R&D Manager

Job Description:

Role Summary

The Offsite R&D Manager plays a critical role in advancing the Cullen Connectors product portfolio, directly contributing to the growth of the Offsite business and its continued outperformance of market trends. This position blends strategic leadership with hands-on technical expertise, delivering essential support across internal functions and to external stakeholders.

In this role, you will lead and support key strategic initiatives within the Cullen Connectors segment, with a particular focus on the development, improvement, and technical validation of both new and existing products. You will have full ownership of the onsite R&D test rig and team, ensuring robust product testing, validation, and continuous improvement in line with evolving market and regulatory requirements.

A core part of the role involves collaborating with product and marketing teams to drive innovation through our Customer Back Innovation (CBI) process, guiding ideas from early-stage concepts and prototypes through to market-ready solutions. You’ll also support the creation of technical marketing materials and sales tools to help promote and position our products within the construction sector.

Additionally, you will be responsible for the development of our R&D apprentice, providing both technical mentorship and support with their academic and day-to-day activities.

Reporting to the Cullen Connectors Segment Owner, your success will be measured by your ability to prioritise high-impact (80/20) activities, manage time effectively, and deliver clear, measurable results that drive business performance.

Responsibilities

• Lead the R&D function, overseeing all aspects of product innovation, development, and technical testing.
• Identify emerging markets, technologies, and product/service opportunities to drive strategic growth.
• Contribute to Product Line Simplification (PLS) efforts to enhance operational efficiency, reduce complexity, and help the business deliver greater value with fewer resources.
• Promote a culture of innovation, problem-solving, and effective cross-functional collaboration.
• Drive the identification and delivery of new product opportunities aligned with market trends and customer needs.
• Manage the prototyping, testing, and validation processes for both new and existing products to ensure performance and compliance.
• Collaborate closely with Product and Operations teams to apply design-for-manufacture principles from concept through to production.
• Support the successful launch of new products by working with Marketing, Commercial, and Product teams to develop effective go-to-market strategies.
• Collaborate with Product Managers and IP Counsel to ensure appropriate protection of intellectual property.
• Provide expert technical support to internal teams, including Operations, Product, and Sales, as well as to external customers.
• Manage relationships with third-party testing facilities, engineering consultants, and certification bodies as required.
• Lead and manage all product compliance activities, ensuring adherence to relevant regulatory, industry, and safety standards, while staying up to date with evolving building regulations, industry trends, and competitor developments to maintain technical leadership.
• Ensure all R&D activities are properly documented, tracked, and reported to maintain traceability and support decision-making.

Experience and skills:

• Appreciation for safety always ensuring a safe working environment (internal & external) and a cultural understanding of continuous improvement for health & safety.
• Degree in Civil/Structural Engineering (essential); a Master’s or Chartered status is desirable.
• Proven experience (5+ years) in a product development or technical leadership role within a manufacturing or construction-related business.
• Strong understanding of structural design principles, materials (especially timber & steel), and construction methods.
• Familiarity with relevant industry codes, standards, and testing methods (e.g., Eurocodes, British Standards, CE/UKCA marking).
• Experience in using AutoCAD, Inventor, and other engineering tools.
• Demonstrated ability to manage technical projects from concept through to production.
• Excellent problem-solving, communication, and leadership skills.
• Self-motivated individual who is flexible and willing to learn continuous best practices with a positive mentality.
• Comfortable in working within a team environment, contributing, and sharing best practices, resources, and ideas to continually improve.

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