“Advanced Manufacturing – Automotive / Aerospace OEM Focus”
South Wales / Some Flexibility – on site as required
Up to £75,000 Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits
(Relocation Assistance may be available)
Our client is an integral part of an international, market leading engineering solutions provider with over 20 operations in 10 countries. Working out of a specialist design, development, test and manufacturing facility in South Wales, the business is benefiting from substantial capital investment. It is currently undergoing a rapid phase of expansion and is at the forefront of “state-of-the-art” developments in technologically sustainable, innovative and resilient solutions for a highly demanding global customer base that spans Land Vehicle, Aerospace and Industrial markets.
Reporting to the Engineering Director, this is a highly customer-facing role, combining strong technical leadership with commercial awareness. You will lead the development of innovative new products in close collaboration with customers and will also act as a technical ambassador for the business, helping to identify opportunities, shape product concepts, and translate customer requirements into robust, manufacturable engineering solutions.
The Role
* Provide “hands on” technical leadership for the end-to-end development of new products from concept through to production
* Translate customer needs into clear technical requirements and product specifications
* Drive innovative solutions, ensure designs meet performance, quality, cost, regulatory and manufacturability requirements
* Oversee design reviews, validation plans, testing and product sign-off
* Act as a primary technical interface with key OEM customers
* Present and “sell” the company’s engineering capabilities and technical solutions
* Collaborate with customers to co-develop new products and technologies
* Support commercial teams in technical proposals, tenders and customer presentations
* Build long-term, trusted relationships with engineering and procurement stakeholders
* Identify emerging trends across our system solutions, expertise and applications
* Proactively generate new product ideas aligned with market and customer needs
* Contribute to the innovation of company’s product roadmap and technology strategy
* Benchmark competitor technologies and industry best practice
* Work closely with manufacturing, quality, sales and programme teams
* Provide technical guidance, leadership and mentoring to engineers within the team
* Manage multiple development projects in parallel, ensuring delivery to time and budget
* Be the technical expert support at trade shows, exhibitions and other industry events
The Candidate
* Degree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering discipline
* Significant experience in product development combined with proven experience of working within land vehicle automotive and/or aerospace OEMs
* Strong customer-facing skills with the ability to build trusted relationships and communicate complex technical concepts clearly
* Demonstrated ability to lead product development from concept to production that meet customer and market needs
* Commercial awareness and ability to support sales and business development activities
* Experience in systems engineering and requirements management
* Knowledge of automotive/aerospace standards and regulatory frameworks
* Project management experience
* A strong company ambassador - confident, credible and professional in front of customers
* Innovative, curious and passionate about engineering solutions
* A motivated self-starter who is able to work on own initiative
* Strong problem-solving and analytical skills
* Commercially minded with a customer-first mindset and an entrepreneurial approach towards increasing the pipeline of innovative product concept creation and opportunities
* Able to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment
* Strong people management and collaboration skills; able to a make a positive impact on company reputation as a leading engineering & technology partner
* Maintain high standards of Health and Safety: - safe working practices and support environmental initiatives
* Demonstrate superior presentation, communication and attention to detail skills
* Conversant with tools & processes – FEA,DFMEA, FMEA etc - IT Skills, including Microsoft 365
* Available and prepared to undertake international travel on an occasional basis