Spindle Engineering Manager

The Company

Established in 2001, we are the UK's largest independent machine tool servicing provider. As a leading provider of specialist technical solutions for CNC machine tool users, we work with clients across the world on advancing their CNC machine tools' performance and reliability.

The Opportunity

Due to the retirement of a valued team member, we are looking to recruit for a Spindle Engineering Manager / Spindle Technical Specialist. We are recruiting for one position, but we are focused on finding the right person for our team with the required technical experience. We are therefore open to recruiting at either the Manager level or the Technical Specialist level, where the right person can grow with us. Reporting to the Managing Director, this is a fantastic opportunity to play a key role in the business, leading the Spindle Rebuild Team based in Chorley.

The Role

We're looking for someone to lead the Spindle Rebuild team, which repairs and rebuilds machine tool spindles of all types, sizes and configurations. Along with managing a team of two technicians, this person is responsible for processing orders, from initial assessment through to delivery, ensuring all our machine tool spindle orders are delivered to a high standard. This role will lead on the following activities:

• Providing technical leadership on diagnostics, repair solutions, quotations and testing to ensure all spindles are shipped to the highest standard.
• Formulating detailed technical reports based on findings and estimating costs required to rebuild the products to a satisfactory standard.
• Providing technical leadership on fault finding, complex cases, or customer concerns, to establish reasons for failure and prescribe robust solutions.
• Ensuring all repair work carried out by the team is of the highest standard, is correctly documented and conforms to all quality procedures.
• Determining test protocols and ensuring all products are suitably tested before dispatch.
• Planning workloads and priorities, keeping customers and sales teams informed of delivery dates and lead times.
• Championing workshop safety, quality and continuous improvement, ensuring compliance with company policies and procedures, and following up on actions following safety checks and inspections to ensure they are implemented.
• Developing and implementing quality guidelines for the Spindle Rebuild Team, continuous improvement initiatives, reports and procedures.
• Contributing to the business management team, recommending investment, staffing and training needs and reporting on progress, shipments against targets and opportunities.
• Being responsible for the department's P&L, with accountability for growing revenue, developing customer relationships and controlling costs against budget for the department.
• Supporting wider engineering projects by managing build and rebuild activities in line with agreed designs and protocols.

The Candidate

We're looking for someone with experience and knowledge of machine tool spindles of different types. Our ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of the underlying mechanical and electrical principles, construction and components of spindles, with a good understanding of mechanical fitting and machining, and the ability to read engineering drawings, use basic hand tools and work to close tolerances using measuring equipment. Applications are welcomed from individuals who have undertaken an apprenticeship or an undergraduate degree in a relevant mechatronics or machine tool engineering discipline. We also welcome applications from individuals who have gained relevant and appropriate experience on the job. Experience of managing a small team is desirable. However, we are also open to candidates who have experience of leading projects.

We're looking for someone who is comfortable being the technical lead and is able to plan work, set clear priorities and communicate well. As well as focusing on the core activities of the Spindle Rebuild Team, we're looking for someone who is curious and able to identify ways to make continuous improvements, whether that be a way of working, a process, or system. We're looking for someone that can communicate well, build effective working relationships internally and externally, and is able to demonstrate that they can collaborate effectively across teams. Our ideal candidate will be someone that takes ownership of their commitments and sees tasks through to completion, with a practical, structured approach to engineering tasks, considering customer needs, costs, business priorities and engineering outcomes.

The Technical Specialist level of the role would suit someone who perhaps has not had significant management experience before, but has taken the lead on projects, has good organisational skills and is able to plan workload, set clear priorities and communicate well. At this level you may not have had responsibility for a P&L before, but you will be able to show that you understand the commercial impact of the work that you do on the business and the customer. This role could be right for you if you enjoy working in a technical environment and you are looking to grow your experience as a leader.

The Manager level of the role would suit someone with management experience, who is comfortable managing a small team and still very much wants to be hands on from a technical perspective. This role could be right for you if you are excited by the opportunity to lead your own specialist department and enjoy working in a smaller business where you collaborate closely with other teams, develop customer relationships, and have a direct impact on the bottom line.

The Package

The salary range for this role is £55-75,000. Actual salary will be dependent upon experience and level of role. The company offers a range of benefits, including company pension, health cash plan and employee assistance programme. The site is based in Chorley, Lancashire. Applicants will need to be based on site and therefore live within a commutable distance.