Summary
An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Senior Engineering Manager to provide technical leadership across manufacturing engineering activities within a complex defence and aerospace environment. The successful candidate will act as a manufacturing technical authority, ensuring production systems are technically capable of meeting current operational requirements while supporting future manufacturing developments. The role involves leading manufacturing engineering projects, overseeing industrialisation activities and managing technical changes to ensure production capabilities remain efficient, reliable and aligned with long-term programme requirements.

Where you will be Based
The role is based in the Greater Manchester area and offers hybrid-working (2-3 days onsite). This is a permanent, full-time position.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead Spiral Development activities from a manufacturing engineering perspective, ensuring effective coordination across relevant business units and engineering functions.
• Manage manufacturing obsolescence activities, identifying technical risks and coordinating appropriate engineering solutions.
• Lead industrialisation activities associated with project product gate reviews, ensuring manufacturing readiness and compliance with technical requirements.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to enhance manufacturing efficiency, production capability and operational performance.
• Lead engineering activities associated with production rate increases, ensuring manufacturing systems and processes can achieve required output levels.
• Manage manufacturing capital expenditure requirements, including investment planning, funding submissions and project-level expenditure.
• Oversee the preparation, validation and certification of production systems, supporting the transition from development into series production.
• Identify and manage technical and manufacturing risks, developing appropriate mitigation strategies to maintain programme delivery.
• Maintain effective technical relationships with customers, suppliers and internal stakeholders to resolve engineering challenges and support project objectives.

Essential Qualifications and Experience

• A relevant engineering degree or a recognised technical engineering apprenticeship, supported by an HNC or equivalent qualification.
• Significant technical experience within manufacturing engineering or production environments
• Proven experience leading complex engineering projects, including technical development, manufacturing improvements or obsolescence management.
• Strong understanding of manufacturing systems, production and industrialisation processes.
• Experience managing technical risks, resolving complex engineering issues and implementing effective engineering solutions.
• Excellent stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence technical decisions across multidisciplinary teams and senior management.
• Demonstrable ability to provide technical leadership and contribute to strategic manufacturing decisions.

Desirable Experience

• Previous experience within the defence, aerospace or another highly regulated engineering sector.
• Experience leading Spiral Development programmes or managing iterative engineering changes.
• Knowledge of production system validation, certification and manufacturing readiness processes.
• Experience managing manufacturing capital investment and production capacity improvements.

Salary and Benefits
The position offers a base salary in the region of -70,000, depending on experience. You will also be eligible for several benefits, including:

• Annual performance bonus of up to 27% of base salary.
• Monthly car allowance
• Combined employer and employee pension contributions of up to 14%.
• Company-funded private medical insurance.

Interested in Applying?
Due to the nature of the work, applicants must be eligible to obtain SC security clearance.
Electus Recruitment Solutions provides specialist engineering and technical recruitment solutions to high-technology industries. Thank you for your interest. If you do not hear from us within seven working days, please presume your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion. You may resubmit your CV or details in the future and we shall assess your suitability then.