Advanced Engineering Lead

Unipart Manufacturing Group; Leicester; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 70,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days holiday including bank

Pension

Bonus

Life assurance

Employee assistance programme

Wellbeing support

Flexible benefits including cycle to‑/

Job summary

Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. We are seeking a high-capability Senior Advanced Engineering Leader (Engineering Manager) reporting to senior leadership to drive strategy and execution.

The role requires deep technical expertise in electrification and moulding, with experience in defence standards and NPI.

Qualifications

• Engineering leadership experience in a senior engineering function (defence/aerospace background preferable).
• Defence or Aerospace manufacturing background with AQAP 2110 / AS9100D frameworks exposure.
• Experience with First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR/AS9102) and formal defense line-validation processes (AS9145/Def Stan 05-61).
• Knowledge of Defence Configuration Management standards and Safety Risk Assessment frameworks like Def Stan 00-056 or POEMS.

Responsibilities

• Define engineering strategy and lead NPI, capital equipment investments, plant layouts and processes for fast-paced delivery.
• Direct electrification and moulding technical delivery across high-volume lines and polymer/injection moulding inputs.
• Maintain quality, cost and delivery targets with zero-defect and right-first-time engineering standards.
• Embed Unipart Way systems, root-cause problem solving, continuous improvement and standardised processes.
• Oversee process control adherence, safety rules, standards and defence requirements across all production lines.
• Shape processes and adapt to changing priorities as the project scales.

Skills

Engineering leadership

Quality and systems

Line validation & inspection

Configuration & safety management

FMEA/Lean Six Sigma

Education

Undergraduate degree in Engineering

Job description

Job DescriptionAdvanced Engineering Lead Senior Advanced Engineering Lead - Advanced Manufacturing Scale-Up (assembly with electrification and injection moulding inputs) Coventry Up to £70,000 plus car/car allowance

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• pension
• bonus
• life assurance
• employee assistance programme
• wellbeing support
• flexible benefits including cycle to work scheme

About the Role

Unipart Manufacturing is launching a flagship, fast-paced manufacturing project in Coventry, combining high-volume electrification assembly with complex injection moulding inputs. Fully aligned with Uniparts Sector and Growth Strategy and The Unipart Way Forward Plan, this critical project will scale from zero to over 200 employees within just four months. We are seeking a high-calibre Senior Advanced Engineering Leader (Engineering Manager) with deep technical expertise in electrification and injection moulding assembly. Reporting directly to senior executive leadership, you will

• Engineering Strategy and NPI- Lead the operational engineering strategy, capital equipment/tooling investments, plant layouts, and NPI processes to ensure fast-paced project delivery
• Electrification and Moulding Technical Delivery- Direct process control, equipment care (TPM), and engineering solutions across high-volume electrification assembly lines and polymer/injection moulding inputs
• Quality and QCD Performance- Maintain best-practice tooling and process specifications to hit quality, cost, and delivery (QCD) targets, maintaining zero-defect and right-first-time engineering standards
• Lean Culture and The Unipart Way- Embed Unipart Way systems, root-cause problem-solving (FMEA), continuous improvement tools, and standardised processes across the engineering team
• Compliance and Standards- Oversee process control adherence, safety rules, AQAP 2110 / AS9100D, and ISO 14001 / Def Stan 00-056 standards, ensuring full engineering compliance, configuration management, and defense requirements across all production lines
• Change Management- This is a fast-paced, evolving project where your scope will grow alongside the initiative itself - while core deliverables are clear, flexibility is key - youll have the opportunity to shape processes, adapt to changing priorities, and directly influence the project's direction as it unfolds

About You

Wed love you to have the following skills and experience, but please apply if you think you’d be able to perform well in this role!

• Engineering Leadership- Proven track record managing an engineering department or senior engineering function, ideally within the Defence sector
• Quality and Systems Background- Defence or Aerospace manufacturing background (MoD / NATO supply chain) with experience operating under AQAP 2110 or AS9100D frameworks
• Line Validation and Inspection- Experience with First Article Inspection Reports (FAIR / AS9102) and formal defense line-validation processes (AS9145 or Def Stan 05-61)
• Configuration and Safety Management- Knowledge of Defence Configuration Management standards and Safety Risk Assessment frameworks like Def Stan 00-056 or POEMS (Project Environment and Safety Management System)
• Qualifications- Undergraduate degree in Engineering (Mechanical, Electrical, or Production), Science, or equivalent demonstrable experience; FMEA/Lean Six Sigma expertise is highly desirable

About Unipart

We are a supply chain performance improvement partner. We Design, Make, Move, and Improve components in our customers supply chains, keeping their operations and assets moving and working better, for longer. Through our commitment to continuously driving operational efficiencies, we improve performance - saving time, cost, and carbon. Our ambition is to be the driving force behind efficient, resilient, and sustainable supply chains.

Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion

We believe that a great workplace is one where you can bring your whole self to work. Our recruitment process is designed to be accessible, inclusive, and based entirely on merit. We define merit through a combination of technical skills and the core behaviours that help our people thrive at Unipart. We welcome applications from everyone, regardless of background or circumstances.

We are committed to a policy of equal opportunity that exceeds our statutory obligations under the Equality Act 2010 and subsequent legislation. Whether its your age, disability, neurodiversity, gender identity, family status, or any other characteristic that makes you you - it is your talent and potential that we value most.

Adjustments for you: We want you to perform at your best. If you require any reasonable adjustments or have specific accessibility needs at any stage of the application or interview process, please let us know. We are here to support you.

You may have experience in or be interested in the following: engineering manager, manufacturing engineering manager, process engineering manager, senior engineer, engineering lead, principal engineer, quality engineering manager, production engineering manager, technical manager, NPI engineering managerJBRP1_UKTJ