Head of Drawing Office & Mechanical Design

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

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.