Engineering Maintenance Manager

Port of Dover; Dover; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

5 weeks annual leave + bank holidays (

Generous pension

Discretionary annual bonus

Private Health Care

Life assurance

Employee assistance programme

Cycle to work scheme

Free Parking

Job summary

Port of Dover is seeking an Engineering Maintenance Manager to lead electrical, mechanical and transport workshops, ensuring safe, compliant and reliable operation of critical port assets. You will manage ~30 technical staff, budgets around £2.5m maintenance and £1.5m capital, and report to the Head of Engineering.

You will champion safety, continuous improvement and high performance, driving planning, scheduling and asset availability across RoRo, cranes, generators and port services.

Qualifications

• NVQ Level 5 or equivalent in engineering is required.
• Technician-level accreditation with a recognised body is preferred.
• Minimum 5 years’ experience leading maintenance operations in heavy industry.
• Experience managing teams of 20+ and strong safety knowledge (CDM, IOSH).

Responsibilities

• Lead and motivate electrical, mechanical and transport engineering teams.
• Plan, deliver and continuously improve maintenance and inspections.
• Manage budgets, performance and asset reliability KPIs.
• Coordinate with stakeholders and external partners on interventions.

Skills

Hands-on leadership

Planning & prioritisation

Problem solving

Maintenance software usage

Stakeholder management

Emergency response

People development

Education

NVQ Level 5 / HNC / HND in engineering

Technician-level accreditation

Tools

Microsoft Office

CMMS / maintenance management systems

Job description

The Port of Dover plays a vital role in keeping people, goods and businesses moving. We are seeking an experienced and inspiring Engineering Maintenance Manager to lead our Electrical, Mechanical and Transport Workshops, ensuring the safe, compliant and reliable operation of critical port infrastructure and assets.
This is a senior leadership opportunity for an engineering professional who thrives in a complex operational environment and is passionate about safety, continuous improvement, team development and asset reliability.

About the Role

Reporting to the Head of Engineering, you will be responsible for the day-to-day management of key Port assets valued at over £250 million, whilst supporting the strategic direction of engineering service delivery across the organisation.
You will lead a workforce of approximately 30 technical professionals, including technicians, apprentices and specialist workshop employees, ensuring maintenance activities are planned, delivered and continuously improved to maximise asset availability and operational performance.
This role carries responsibility for an annual maintenance budget of approximately £2.5 million and a capital budget of approximately £1.5 million.

What You'll Be Responsible For

Leadership & People Management

• Leading, developing and motivating multi-disciplinary engineering teams across electrical, mechanical and transport disciplines.
• Managing direct reports including the Engineering Planner, Lead Electrical Technician, Lead Mechanical Technician and Transport Manager.
• Setting clear objectives, performance expectations and development plans.
• Driving a positive culture aligned with Port of Dover values and behaviours.

Engineering & Asset Management

• Developing and governing maintenance planning and scheduling processes.
• Ensuring effective delivery of planned preventative maintenance (PPM), reactive maintenance and statutory inspections.
• Maximising asset reliability and minimising operational downtime.
• Managing critical Port assets including:

• Roll on Roll off (RoRo) and Cruise Berths
• Dock Gates
• Pontoons and Access Gangways
• Generators and Electrical Systems
• LV Distribution Networks
• External Lighting
• Workshop Plant and Equipment
• Port Cranes
• Marina Boat Hoist
• MEWPs
• HGVs, Vans and Cars
• Passenger and Cargo Handling Equipment

Health, Safety & Compliance

• Championing a proactive safety culture across all areas of responsibility.
• Ensuring compliance with all relevant statutory, environmental and engineering regulations.
• Conducting maintenance and safety audits.
• Implementing and reviewing safe systems of work.
• Maintaining statutory compliance records and documentation.

Performance & Continuous Improvement

• Monitoring asset performance through KPIs and CMMS reporting.
• Using maintenance and reliability data to drive improvements.
• Managing maintenance backlogs, scheduling efficiency and resource utilisation.
• Leading continuous improvement projects and identifying opportunities to enhance reliability and operational efficiency.

Stakeholder & Operational Management

• Building strong relationships across operational teams and external partners.
• Managing budgets, forecasting and long-term asset intervention plans.
• Developing crisis management procedures and delivering emergency preparedness exercises.
• Participating in the Port's on-call technical emergency support arrangements.

About You

You will be an experienced engineering leader with a strong maintenance background and a proven ability to manage teams within a demanding industrial environment.

Essential Qualifications & Experience

• NVQ Level 5, HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in an engineering discipline.
• Technician-level accreditation with a recognised professional body.
• Minimum 5 years' experience leading engineering maintenance operations within an industrial, manufacturing or similar environment.
• Proven experience managing teams of 20+ employees.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation, including CDM regulations.
• IOSH Managing Safely qualification.
• Strong IT skills including Microsoft Office and maintenance management systems.
• Full UK driving licence and access to a vehicle.

Skills & Attributes

• Visible, hands‑on leadership style.
• Strong planning, organisational and prioritisation skills.
• Excellent problem‑solving and decision‑making ability.
• Experience using maintenance planning and scheduling software.
• Customer-focused with a strong understanding of operational impact.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Flexible and resilient, with the ability to respond to emergencies and operational demands.
• Passionate about developing people and creating high‑performing teams.

Why Join the Port of Dover?

At the Port of Dover, you'll play a key role in maintaining infrastructure that is critical to the UK's trade and transport network. You'll have the opportunity to lead diverse engineering teams, influence strategic asset management decisions and make a visible impact on the success of one of the country's most important transport hubs.
If you're looking for a challenging and rewarding leadership role where safety, reliability and continuous improvement are at the heart of what you do, we'd love to hear from you.

• 5 weeks annual leave + bank holidays (pro rata)
• Generous contributory pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus scheme
• Private Health Care
• Life assurance
• Employee assistance programme
• 3rd party discounts
• Cycle to work scheme
• Benefits and reward platform
• Free Parking

Hours of work: Monday - Friday 40hrs per week
Salary: £65k

All offers of employment are subject to us obtaining satisfactory references (covering all education, training, employment and unemployment in the preceding 5 years) and there will be a pre-employment medical including a Drug and Alcohol test. We need to satisfy your Right to Work in the UK.

Please be aware that all employees will be subject to background security checks in order to obtain a Dock Pass.

We value the unique differences that each of our colleagues bring to work every day and are committed to creating an environment where everyone is looking after each other and respected, included and able to perform at their best.

All applications are reviewed by our team - we do not use AI for screening.