• Lead the mechanical engineering team responsible for the design and development of ground support equipment
• Oversee engineering projects from concept, through detailed design, validation and release to production
• Allocate engineering resources effectively across multiple concurrent projects
• Ensure engineering deliverables are achieved on time, within scope and to agreed budgets
• Provide technical leadership and sound engineering judgement on complex design challenges
• Support new product development and product enhancement programmes
• Conduct performance reviews and support structured career development planning
• Foster a culture of technical excellence, accountability and continuous improvement
• Support the recruitment, onboarding and development of engineering talent
• Ensure all mechanical designs meet customer specifications and applicable regulations, including EN12312, EN1915 and Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC
• Approve mechanical design outputs, including drawings, calculations, specifications and technical documentation
• Oversee and govern the Engineering Change Order (ECO) process
• Lead formal design review gates (concept, preliminary and critical design reviews)
• Ensure robust design verification and validation is completed prior to release to manufacture
• Ensure designs are optimised for manufacturability, assembly and serviceability (DFMA)
• Work closely with manufacturing teams to resolve build issues and improve production efficiency
• Support value engineering initiatives to enhance cost competitiveness
• Collaborate with Supply Chain to support component standardisation and supplier integration
• Work closely with Electrical and Software/PLC Engineering teams to deliver fully integrated system designs
• Collaborate with Sales and Product Management on customer‑specific technical requirements
• Support After‑Sales and Customer Care teams by translating field feedback and warranty data into design improvements
• Contribute to cross‑department initiatives that drive operational excellence
• Drive ongoing improvement of engineering processes, systems and workflows
• Promote design standardisation, modular architectures and component reuse
• Support innovation in materials, mechanical design and manufacturing technologies
• Identify opportunities to improve product performance, reliability and sustainability
• Define, track and report KPIs related to delivery, quality, efficiency and cost

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline
• Significant experience designing heavy equipment within a manufacturing or OEM environment
• Minimum of 7 years’ leadership experience within an engineering function
• Strong experience using 3D CAD systems (SolidWorks, Creo or similar) and document control processes
• Solid understanding of manufacturing processes, structural design, mechanical assemblies and hydraulics
• Proven experience managing engineering projects across the full product development lifecycle
• Strong knowledge of regulated engineering environments and safety standards
• Demonstrated experience driving engineering process improvements or design standardisation initiatives
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• A senior leadership role within a well‑respected engineering manufacturer
• The opportunity to shape engineering strategy and influence product direction
• Competitive salary and benefits package
• Long-term career progression within a growing organisation

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