Engineering Manager

Venatu Recruitment Group; Scunthorpe; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension

Death in Service

33 days annual leave

Free on-site gym

Company social activities

Job summary

Venatu Recruitment Group is seeking an Engineering Manager to own a busy manufacturing site and drive a structured, performance-driven engineering function. The role demands hands-on leadership, workload planning, and a focus on reducing downtime while delivering on targets.

You will manage a team of engineers, coordinate with production management, and implement robust maintenance schedules to improve reliability and efficiency on site.

Qualifications

• Experience leading an engineering or maintenance function in manufacturing.
• Proven ability to improve maintenance standards and performance.
• Ability to set clear targets, manage deadlines, and drive results.
• Experience planning and implementing PPM programmes.

Responsibilities

• Take ownership of engineering and maintenance across the site.
• Lead and develop the engineering team with clear objectives.
• Establish workload prioritisation and allocate resources.
• Collaborate with Operations to minimise production disruption.
• Monitor performance against deadlines and take corrective action.
• Plan and control the PPM programme for plant, machinery and buildings.
• Manage reactive maintenance and eliminate recurring issues.
• Oversee budgeting, costs and supplier/contractor liaison.
• Ensure safety, compliance and continuous improvement.

Skills

Engineering management

Maintenance planning

PPM programmes

Budget management

Leadership

MS Office

Education

HNC/HND or equivalent

Engineering certificates

Job description

Working Hours: Monday–Friday, 07:00–15:30

The Opportunity

We are looking for an ambitious and hands-on Engineering Manager to take ownership of a busy manufacturing site commutable from Scunthorpe, Hull, Grimsby & Lincoln and make the engineering function their own.

This is an excellent opportunity for an experienced Engineering Supervisor, Engineering Manager or senior maintenance professional who is ready to take genuine responsibility for a site, establish clear and consistent processes, and create an engineering operation that is structured, accountable and performance-driven.

As Engineering Manager, you will have the autonomy to put your own stamp on the department. You will be expected to bring structure to workload planning, establish clear priorities, drive planned and preventative maintenance, and ensure the engineering team consistently delivers against agreed targets and deadlines.

The successful Engineering Manager will be someone who leads from the front, sets clear expectations, and holds their team accountable. You will be comfortable challenging poor performance, identifying inefficiencies and implementing better ways of working, while maintaining a positive and collaborative relationship with production and senior management.

This is a role for someone who wants to own the engineering function rather than simply manage it.

Key Responsibilities

• Take full ownership of the engineering and maintenance function across the site.
• Lead, manage and develop the engineering team, setting clear objectives, targets, and expectations.
• Establish clear processes for prioritising and allocating engineering workloads.
• Work closely with Operations and Production Management to ensure engineering activities support production requirements and minimise disruption.
• Monitor engineering performance, output, and completion against agreed deadlines, taking action where standards are not being met.
• Develop and maintain an effective planned preventative maintenance (PPM) programme covering plant, machinery, equipment, and buildings.
• Ensure reactive maintenance is dealt with efficiently and that recurring issues are identified and eliminated wherever possible.
• Plan to engineer resources effectively, including holidays, absences, overtime, and departmental cover.
• Keep overtime under control through effective planning, organisation, and resource management.
• Ensure engineering projects, shutdown work and long-term improvement projects are properly planned, resourced, and delivered.
• Take ownership of site engineering projects, ensuring work is completed safely, efficiently, within budget and to a high standard.
• Liaise with suppliers and contractors to ensure the correct materials, equipment and services are available when required.
• Manage engineering expenditure and monitor weekly and periodic costs against agreed budgets.
• Identify opportunities to reduce maintenance costs, downtime, waste, and unnecessary expenditure.
• Ensure the engineering team has the appropriate skills, training, and competence to carry out assigned tasks safely and effectively.
• Arrange additional training and development where required.
• Work closely with departmental managers to minimise the operational impact of planned and reactive maintenance.
• Communicate clearly and confidently with senior management, providing regular updates on performance, issues, improvements, and future requirements.
• Analyse site maintenance and production issues, make sound decisions and implement effective solutions.
• Establish robust inspection, testing, and maintenance schedules.
• Ensure all engineering activities comply with relevant legislation, regulations, and company standards.
• Lead by example on Health & Safety and ensure all engineering personnel understand and follow relevant policies and procedures.
• Carry out dynamic risk assessments and ensure appropriate control measures are implemented.
• Continuously review working practices and introduce improvements that increase reliability, efficiency, and productivity.

What We're Looking For

We are particularly interested in speaking with Engineering Supervisors and Engineering Managers who have the leadership ability and confidence to take charge of an engineering function and drive it forward.

You will ideally have:

• Proven experience managing an engineering or maintenance function within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience leading an engineering team and managing individual and departmental performance.
• A track record of improving processes, maintenance standards, and engineering performance.
• The confidence to set clear targets, challenge underperformance and ensure deadlines are met.
• Strong organisational and planning skills, with the ability to prioritise competing demands.
• Excellent communication skills and the ability to coach, motivate and develop engineering teams.
• Strong decision-making skills and the initiative to resolve problems without waiting to be directed.
• Experience planning and implementing PPM programmes.
• Experience managing reactive maintenance and reducing repeat failures.
• Knowledge of hydraulics, pneumatics, and conveyor systems.
• Knowledge of building services and automated systems.
• Experience planning inspection and testing schedules.
• The ability to carry out dynamic risk assessments.
• Experience managing engineering budgets and controlling costs.
• Competence with Microsoft Office.
• HNC/HND or equivalent qualification in an appropriate engineering discipline.
• Current engineering certificates/qualifications relevant to the role.

The Personality

• This role will suit someone who wants ownership and accountability.
• You won't be walking into a role where everything is already perfectly structured. We are looking for an Engineering Manager who sees that as an opportunity rather than a problem.
• You will be expected to assess the current operation, identify where improvements can be made and implement clear, practical processes that the team can follow.
• You should be comfortable setting expectations, measuring performance and having difficult conversations when required. Equally, you'll need to be able to coach, develop and motivate your team, building an engineering department that people want to be part of.

If you're an Engineering Supervisor ready to step up, or an established Engineering Manager looking for greater autonomy and the opportunity to truly make a site your own, this could be an excellent next move.

What's on Offer

• Monday–Friday, 07:00–15:30
• Pension
• Death in Service
• 33 days annual leave
• Free on-site gym
• A variety of company social activities

The opportunity to take genuine ownership of the engineering function.

A position with scope to implement your own processes, standards, and improvements.

The opportunity to make a visible impact on site performance and production efficiency.