Mechanical Design Manager – Special Purpose Machinery & Automation Basildon, Essex (On-site, 5 days per week) £50,000 – £60,000 per year (DOE) Full-time | Permanent The Opportunity A well-established and growing specialist in special purpose machinery and automation is looking to appoint a Mechanical Design Manager at their Basildon site. This is a key leadership role within the engineering function, responsible for managing and developing a team of 4–5 Mechanical Design Engineers, driving high-quality output across multiple machine-build projects. This role is 100% on-site (Monday to Friday) with no hybrid working available, due to the hands-on nature of the projects and close collaboration required with manufacturing and assembly. Key Responsibilities As Mechanical Design Manager, you will: * Lead, mentor and develop a team of 4–5 Mechanical Design Engineers * Manage workload planning, prioritisation and delivery across multiple projects * Oversee the full mechanical design lifecycle from concept through to manufacture and commissioning * Ensure mechanical designs meet functional, safety and manufacturing requirements * Work closely with Project Managers, Electrical Design, Manufacturing, Assembly and Purchasing * Drive best practice in design standards, documentation, BOM accuracy and revision control * Support continuous improvement across design tools, processes and engineering outputs * Participate in design reviews and provide technical sign-off where required What We’re Looking For We’re looking for a strong mechanical design leader with hands-on technical experience in automation and machinery design. Essential * Proven experience managing or leading a mechanical design team (or stepping up into management) * Strong mechanical design background within special purpose machinery, automation, robotics, conveyors or industrial equipment * Ability to drive output and quality across a fast-paced engineering environment * Confident communicator with strong organisational and leadership skills Desirable * Experience using Autodesk Inventor * Experience with Vault / PDM / revision control systems * Knowledge of design for manufacture and assembly (DFMA) * Experience working closely with shop floor, build and commissioning teams ✅ Other CAD package experience will be considered (SolidWorks, Creo, Catia, etc.), but Inventor/Vault exposure is a strong advantage