Engineering Manager in High Wycombe

Contract: Full-time, Monday–Friday (40 hours)

Reporting to: Managing Director

The Role

We are seeking an experienced Engineering Manager to lead and develop our engineering functions within a fast-paced manufacturing environment. This is a senior and hands-on role combining electrical engineering expertise, project management and people leadership.

You will be responsible for improving operational efficiency, reducing downtime, ensuring machine and health & safety compliance, and driving continuous improvement across production, facilities, and maintenance. In parallel, you will manage, develop, and appraise a skilled engineering and machine-setting team.

This role will suit an electrically biased engineering leader who is equally comfortable on the factory floor, leading CapEx projects, and managing performance, training and appraisals.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineering Leadership
  • Take full ownership of the site’s engineering functionality, ensuring compliance with all relevant standards, Machine Directives and statutory requirements.
  • Act as the technical authority for electrical systems, automation, controls, and machine software.
  • Assist the machine setters with electrical and control’s fault diagnostics and resolution.
  • Safeguard machinery and infrastructure to ensure long-term reliability, safety, and performance.
• Operational Performance & Continuous Improvement
  • Drive improvements in Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE) through structured analysis, optimisation of machine speed, changeovers, and bottleneck removal.
  • Reduce unplanned downtime through preventative maintenance strategies, root cause analysis, and critical spares management.
  • Lead initiatives to improve energy efficiency and reduce operational costs.
  • Address machine-related quality issues, including sealing faults and product failures.
  • Lead and project-manage engineering upgrades and CapEx projects, including machine conversions and automation enhancements.
  • Deliver engineering projects on time and within budget while minimising disruption to production.
  • Identify, evaluate, and propose future engineering investments to support business growth.
  • Directly manage machine setters/engineers and toolmakers, taking full responsibility for performance management.
  • Conduct employee appraisals, skill assessments, development plans and ongoing coaching.
  • Manage HR-related matters within the team, including attendance, disciplinaries and succession planning.
  • Design and deliver structured training programmes to ensure full competency and certification across the engineering team.
• Health, Safety & Compliance
  • Ensure full compliance with health & safety legislation, electrical regulations and external audit requirements.
  • Collaborate with H&S and Production Managers to maintain and improve SOPs.
  • Lead electrical safety training and contribute to site-wide safety initiatives.
• Facilities & Contractors
  • Oversee site facilities, utilities and building maintenance.
  • Manage external contractors and service providers, ensuring safe systems of work and compliance.

What We’re Looking For

• Proven experience in an Engineering Management role within manufacturing or production.
• Electrical engineering background with relevant qualifications.
• Hands-on technical capability alongside strong leadership skills.
• Demonstrable experience in project management, continuous improvement and downtime reduction.
• Experience managing teams, including appraisals, training and performance management.
• Strong understanding of electrical compliance, machinery safety and preventative maintenance.
• Familiarity in the packaging industry, food & beverage or pharmaceutical.
• Experience with OEE improvement programmes and digital performance tracking.
• Exposure to automation, batch coding and machine PLC software modification.

Why Join Us?

This is a high-impact leadership role with genuine autonomy, where you will help in shaping the future of a company celebrating its 25th Anniversary. You will have the opportunity to drive meaningful change, modernise systems, develop people and leave a lasting operational legacy within an established, growing and innovative manufacturing business.