Design Manager

White Horse Employment; Trowbridge; On-site; GBP 50,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

White Horse Employment is seeking a hands-on design and project-management professional for bespoke coachbuilding projects. You will own projects from customer brief through CAD design (SolidWorks) to manufacture and handover, handling multiple projects concurrently.

You will lead design work, liaise with clients and suppliers, control budgets and timelines, and ensure quality compliance (ISO 9001). A strong CAD background and independent working style are essential.

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years' experience in specialist coachbuilding, bespoke vehicle design or a similar specialist engineering environment.
• Strong CAD experience with ability to produce and interpret technical drawings.
• Experience managing projects from design through to completion.
• Good understanding of materials, fabrication and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to work independently and take full ownership of projects.
• Excellent communication and organisational skills.
• Strong attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Design work & quoting: Liaise with customers and suppliers, define specs, produce drawings (SolidWorks), design bespoke coachbuilding projects, ensure regulatory compliance, own projects from brief to handover.
• Project management: Manage projects to meet timelines, budgets and specifications; liaise with customers; update on progress; adjust design changes and costs as required; coordinate with workshop and MD/Operations Director.
• Material requisition: Specify materials for ordering by Purchasing Manager & Storeman.
• Quality control: Carry out final project inspections; coordinate completion with Paint, Water, Road, Electrical testing; obtain required certifications; ensure standards.
• ISO 9001 & compliance: Complete Spectra ISO 9001 docs and follow procedures; post project quality assessments.
• Workshop & team support: Work with workshop/engineering team; provide guidance on specs and design changes; assist with labour planning.
• Client warranty: Respond to warranty queries and ensure warranty work meets standards; document all warranty activities.
• Skills & experience: Maintain ownership of projects, strong CAD capability, and clear communication with clients and internal teams.

Skills

CAD

SolidWorks

Project management

Technical drawings

Independent work

Communication

Attention to detail

Manufacturing processes

Job description

White Horse Employment are working exclusively with our client, a well-established specialist engineering and bespoke vehicle manufacturing business.

This is a hands-on, technically interesting role within a well-established and growing business that delivers highly bespoke projects for a varied range of clients across specialist sectors.

The successful candidate will have genuine ownership of their projects from beginning to end — From receiving the customer brief from the sales team, through design and CAD, manufacture and build, right through to final customer handover.

At any one time, you could be responsible for up to six projects, ranging from smaller jobs through to larger and more complex builds.

The Role

Design Work & Quoting

• Liaise with customers and suppliers to define specifications.
• Produce drawings using a CAD system, preferably SolidWorks.
• Design bespoke coachbuilding and specialist vehicle projects.
• Ensure designs comply with current regulations and approval requirements.
• Take ownership of projects from initial customer brief through to completion and handover.

Project Management

• Manage allocated projects to ensure they are completed:
• On time and within agreed hours.
• Within budget.
• To the agreed specification.
• Manage projects from design through to manufacture and final customer handover.
• Liaise with customers throughout the project, keeping them informed of progress.
• Agree specifications, design changes and additional requirements with customers.
• Ensure customers are aware of any additional costs outside the original specification.
• Liaise regularly with the Managing Director and Operations Director regarding project progress and labour requirements.
• Work closely with workshop supervisors and staff, providing guidance on specifications and design changes.
• Ensure required materials and labour are available.
• Review project progress against the Gantt chart and highlight any issues as soon as possible.
• Provide project hours to assist with workshop planning.
• Keep project files up to date, including specifications, design changes, meeting notes and relevant correspondence.
• Request specialist support where required, including machining, engineering, quality, Type Approval, IVA and electrical.

Material Requisition

• Specify all materials for ordering by the Purchasing Manager & Specialist Storeman/Buyer

Quality Control

• Carry out final project inspections.
• Coordinate project completion with the relevant departments, including: Paint shop, Water testing, Road testing, Electrical testing, any other specified testing.
• Complete or obtain all required certifications.
• Ensure projects meet the required quality standards and specification.

ISO 9001 & Compliance

• Responsible for completing all Spectra ISO 9001 documentation and following procedures.
• Post project quality performance assessments.

Workshop & Team Support

• Work as part of the wider workshop and engineering team while maintaining individual ownership of allocated projects.
• Support supervisors with technical queries and design information.
• Provide guidance and instruction where required.
• Communicate design and specification changes clearly to workshop staff.
• Assist with labour planning and productivity

Client Warranty

• Assist with warranty queries and design issues when required.
• Ensure warranty work relating to electrical or other systems is completed to the required standard.
• Document all warranty work undertaken

Skills & Experience

• Minimum 5 years' experience in specialist coachbuilding, bespoke vehicle design or a similar specialist engineering environment.
• Strong CAD experience.
• Ability to produce and interpret technical drawings.
• Experience managing projects from design through to completion.
• Strong understanding of materials, fabrication and manufacturing processes.
• Ability to work independently and take full ownership of projects.
• Good communication and organisational skills.
• Strong attention to detail.

Preferred

• Experience working on bespoke, one-off or low-volume projects and or Coach-build design for specialist vehicles
• Familiarity with ISO 9001

Working pattern:

Monday- Thursday 8:00am–4:00pm / Friday 8:00am–3:30pm

All CV submissions and applications for this role must be made directly through White Horse Employment. No other recruitment agencies will be engaged.