Lead Project Engineer

A Telford based manufacturing business are seeking a dynamic and innovative individual to join their team as a Lead Project Engineer. If you have a passion for delivering quality and driving continuous improvement; a hands-on Lead Project Engineer will take responsibility for the compliance and quality of multiple products across various industries. In this role, you will work closely with manufacturing customers and supply chain partners, guiding projects from conception through to production.

Key Responsibilities for the Lead Project Engineer:

• Provide customer-focused engineering leadership within the Engineering and Quality Department, ensuring project success and continuous improvement through hands-on activity and by supporting, coaching, and leading team members.
• Receive, check, and validate enquiries from the sales team, establishing the best supply route and identifying potential design or process issues.
• Answer technical queries from suppliers by studying drawings, collaborating with the sales team, or working directly with customers.
• Project manage manufacturing projects, maintaining schedules and quality requirements, reporting regularly, and resolving queries efficiently.
• Oversee tooling and sample provision to expedite project progression.
• Manage seamless project handovers to Operations and Finance teams, and continue to resolve production and operational issues to maintain quality, supply chain stability, and customer satisfaction.
• Oversee sample management, including inspection report evaluation, documentation, and physical sample assessment.
• Communicate technical feedback to suppliers and adjust schedules as needed.
• Provide ongoing support for technical, quality, or commercial queries.
• Manage incoming goods inspection, promptly addressing issues and ensuring effective communication with Sales and Operations teams.
• Act as the point of contact for customer complaints, ensuring efficient and cost-effective issue resolution.
• Support supplier evaluation and quality development for partners in the UK and China, investigating and resolving quality issues throughout the supply chain.
• Manage stock rework processes and costs, ensuring repairs meet required standards and customer expectations.
• Ensure completion of relevant reports (8D, 5-Why) for non-conformances.
• Provide planned and ad-hoc engineering support to customers, the UK team, and China supply partners.

Key Requirement for the Lead Project Engineer:

• Working knowledge of cutting and forming processes for metals, and the moulding of metals and plastics.
• Familiarity with QMS processes, 8D, 5 Whys, problem-solving methodologies, FMEAs, process validation, SPC, PPAP, and gauge R&R.
• Strong ability to read and interpret engineering drawings (including GD&T) and produce ISIRs.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey technical information to diverse audiences, including non-technical stakeholders and suppliers for whom English is a second language.
• Confident representing the business in internal, customer, and supplier meetings.
• Proven ability to resolve and close out quality issues.
• Willingness and ability to travel overseas and operate effectively in foreign environments.
• Strong collaboration and leadership skills with experience leading multi-disciplinary teams.
• Demonstrated problem ownership and resolution skills.
• Ability to prioritise, organise, and manage a demanding workload.
• A desire for personal and professional growth alongside business growth.

This is a great role with a business who have worked hard to nurture a great environment and who have a very clear progression plan. The long term plan would be for the right candidate to become Engineering Management and leading teams with the business that is growing considerably.