At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead new product development from concept to manufacture, driving product improvement and value engineering.
- Company: A growing, engineering-led manufacturer based in Tonbridge, Kent, focused on high-performance physical products.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, bonus, and benefits with genuine ownership of product development.
- Other info: This is an urgent hire; interviews will move quickly for the right profile.
- Why this job: Make a visible impact on product range and engineering function in a fast-moving environment.
- Qualifications: Proven experience in delivering NPD projects, strong 3D CAD capability, and leadership experience.
The predicted salary is between 60000 - 75000 £ per year.
Drive Innovation. Own Product Design. See Your Work in the Real World. We’re working with a growing, engineering-led manufacturer delivering high-performance physical products into demanding, real-world environments. This is not theoretical design — these are products that must perform, comply, and last. They are now looking for a hands-on Product Development leader to take ownership of R&D, design engineering, and continuous product improvement.
The Role
- Leading new product development (NPD) from concept through to manufacture
- Owning design decisions, materials selection, and product performance
- Driving product improvement and value engineering across existing ranges
- Translating real customer and site requirements into practical, manufacturable designs
- Embedding structured R&D and innovation processes into the business
- Working closely with production to ensure design for manufacture (DFM) and assembly (DFA)
This is a role for someone who still enjoys being close to the detail— CAD, problem-solving, testing, refining — not just managing from a distance.
What They’re Looking For
You’ll likely come from a product-focused engineering background, where you’ve designed and developed physical, manufactured products. Typical backgrounds could include:
- Building products / construction systems
- Fabricated metal or structural products
- Automotive or mechanical equipment
- Rail, infrastructure, utilities or similar regulated environments
You’ll bring:
- Proven experience delivering NPD projects end-to-end (concept to production)
- Strong 3D CAD capability (SolidWorks, Inventor or similar)
- A deep understanding of materials, manufacturing processes and product performance
- Experience with DFM / DFA and engineering optimisation
- Exposure to testing, validation, FEA or simulation tools
- A mindset focused on improving, evolving and challenging designs
- Leadership experience is important — but this is not a "sit back" role. You’ll still be hands-on in design and development work.
The Environment
- Growing SME with strong technical ambition
- Loyal, long-standing team and collaborative culture
- Opportunity to shape how products are designed and developed
- Fast-moving, where ideas can actually be implemented
Our ideal candidate
- Enjoys building and improving products, not maintaining legacy designs
- Is naturally curious, forward-thinking and commercially aware
- Wants to make a visible impact on a product range and engineering function
Why Join?
- Genuine ownership of product development and R&D direction
- A role where your designs will be built, used and seen
- Strong influence across engineering, operations and commercial teams
- Clear opportunity to modernise and elevate the engineering function
This is an urgent hire and interviews will move quickly for the right profile. For a confidential discussion, contact Emily or Sammy at PWR.
Head of Product Development (Engineering) in Tonbridge, Kent employer: Energy Jobline CVL
Join a growing SME in Tonbridge, Kent, with a loyal team and collaborative culture. Enjoy genuine ownership of product development and the opportunity to shape engineering functions while working on high-performance products.
