Engineering Manager

Select Appointments; Lakenheath; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Select Appointments is seeking an Engineering Manager for a busy Suffolk manufacturing site. The role combines hands-on engineering leadership with maintenance, reliability and facilities management to drive improvements and cost efficiency.

You will lead the engineering/maintenance team and contractors, own the preventive/predictive maintenance programme, respond to breakdowns, investigate root causes, manage statutory compliance, run improvement projects and set KPIs on downtime, reliability

Qualifications

• Proven experience managing engineering or maintenance in a manufacturing/industrial setting.
• Strong mechanical and/or electrical knowledge across planned and reactive maintenance.
• A track record leading and developing engineering teams.
• Practical fault-finding skills and familiarity with production machinery (motors, pumps, conveyors, gearboxes, pneumatics, hydraulics).
• A relevant engineering qualification or equivalent hands-on experience.
• Solid grasp of engineering H&S and statutory compliance, with a commercial, practical mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead the engineering/maintenance team and contractors.
• Own the PPM programme and breakdown response.
• Drive root-cause investigation across mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems.
• Manage site facilities and statutory compliance.
• Run improvement and installation projects and control contractor/maintenance spend.
• Set up KPIs around downtime, reliability and cost and collaborate with other departments.

Skills

Engineering management

Mechanical knowledge

Electrical knowledge

Team leadership

H&S & compliance

Education

Engineering qualification or equivalent hands-on experience

Tools

CMMS

PLCs/automation

Packaging machinery

FMCG experience

Fabrication/welding

Job description

Engineering Manager

A busy manufacturing site in Suffolk needs a hands‑on Engineering Manager to take charge of engineering, maintenance, reliability and facilities. This is a role for someone who pairs strong technical knowledge with real leadership - managing people, contractors and projects, controlling costs, and driving continuous improvement.

You’ll lead the engineering/maintenance team and contractors, own the PPM programme, and take charge of breakdown response and root‑cause investigation across mechanical, electrical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems. You’ll also manage site facilities and statutory compliance, run improvement and installation projects, control contractor and maintenance spend, and set up KPIs around downtime, reliability and cost - all while working closely with other departments.

About You

• Proven experience managing engineering or maintenance in a manufacturing/industrial setting
• Strong mechanical and/or electrical knowledge, across both planned and reactive maintenance
• A track record leading and developing engineering teams
• Practical fault‑finding skills and familiarity with production machinery (motors, pumps, conveyors, gearboxes, pneumatics, hydraulics)
• A relevant engineering qualification or equivalent hands‑on experience
• Solid grasp of engineering H&S and statutory compliance, with a commercial, practical mindset

Nice to have: PLCs/automation, packaging machinery, FMCG experience, fabrication/welding, CMMS.

This isn't about maintaining the status quo - it's a chance to assess, improve and build a stronger engineering and facilities function, with real ownership over people, machinery, reliability and investment.