Design Manager (Oldham)

Orion; Oldham; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 75,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering firm in Oldham is seeking an experienced Design Manager to lead a talented team. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of mechanical design experience, strong 3D CAD skills, and a proven ability to mentor engineers. This role offers a competitive salary between £65,000 and £75,000, 25 days of holiday, and a matched pension contribution. Candidates must be British nationals and able to work onsite only.

Benefits

25 days holiday + bank holidays

4% matched pension contribution

Opportunity for senior leadership role

Qualifications

• Minimum 5 years of mechanical design experience, ideally in regulated engineering.
• Strong 3D CAD skills, preferably with SolidEdge.
• Proven ability to lead and mentor engineers.

Responsibilities

• Act as primary escalation point for design engineers.
• Provide technical leadership and oversight across projects.
• Drive continuous improvement in design processes.

Skills

Mechanical design experience

3D CAD skills

Leadership and mentoring

Tools

SolidEdge

Job description

Location and Compensation

Oldham, Greater Manchester, North West, UK
Design Manager – Onsite only
Salary: £65,000–£75,000 (DOE)
Hours: Mon–Thu 07:45–16:45, Fri 07:45–12:45 (38 hours / week)
Start date: ASAP

Role Overview

We are looking for an experienced Design Manager to lead and develop a talented engineering team working on a diverse bespoke product portfolio. This key position combines strong technical expertise with the ability to guide and support others.

Responsibilities

• Act as the primary escalation point for 2 Senior Design Engineers and 1 Junior Engineer (soon to be 4 total)
• Provide technical leadership and design oversight, ensuring quality and compliance across projects
• Drive continuous improvement in design processes and standards
• Support the full design lifecycle from concept development through to production and manufacturing
• Collaborate closely with production teams to ensure a smooth transition from design to build
• Work onsite in a fast‑paced, hands‑on environment

Required Experience

• Minimum 5 years mechanical design experience, ideally in regulated or precision engineering
• Strong 3D CAD skills – SolidEdge preferred (or similar)
• Proven ability to lead, mentor, and develop engineers at different experience levels
• British national with a valid British passport (due to export/trade restrictions)
• Within 1‑hour commute of Oldham – onsite only (no hybrid/remote)

Desirable Skills

• CFD experience (FLOEFD)
• Knowledge of GD&T principles
• Background in bespoke or low‑to‑mid volume manufacturing (200–250 units / week)
• Exposure to flow performance evaluation or similar analysis tools

Benefits and Opportunities

Competitive salary £65,000–£75,000 (DOE)
25 days holiday + bank holidays
4 % matched pension contribution
Opportunity to shape the team and grow into a senior leadership role with full support and training

Application Process

If this Design Manager role sounds like a good fit for you, please reach out to me on LinkedIn. Due to the high number of applications, we may not be able to respond to everyone individually. If you haven’t heard back within 5 working days, please consider your application unsuccessful at this time.