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For Companies At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and develop a shift-based engineering team while tackling hands-on maintenance and improvements.
- Company: Join a dynamic engineering team at Cambrian Industrial Park, Tonypandy.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, supportive leadership, and opportunities for personal growth.
- Why this job: Make a real impact on engineering performance and safety culture.
- Qualifications: Strong mechanical engineering background and proven leadership skills required.
- Other info: Flexible rotating shifts with a focus on continuous improvement.
The predicted salary is between 34000 - 48000 £ per year.
Location: Cambrian Industrial Park, Tonypandy, CF40 2XX
Salary: Circa £41,000 DOE
Contract: Full-time, permanent
Hours/Shift Patterns: Monday to Friday (6am to 2pm or 2pm to 10pm on a rotating shift)
Department: Engineering
The Role
We are seeking an experienced Engineering Shift Lead to take ownership of engineering performance during your shift. This is a hands-on leadership role, combining technical expertise with people management, safety leadership and continuous improvement. You will lead, coach and develop a shift-based engineering team while remaining actively involved in maintenance, breakdown response, fabrication and improvement work. You'll play a key role in improving equipment reliability, reducing downtime and building a high-performance, safety-first culture.
What you'll be responsible for:
- People Leadership & Culture: Leading start-of-shift briefs, end-of-shift reviews and effective cross-shift handovers; Setting clear expectations and holding the team to agreed standards; Coaching, developing and recognising engineers on shift; Managing performance, conduct and absence issues fairly and in line with company policy; Creating a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement.
- Hands-on maintenance & breakdown response: Diagnosing and repairing mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic faults; Supporting electrical fault-finding where competent; Carrying out fabrication, machining and component repair work; Ensuring fast, safe and effective breakdown resolution to minimise downtime.
- Preventive Maintenance: Delivering scheduled preventive maintenance to defined standards; Working from maintenance schedules and production plans; Maintaining accurate maintenance records for compliance and analysis.
- Safety, Compliance & Housekeeping: Championing safe systems of work and leading point-of-work risk assessments; Working closely with the H&S Manager to drive safety compliance; Investigating accidents and near misses and ensuring corrective actions are completed; Maintaining BRC accreditation, 5S standards and excellent housekeeping.
- Continuous Improvement & Projects: Identifying and implementing equipment and process improvements; Supporting automation and cost-reduction initiatives; Applying Lean tools, RCA and 5 Whys methodology; Driving improvements in OEE, reliability and downtime reduction; Facilitating small Kaizen activities and sharing best practice across shifts.
- Communication & Decision Making: Providing clear shift performance updates to the Head of Engineering; Maintaining accurate breakdown, repair and PM records; Liaising with internal teams and external suppliers; Allocating labour and approving reasonable overtime within agreed parameters; Stopping work where safety or quality is at risk and escalating appropriately; Deputising for the Head of Engineering within agreed authority.
What success looks like:
- Strong shift-level safety performance and audit results.
- Reduced downtime and improved equipment reliability.
- Planned maintenance completed on schedule.
- Engaged, well-coached engineering team.
- Improved OEE and measurable CI cost savings.
- High levels of near-miss reporting and closed corrective actions.
What we're looking for:
Essential:
- Strong mechanical engineering background with hands-on experience.
- Proven ability to diagnose and repair mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems.
- Experience with fabrication, machining and hand-fitting components.
- Leadership experience within a maintenance or engineering environment.
- Knowledge of RCA and 5 Whys problem-solving techniques.
- Good understanding of HSE requirements and compliance standards.
- Confident people leader who sets standards and holds others accountable.
- Flexible and able to work rotating shifts.
Desirable:
- Basic electrical fault-finding capability.
- Experience with Lean / Continuous Improvement tools.
- Manufacturing environment experience.
- IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent H&S qualification.
- Track record of improving OEE and equipment performance.
Why Join Us:
- A leadership role that keeps you hands-on and technically challenged.
- Real influence over engineering performance and site reliability.
- Opportunity to develop people, systems and processes.
- Supportive leadership structure and clear decision-making authority.
If you're an experienced engineer ready to lead from the front balancing people, performance and technical excellence we'd love to hear from you. Apply now to join our Engineering leadership team. No agencies please.
Engineering Shift Lead in Chesterfield employer: Coppice Sirane
Contact Detail:
Coppice Sirane Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Engineering Shift Lead in Chesterfield
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the engineering field, attend industry events, and don’t be shy about asking for introductions. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by practising common questions related to leadership and technical skills. Think about how you can showcase your experience in diagnosing faults and leading teams. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or using online resources to boost your confidence.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your hands-on experience! When you get the chance to chat with potential employers, highlight specific examples of how you've improved equipment reliability or led successful projects. This will help them see you as the perfect fit for the Engineering Shift Lead role.
✨Tip Number 4
Don’t forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way to ensure your application gets seen by the right people. Plus, it shows you’re genuinely interested in joining our team and contributing to our culture of continuous improvement.
We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Shift Lead in Chesterfield
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the skills and experiences that match the Engineering Shift Lead role. Highlight your hands-on leadership experience and technical expertise, as these are key to what we’re looking for.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re the perfect fit for this role. Share specific examples of how you've led teams, improved processes, or tackled challenges in previous positions. We love a good story!
Showcase Your Technical Skills: Don’t forget to mention your mechanical engineering background and any relevant certifications. If you’ve got experience with Lean tools or problem-solving techniques like RCA and 5 Whys, make sure to include that too!
Apply Through Our Website: We encourage you to apply directly through our website. It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you don’t miss out on any important updates from our team!
How to prepare for a job interview at Coppice Sirane
✨Know Your Engineering Stuff
Make sure you brush up on your mechanical, pneumatic, and hydraulic systems knowledge. Be ready to discuss specific examples of how you've diagnosed and repaired faults in the past. This role is hands-on, so showing your technical expertise will definitely impress.
✨Showcase Your Leadership Skills
Prepare to talk about your experience in leading teams, especially in a maintenance or engineering environment. Think of examples where you've coached or developed team members, and be ready to explain how you set clear expectations and held your team accountable.
✨Emphasise Safety and Compliance
Safety is key in this role, so be prepared to discuss your understanding of HSE requirements and compliance standards. Share any experiences where you've championed safe systems of work or led risk assessments, as this will show you're serious about creating a safety-first culture.
✨Continuous Improvement Mindset
This position values continuous improvement, so come armed with examples of how you've implemented Lean tools or driven improvements in equipment reliability. Discuss any projects where you've used RCA or 5 Whys methodology to solve problems and enhance performance.
