Drawing Office Manager

Solid Talent; Wakefield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Bonus

Healthcare

Social events

Job summary

Solid Talent in the United Kingdom is seeking an experienced Drawing Office Manager to lead a 5-person design team in West Yorkshire. This permanent, full-time role anchors drawing office operations, coordinating with Senior Leadership, Project Managers, Production, and external fabrication partners.

You will drive technical accuracy, schedules, manufacturing releases, and CAD data control while mentoring engineers and CAD technicians.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a drawing office or senior mechanical design engineer stepping into management.
• Proficient in SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM; legacy AutoCAD data management desirable.
• Experience with stainless steel fabrication, sheet metal design, conveyors or related machinery in the food industry advantageous.
• Familiarity with TruTops CAM/nesting software and direct-to-machine workflows.
• Apprenticeship with ONC/HNC/HND or a degree in Mechanical Engineering.
• Full UK Driving Licence.

Responsibilities

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of design engineers and CAD technicians, allocating daily work and tracking progress.
• Act as the technical bridge between senior directors, project managers, fabrication, assembly, and subcontractors.
• Provide engineering input to ensure structural integrity, manufacturability, and precision.
• Manage design phase schedules from handover to production release with milestone discipline.
• Direct CAD workflows using SolidWorks and PDM; manage legacy AutoCAD data and BOM accuracy.
• Oversee sheet metal nesting and direct-to-machine workflows for TRUMPF laser cutters.
• Drive continuous improvement, standardising templates and ERP/BOM releases.

Skills

Team leadership

Project coordination

Mentoring

Cross-functional liaison

Education

HNC/HND or ONC/ONC equivalent

BEng/MEng in Mechanical Engineering

Tools

SolidWorks

SolidWorks PDM

AutoCAD

TruTops

Job description

Drawing Office Manager Permanent Full-Time

Location Office based in West Yorkshire

Join a market-leading British engineering manufacturer with over half a century of heritage in designing and producing bespoke automated machinery, conveying systems, and integrated processing lines for the global food sector. They combine end-to-end design with in-house fabrication, sheet metal processing, and final assembly.

We are looking for an experienced Drawing Office Manager (or an ambitious Senior/Lead Mechanical Design Engineer stepping into management) to take complete ownership of drawing office operations. Serving as the critical operational anchor between Senior Leadership, Project Managers, Production, and External Fabrication Partners, you will coordinate a team of 5 Mechanical Design Engineers and CAD Technicians. You will take ultimate accountability for technical accuracy, design schedules, manufacturing releases, and CAD data control.

Responsibilities, but are not limited to

• Lead, manage, and mentor a team of 5 design engineers and CAD Technicians, coordinating daily work allocations and tracking project progress from initial handover through to final delivery
  
• Act as the primary technical bridge between Senior Directors, Project Managers, Shop-Floor Fabrication, Assembly, and Subcontract Suppliers
  
• Provide critical engineering input and technical guidance across bespoke mechanical designs, ensuring structural integrity, manufacturability, and technical precision
  
• Manage design phase scheduling from technical handover through to production release, maintaining strict milestone delivery to align with manufacturing deadlines
  
• Direct departmental CAD workflows using SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM, maintaining strict revision control, BOM accuracy, and management of legacy AutoCAD data
  
• Oversee flat-packing and sheet metal nesting protocols using TruTops software to drive efficient, direct-to-machine output for TRUMPF laser cutters and press brakes
  
• Drive continuous improvement across drawing office workflows, modernising design templates, standardising component libraries, and streamlining ERP/BOM releases
  

Experiences required

• Proven track record managing a drawing office or a Senior / Lead Mechanical Design Engineer ready to step into departmental management
  
• Proficient in SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM (experience managing legacy 2D AutoCAD data is highly desirable)
  
• In-depth experience with stainless steel fabrication, sheet metal design, conveyors, product handling systems, or bespoke special-purpose machinery within the food industry would be highly advantageous
  
• Familiarity with sheet metal CAM/nesting software (e.g. TruTops) and direct-to-machine workflows
  
• Time-served engineering apprenticeship with ONC/HNC/HND, or a Degree (BEng/MEng) in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent experience)
  
• Full UK Driving Licence
  

Package: 39 Hours P/W | Monday to Friday | 8:30am to 5pm | 28 Days Holiday Inc. Bank | Pension | Bonus | Healthcare | Social Events