Were looking for an exceptional CAD Design Manager to lead, evolve, and energize a key function within our aerospace manufacturing business. This is a unique opportunity for a strategic leader with a continuous improvement mindset to take ownership of a team and drive meaningful change across the production design landscape. As we enter a new phase of growth and operational refinement, this role will be instrumental in modernising workflows, streamlining processes, and building stronger cross-functional collaboration. Youll be the catalyst for change guiding your team through transformation while ensuring technical excellence and alignment with business goals. Your Mission Lead and inspire a team of highly skilled CAD professionals, creating a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement. Take ownership of the production design function, reviewing current practices and identifying opportunities to optimise and automate. Collaborate across departments Engineering, Production, Quality, and Supply Chain to ensure seamless integration and alignment of design processes. Champion the evolution of our Product Lifecycle Management approach, making it more agile, responsive, and robust. Drive the development and implementation of standardised design rules, documentation, and tooling instructions to support efficient and high-quality product realisation. Oversee the creation of comprehensive product data packs, ensuring clarity, consistency, and manufacturability. Lead risk management and validation efforts for new processes and technologies, ensuring reliability and compliance. Support digital transformation initiatives, including automation of SOPs, documentation, and knowledge base systems. Act as a strategic partner to the wider business, sharing insights, solving problems, and driving performance improvements. What Youll Bring Proven leadership experience in a design, engineering, or manufacturing environment. A strong understanding of CAD and production design principles SolidWorks experience is a plus, but not essential. A track record of driving process improvement, change management, and cross-functional collaboration. Strategic thinking with the ability to see the bigger picture and translate it into actionable plans. Excellent communication and interpersonal skills you know how to bring people with you on the journey. Familiarity with design for manufacturing and assembly, quality assurance, and digital transformation in engineering. Why This Role? This is more than a management position its a leadership opportunity to shape a critical function and leave a lasting impact. Youll have the autonomy to lead change, the support to make it happen, and the chance to work with a team and business thats ready to evolve. If youre passionate about leading transformation, building high-performing teams, and driving operational excellence, wed love to hear from you. How to Apply If you're passionate about engineering excellence and want to be part of a forward-thinking company that values your contribution, wed love to hear from you. All you need to do is submit an up-to-date CV by clicking the apply button or give me a call first if you wish to discuss the role in more detail before applying. By applying for this position, you confirm that you consent to the processing of your personal data in accordance with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) for the purposes of recruitment, employment and working finding service.