideas move quickly, and your decisions make a visible impact?
Are you the kind of Design Leader who brings energy, pushes boundaries, and loves solving real engineering problems—not just managing paperwork?
If you’re nodding, this could be your perfect next step
The Opportunity:
A well-established UK manufacturer is investing heavily in innovation and looking for a dynamic, engaging, sleeves-rolled-up Design Manager to lead their in-house CAD and R&D function.
This isn’t a huge corporate machine where everything takes six months and requires four committees.
This is a business where:
Engineers actually get to engineer
New ideas get heard quickly
You can influence design strategy, production thinking, and product performance
You’ll be visible, valued, and genuinely shaping the next generation of products
You’ll head up a small, talented team and take ownership of all product design activity—from concept to production release.
What you’ll do
Lead, motivate and develop a growing design & R&D team
Drive concept development, detail design and NPI activity
Champion innovation and continuous improvement in materials, mechanisms and manufacturing methods
Collaborate with production, operations and sales to make sure ideas translate into reality
Challenge existing processes, remove bottlenecks and introduce better ways of working
Oversee CAD best practice, technical accuracy, testing and compliance
Influence product strategy, cost improvements and future roadmap decisions
In short: you’ll be the person who makes great ideas happen.
What we’re looking for:
We want someone with spark. Someone who lights up when they talk about design.
Someone who thrives on problem-solving, gets stuck in, and loves working in an SME where pace matters.
You’ll also bring:
Solid experience leading a design, CAD or NPD function within manufacturing
A background in mechanical or product design (SolidWorks ideal)
Strong design-for-manufacture understanding
Relevant education – ideally degree level
A balance of creativity, technical competence and commercial awareness
The ability to rally a team, challenge thinking, and communicate with energy
A mindset that says: “Let’s find a solution,” not “That’s not my job.”
If you prefer rigid structure, big hierarchies, long sign-off chains or working at arm’s length—this won’t be your environment.
If you love variety, ownership and getting things done—you’ll thrive here.
Why join?
Real ownership of the design function
Space to innovate and influence
Senior visibility and a voice at the table
A supportive, ambitious leadership team
Products used across the UK and internationally
The chance to lead meaningful change in a business that actually welcomes it
This role is being managed exclusively by the Manufacturing, Engineering & Technical team at Pearson Whiffin Recruitment.
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