Engineering Director

Engineering Director

Full-Time 100000 - 150000 £ / year (est.) No home office possible
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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: Executive leadership role with significant influence and career growth opportunities.
  • Other info: Join the Executive Leadership Team and drive strategic company initiatives.
  • Why this job: Shape engineering functions and impact product quality and innovation speed.
  • Qualifications: Senior engineering leadership experience and proven success in multi-disciplinary teams.

The predicted salary is between 100000 - 150000 £ 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. This is a key executive leadership role, reporting directly to the CEO and sitting on the Executive Leadership Team, responsible for shaping how engineered solutions are conceived, developed, prototyped, delivered, and deployed at scale.

About the Role

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.

Key Responsibilities

  • 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
  • Drive design excellence, standardisation, and manufacturability across all products
  • Lead rapid prototyping and innovation capability to accelerate product development cycles
  • 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

What We’re Looking For

  • 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

Why This Role?

This is a rare opportunity to:

  • Shape a full engineering function from concept through to field deployment
  • Influence company strategy as part of the Executive Leadership Team
  • Build a scalable, high-performance engineering organisation
  • Directly impact customer delivery, product quality, and innovation speed

Engineering Director employer: SF Search Partners

Join a dynamic and innovative private equity-backed design and manufacturing business in Staffordshire, where you will have the opportunity to lead and transform a high-performance engineering organisation. With a strong focus on employee growth, collaboration, and excellence, this role offers a unique chance to shape the future of product development while enjoying a supportive work culture that values creativity and innovation. Benefit from competitive remuneration, professional development opportunities, and the satisfaction of making a direct impact on customer delivery and product quality.
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Contact Detail:

SF Search Partners Recruiting Team

StudySmarter Expert Advice 🤫

We think this is how you could land Engineering Director

✨Tip Number 1

Network like a pro! Reach out to your connections in the engineering and manufacturing sectors. Attend industry events or webinars, and don’t be shy about introducing yourself. You never know who might have the inside scoop on job openings or can put in a good word for you.

✨Tip Number 2

Showcase your expertise! Create a portfolio that highlights your past projects and achievements in engineering leadership. Use platforms like LinkedIn to share insights or articles related to product development and innovation. This will position you as a thought leader in your field.

✨Tip Number 3

Prepare for interviews by practising common questions specific to engineering leadership roles. Think about how you would unify teams and improve project delivery performance. We recommend doing mock interviews with friends or mentors to build confidence and refine your answers.

✨Tip Number 4

Don’t forget to apply through our website! We’ve got some fantastic opportunities waiting for you. Tailor your application to highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams and driving innovation. Let’s get you that Engineering Director role!

We think you need these skills to ace Engineering Director

Engineering Leadership
Product Development
Project Management
Mechanical Design
Fabrication
End-to-End Delivery
Prototyping
Innovation Management
Quality Assurance
Cross-Functional Collaboration
Process Improvement
Governance Implementation
Commercial Awareness
Team Development

Some tips for your application 🫡

Tailor Your CV: Make sure your CV reflects the key responsibilities and skills mentioned in the job description. Highlight your experience in leading engineering teams and delivering complex projects, as this will show us you’re a great fit for the role.

Craft a Compelling Cover Letter: Use your cover letter to tell us why you’re passionate about this opportunity. Share specific examples of how you've unified engineering functions or improved project delivery performance in your previous roles.

Showcase Your Leadership Style: In your application, give us a glimpse of your leadership style. We want to know how you build high-performing teams and foster collaboration across different functions. This is key for the Engineering Director role!

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 Stuff

Make sure you brush up on your technical knowledge, especially around mechanical design and product development. Be ready to discuss specific projects you've led and how you tackled challenges in engineering processes.

✨Showcase Leadership Experience

Prepare examples that highlight your experience in leading multi-disciplinary teams. Think about times when you unified different functions or improved collaboration across departments, as this role is all about building a high-performing engineering organisation.

✨Understand the Business Context

Familiarise yourself with the private equity-backed model and how it impacts engineering decisions. Be prepared to discuss how you can drive speed, quality, and manufacturability while keeping an eye on costs and performance.

✨Prepare for Strategic Discussions

Since you'll be part of the Executive Leadership Team, think about how you can influence company strategy. Prepare to discuss how you would shape the engineering function and improve customer delivery and product quality.

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