Design and Engineering Manager

In support of a firmly established family-owned hydraulic cylinder manufacturing company in Hereford, we are seeking a NEW Design and Engineering Manager to work in partnership with the Managing Director and Operations Manager, supporting the design and engineering of hydraulic products to exceed customer expectations and streamline the implementation of new designs and products into production.

Working with the existing engineering team on site, the Design and Engineering Manager will take the lead role in producing and monitoring viable product designs, managing production implementation plans and timing schedule for new projects. You will also facilitate, as necessary, actions to maintain performance to those plans.

These actions may include and are not limited to outsourcing or insourcing activities, arranging contract work support, identifying alternate routings or design changes that would streamline production. In essence they are the representative of the project with responsibility to pull together all the activities to achieve it, while the factory is responsible for achieving the highest possible overall performance of cost, efficiency, adherence and quality.

Specifically:
• Work to support the customer requirements but balancing these against the engineering considerations required to deliver the project on time and in budget.
• Support the accurate design and development of products to support existing and new customer requirements.
• Support production during commissioning of new projects and assisting in development of ways of manufacturing that optimise quality and value delivered to the customer.
• Providing such reporting as necessary to ensure sufficient tracking of project progress to achieve on time in full (OTIF) delivery of the project to all its milestones at the requisite profitability.

Key responsibilities:
• Produce, maintain & revise technical drawings.
• Planning and executing strategies for completing projects on time.
• Creation of new product designs & review / analyse results of production runs to drive efficiency improvements. (CAD Software
• Manage RMA's / warranty issues (customer complaints).
• Researching and developing designs and products.
• Produce full set up of product including BOMs and routings via EFACS (ERP).
• Departmental presence at production / quality meetings & senior management meetings.
• Collate & analyse costing data for existing cylinders
• Keep the department up to date with latest technologies i.e., CAD software (Inventor).
• Ensure all engineering related work is aligned with the company's vision and marketing strategy.
• Monitor & update the engineering department's KPI's scorecard / dashboard.
• Develop your team to ensure their continuing growth and that they meet the business needs.
• Produce costings for new hydraulic cylinders in line with customer requirements.
• Support the sales & customer support team with technical knowledge as required.

We expect your skill set to encompass a mix of knowledge, skills and behaviours that role model our Clients Vision and Values. Specifically, this role will need the following knowledge and skills:

• You will possess key technical knowledge of the end-to end manufacturing process and equipment capabilities.
• Your ability to maintain rapport, work with and motivate colleagues coupled with technical design skills will drive measurable improvements throughout the design and production process.
• You will possess exemplary leadership and management skills .
• You will optimise production design and product range to drive efficiency improvements.
• Where possible have knowledge of hydraulic cylinders and applications.
• Ideally be competent in the use of Efacs (ERP).
• You will be customer focused in all activities undertaken.

Desired skills and experience sought:
• Level 3 Apprenticeship in Engineering / graduate level / capability
• Experience in Management Leadership.
• Calm and methodical thinker, detail oriented and task focused.
• Very strong communication skills at levels from board to operator.
• Able to produce detailed, but brief project reporting.
• Excel and PowerPoint to a high level.
• Always acts with integrity and ethically, holds self and others to account.
• Have a manufacturing background

Your CV will be forwarded to Jonathan Lee Recruitment, a leading engineering and manufacturing recruitment consultancy established in 1978. The services advertised by Jonathan Lee Recruitment are those of an Employment Agency.

In order for your CV to be processed effectively, please ensure your name, email address, phone number and location (post code OR town OR county, as a minimum) are included