At a Glance
- Tasks: Lead and transform engineering teams to enhance product development and delivery.
- Company: High-growth private equity-backed design and manufacturing business in Staffordshire.
- Benefits: Competitive salary, leadership opportunities, and a chance to shape engineering processes.
- Other info: Opportunity to build a high-performing engineering organisation and drive significant change.
- Why this job: Make a direct impact on product quality and innovation speed in a dynamic environment.
- Qualifications: Senior engineering leadership experience and a strong background in mechanical design.
The predicted salary is between 80000 - 120000 £ per year.
We are partnering with a high-growth private equity-backed design and manufacturing business in Staffordshire to appoint an Engineering Director to lead and transform its end-to-end product development and delivery capability.
The Engineering Director will unify previously siloed engineering, design, project delivery, innovation, and quality functions into a single high-performance organisation. You will own the full engineering lifecycle – from early concept and design through to prototyping, validation, manufacturing readiness, and customer deployment. This is a pivotal role in enabling the business to scale faster, improve delivery performance, and strengthen product robustness in demanding industrial environments.
- Lead and develop a multi-disciplinary engineering organisation (Design Engineering, PMO, Innovation Lab, Quality)
- Define and implement an integrated engineering operating model focused on speed, quality, and manufacturability
- Own end-to-end concept-to-deployment delivery for customer solutions
- Improve project delivery performance across scope, time, and budget
- Own engineering quality systems, ensuring reliability, durability, and compliance
- Strengthen cross-functional collaboration with Commercial, Operations, and Procurement teams
- Build and develop a high-performing engineering leadership team
Senior engineering leadership experience in industrial, manufacturing, or product development environments.
Proven success leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
Strong background in mechanical design, fabrication, and engineered systems.
Experience delivering complex projects from concept through to production and deployment.
Track record of implementing engineering processes, governance, and delivery improvement.
Commercially aware with a strong balance between cost, performance, and manufacturability.
Shape a full engineering function from concept through to field deployment.
Build a scalable, high-performance engineering organisation.
Directly impact customer delivery, product quality, and innovation speed.
Director in Development Management employer: SF Search Partners
Contact Detail:
SF Search Partners Recruiting Team
StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫
We think this is how you could land Director in Development Management
✨Tip Number 1
Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Attend industry events or webinars to meet potential employers and showcase your expertise. Remember, it's all about who you know!
✨Tip Number 2
Prepare for interviews by researching the company inside out. Understand their products, culture, and recent projects. This will help you tailor your answers and show them you're genuinely interested in leading their engineering team.
✨Tip Number 3
Showcase your leadership skills! Be ready to discuss how you've successfully led multi-disciplinary teams in the past. Use specific examples that highlight your ability to unify functions and improve project delivery performance.
✨Tip Number 4
Don't forget to apply through our website! We have loads of opportunities that might be perfect for you. Plus, it shows you're proactive and serious about landing that Engineering Director role.
We think you need these skills to ace Director in Development Management
Some tips for your application 🫡
Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV speaks directly to the role of Engineering Director. Highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and any specific achievements in product development that align with what we're looking for.
Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Your cover letter is your chance to shine! Use it to explain why you're the perfect fit for this role. Mention your experience with engineering processes and how you've improved project delivery performance in the past.
Showcase Your Leadership Skills: We want to see how you've built and developed high-performing teams. Share examples of how you've unified different functions and led teams to success in previous roles.
Apply Through Our Website: Don't forget to apply through our website! It’s the best way for us to receive your application and ensures you’re considered for this exciting opportunity. We can’t wait to hear from you!
How to prepare for a job interview at SF Search Partners
✨Know Your Engineering Lifecycle
Make sure you can confidently discuss the full engineering lifecycle, from concept to deployment. Be prepared to share specific examples of how you've successfully managed projects through each stage, highlighting your experience in mechanical design and product development.
✨Showcase Leadership Skills
As a Director, you'll need to lead multi-disciplinary teams. Prepare to talk about your leadership style and provide examples of how you've built high-performing teams in the past. Think about how you can demonstrate your ability to unify different functions and improve collaboration.
✨Emphasise Quality and Compliance
Quality is key in this role, so be ready to discuss your experience with engineering quality systems. Share how you've ensured reliability and compliance in previous projects, and be specific about the processes you've implemented to improve project delivery performance.
✨Understand the Business Context
Familiarise yourself with the private equity-backed environment and the specific challenges it presents. Be prepared to discuss how you can balance cost, performance, and manufacturability while driving innovation and improving delivery speed. This will show that you understand the broader business implications of your role.