Job Description
Parkinson Lee Executive Search is delighted to be exclusively retained on a confidential mandate to appoint a Business Unit Director for a global engineering and manufacturing group.
This is a unique and senior leadership opportunity to lead the performance, growth, and market positioning of three strategically important business units within the company’s portfolio.
With full P&L accountability, the Business Unit Director will take a central role in shaping strategy, driving operational efficiency, and building commercial success across multiple units.
This is a high-impact, visible role with significant scope to influence business direction and long-term value creation.
Role Summary
Reporting to the Group Executive Team, the successful candidate will be responsible for:
Strategic Leadership:
* Develop and execute growth strategies aligned with group objectives.
* Build and position the brand within new and existing markets.
* Drive innovation, sector expansion, and product portfolio development.
Financial Ownership:
* Full P&L responsibility across all three business units.
* Deliver against revenue, margin, and profit targets.
* Lead annual budgeting, forecasting, and performance tracking.
Operational Oversight:
* Embed scalable, efficient processes and systems.
* Oversee supply chain, procurement, and resource planning.
* Ensure compliance with legal, regulatory, and safety standards.
Commercial Growth:
* Define and implement commercial strategies including pricing and market entry.
* Cultivate strong customer relationships and drive market responsiveness.
* Lead business development and sales efforts within each unit.
People & Culture:
* Build and lead high-performing cross-functional teams.
* Define organisational structure and succession planning.
* Champion a culture of engagement, accountability, and delivery.
Candidate Profile
We are seeking an experienced and commercially astute executive who can demonstrate:
* A successful track record of multi-unit P&L ownership.
* Strong commercial leadership, with a data-driven and customer-centric mindset.
* A strategic thinker who thrives on pace and complexity.
* A track record in engineering or manufacturing sectors, ideally with exposure to tier 1 customers (Automotive / Aerospace)
* Outstanding people leadership and stakeholder management skills.
* Proven experience in product development and go-to-market execution in emerging or adjacent sectors.