Head Of Engineering

Vectis Recruitment; Sunderland; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 80,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment firm in the United Kingdom seeks an Engineering Manager to lead and mentor the engineering team. The ideal candidate will have a background in mechanical engineering and experience in product development, particularly within the aerospace and defense sectors. Responsibilities include overseeing project delivery, improving engineering processes, and fostering relationships with key customers. This role offers an opportunity to influence the team and company-wide practices significantly.

Qualifications

• Experience leading engineering or R&D teams in a product development environment.
• Understanding of the aerospace and/or defense sectors.
• Proven track record of developing new products.

Responsibilities

• Lead and mentor the Engineering team.
• Take ownership of product introduction and project objectives.
• Drive continuous improvement in the engineering team.

Skills

Leadership and mentoring

Continuous improvement

Project management

Product development

Stakeholder management

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Job description

The Role

• Lead, develop and mentor the Engineering team.
• Take ownership of new product introduction, ensuring critical project objectives are met.
• Drive a continuous improvement ethos in the engineering team and company-wide.
• Develop long term relationships with key customers to ensure products meet key requirements.
• Guide projects from concept through to delivery.
• Develop company systems & procedures to ensure effective use of engineering resources.
• Work with key stakeholders in the company to support product development.
• Oversee resource planning, hiring, onboarding, and performance management.
• Improve engineering processes, workflows, and technical documentation.
• Support the new Bids & Proposal team.

The Person

• Previous experience leading engineering or R&D team in a product development environment.
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering preferred.
• A good understanding of the aerospace and/or defence sectors.
• Proven track record of developing new products.
• A hands‑on approach with strong influence and mentoring skills.