Head of Engineering - Automotive / Vehicle / Manufacturing

Mayflower Recruitment Ltd; Guildford; On-site; GBP 75,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading recruitment agency is seeking a dynamic Head of OEM Engineering to lead engineering initiatives and oversee technical projects in the UK. The ideal candidate will have over 5 years of experience in product development, strong leadership skills, and a degree in Electrical Engineering. This role requires proficiency in Microsoft platforms and CAD design tools, alongside the ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization. The organization offers a collaborative environment emphasizing innovation and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• 5+ years’ experience in leading product development teams.
• Demonstrated ability to take a project from concept through implementation.
• Ability to communicate at all levels, from Engineering to Board level.

Responsibilities

• Define and execute engineering requirements aligned with company goals.
• Oversee design, development, and deployment of software/hardware systems.
• Lead and mentor a multi-disciplinary engineering team.

Skills

Excellent communication skills

Interpersonal skills

Proactive in identifying new product opportunities

Team player

Education

Degree in Electrical Engineering

Master’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration

Tools

Microsoft platforms

CAD Design (Solid Works)

Job description

Overview

We are looking for a dynamic and experienced Head of OEM Engineering to lead and scale our clients UK engineering-based organisation. As a key member of the leadership team, you will be responsible for overseeing technical projects, setting strategic direction, and driving engineering initiatives. This role requires a strong technical understanding of the Commercial, Agricultural and Off Highway markets, exceptional leadership skills, and a proven track record of building and managing project-based requirements, in a fast-paced environment.

This role will be responsible for supporting and coordinating the daily product engineering operations for the Commercial brand category.

Key Responsibilities

• Leadership & Strategy Define and execute the engineering requirements in alignment with company goals.
• Partner with the team members to align engineering initiatives with business objectives.
• Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
• Technical Execution Oversee the design, development, and deployment of scalable, reliable secure software / hardware infotainment systems.
• Ensure adherence to high technical standards, architecture best practices, and customers defined standards.
• Drive technical decision-making and contributing to architectural discussions and reviews.
• Team Management Lead, mentor, and grow a multi-disciplinary engineering team.
• Establish clear performance expectations and development plans for engineering managers.
• Process & Operations Implement engineering best practices including testing and documentation standards.
• Responsible for engineering budgets, resource planning, vendor selection, and technology investments.
• Monitor key metrics (production, quality, team health) and ensure operational integrity.
• Cross-Functional Collaboration Collaborate with Sales, Design, QA, and other teams to deliver on time and Budget.
• Translate product requirements into robust engineering solutions.
• Act as a technical liaison between engineering and business stakeholders.

Requirements

• Excellent communication, presentation, and interpersonal skills.
• Consumer product knowledge in the Commercial Vehicle, Agriculture, and Off Highway sectors.
• Proactive in identifying and generating new product opportunities against sales and profitability targets.
• Build and manage new product development pipeline.
• Must have the ability to handle multiple tasks and projects at once.

Attention to Detail

Self-starter with the ability to meet business demands with limited supervision.

Results driven.

Team player.

Require Education and Experience

• 5+ years’ experience in leading product development teams
• Degree in Electrical Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering or similar required; Master’s degree in Engineering or Business Administration preferred
• Must be proficient with all Microsoft platforms, CAD Design such as Solid Works
• Demonstrated ability to take a project from concept, through design and implementation
• Ability to merge aspects of software, firmware and hardware into a complete functional product / system
• Ability to self-manage, multi-task, and keep track of simultaneous ongoing projects in a fast-paced environment
• Must be able to communicate at all levels, from Engineering to Board level
• Understanding of various programming languages

Mayflower is acting as an Employment Agency in relation to this vacancy.