Head of General Assembly and End of Line Manufacturing Engineering

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Enhanced pension

Private medical insurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Life assurance

Sabbatical option

Wellbeing programme

Employee assistance programme

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Ltd seeks a senior Manufacturing Engineering leader to drive General Assembly, sub-assembly and End of Line engineering from concept through industrialisation and buy-off. You will deploy strategy, set standards, govern programmes and ensure safe, high-quality, on-time delivery across multiple vehicle projects.

We expect deep GA/EOL knowledge, strong cross-functional leadership, and a track record of building capability, delivering improvements in launch readiness, cost and

Qualifications

• Degree or equivalent professional expertise in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Management or related discipline.
• Senior-level experience leading Manufacturing Engineering across General Assembly, sub-assembly, End of Line and new-model introduction environments.
• Proven track record leading multidisciplinary teams and building organisational capability and development.
• Deep knowledge of General Assembly and End of Line strategies, processes, facilities and standards.
• Experience translating strategy into a multi-year functional roadmap and delivering improvements in launch readiness, cost, quality, safety, throughput and efficiency.
• Experience exercising delegated authority over standards, processes, resources, suppliers and launch readiness.
• Technical judgement to integrate engineering, commercial and operational evidence and balance trade-offs.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders and negotiate with suppliers/external partners.
• Experience governing manufacturing systems, equipment, facilities and core documentation.
• Strong problem-solving using DMAIC and quality tools; ability to resolve non-routine manufacturing challenges.

Responsibilities

• Champion a safe working environment and ensure decisions meet safety and regulatory requirements.
• Lead General Assembly, sub-assembly and End of Line manufacturing engineering from concept through industrialisation and buy-off.
• Own strategy deployment, governance, standards and assurance for all assigned vehicle programmes.
• Hold accountability for readiness and validation across programmes; ensure gates, start-of-production timing and first-time quality.
• Lead a multidisciplinary Manufacturing Engineering team and foster an inclusive, high-performing culture.
• Shape organisation design, capability plan, succession and development priorities.
• Lead resolution of complex manufacturing challenges involving new technologies and multiple programmes.
• Drive improvements in launch performance, efficiency, safety and throughput.
• Develop and deliver the GA and End of Line roadmap aligned with strategy and business plan.
• Set technical standards and priorities within budgets and parameters.
• Influence senior stakeholders across functions and manage supplier/external partner relations.
• Control budgets and resources, ensuring governance and value delivery.
• Deliver milestones and customer-ready release while building sustainable capability.

Skills

Manufacturing Leadership

General Assembly

End of Line

Team Leadership

Strategic Roadmap

Problem Solving

Stakeholder Management

Technical Governance

Cross-functional Collaboration

Education

Degree in Engineering

Job description

What to Expect

This is an exciting opportunity to join the senior leadership team, reporting to the Director of Manufacturing Engineering, and shape the future of General Assembly, associated sub-assembly and End of Line Manufacturing Engineering. You’ll translate functional strategy into clear, executable plans and hold end-to-end accountability for defined business outcomes within delegated authority, including responsibility for people, budgets and technical delivery across this critical area.

You’ll provide functional leadership across McLaren’s manufacturing operation for the production areas within scope, covering assigned current and future vehicle programmes from concept and process development through industrialisation, launch, vehicle validation and customer-ready buy-off.

What You’ll Do

Health & Safety:

Champion a safe working environment and ensure manufacturing engineering decisions, processes, equipment and facilities meet applicable safety and regulatory requirements. Embed safety‑by‑design and hold the team accountable for identifying, escalating and resolving risk.

Functional and Technical Leadership:

Lead General Assembly, associated sub‑assembly and End of Line Manufacturing Engineering from concept and process development through industrialisation, launch, vehicle validation and customer‑ready buy‑off. Own strategy deployment, technical governance, engineering standards, methods and assurance for all assigned vehicle programmes, partnering closely with Operations, Quality, Product Development and relevant external partners to deliver aligned outcomes.

Programme Delivery and Quality:

Hold direct accountability for manufacturing engineering readiness and End of Line vehicle validation across assigned programmes. Ensure processes, equipment and facilities deliver agreed programme gateways, start‑of‑production timing, first‑time quality, throughput, safety, efficiency and customer‑ready release targets, working with Operations and Quality within their respective accountabilities.

People and Capability Leadership:

Lead a multidisciplinary Manufacturing Engineering team, creating an inclusive, high‑performing and collaborative environment.

Shape the organisation design, capability plan, succession pipeline and technical development priorities needed to deliver the functional roadmap and build sustainable capability across the assigned scope.

Complex Problem Solving:

Lead the resolution of complex and frequently non‑routine manufacturing challenges involving new technologies, concurrent vehicle programmes, capacity constraints and evolving information. Integrate technical, commercial and operational evidence, use recognised problem‑solving methods and balance cost, quality, safety and delivery trade‑offs to achieve sustainable outcomes.

Operational Excellence and Transformation:

Drive improvements in launch performance, production efficiency, resource utilisation and vehicle validation without compromising safety or quality. Champion appropriate technologies, robust engineering methods and a continuous‑improvement culture, with measurable outcomes across the assigned scope.

Strategy and Functional Roadmap:

Develop and deliver the General Assembly and End of Line Manufacturing Engineering roadmap aligned with the company’s manufacturing strategy and approved business plan. Shape future capacity, technology, facility and capability requirements, recommend portfolio priorities and lead measurable transformation across the assigned scope.

Technical Authority:

Set technical standards and priorities, using delegated authority to make key decisions on manufacturing processes, equipment, resources, suppliers and launch readiness within agreed budgets and programme parameters.

Stakeholder and Supplier Leadership:

Influence and align senior stakeholders across Manufacturing, Product Development, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance and vehicle programmes, resolving competing cost, quality, timing and technical priorities. Represent the function in senior governance forums.

Financial and Resource Accountability:

Control the Manufacturing Engineering people and overhead budget, preparing robust forecasts and capital expenditure proposals to keep investment aligned with the business plan. Oversee spend and resources from project identification through to completion, ensuring effective governance, value delivery and compliance with legal and financial requirements.

Success in the Role:

You’ll be successful through delivering programme milestones and start‑of‑production dates, achieving quality, safety, cost and efficiency targets, enabling customer‑ready vehicle release, and building a capable and sustainable Manufacturing Engineering team.

What You’ll Bring

• A degree or equivalent professional expertise in Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality Management or a related discipline.
• Substantial senior‑level experience leading Manufacturing Engineering across General Assembly, associated sub‑assembly, End of Line and new‑model introduction environments.
• A strong track record of leading multidisciplinary teams, managers or technical leaders and building organisational capability, succession and technical development.
• Deep knowledge of General Assembly and End of Line strategies, technologies, processes, facilities, technical standards and best practice across the manufacturing lifecycle.
• Experience translating strategy into a multi‑year functional roadmap and delivering measurable improvements in launch readiness, cost, quality, safety, throughput and efficiency.
• Experience exercising delegated authority over technical standards, process and equipment selection, resources, suppliers, investment proposals, launch readiness and production acceptance.
• The technical judgement to integrate engineering, commercial and operational evidence, make timely decisions with incomplete information and resolve competing cost, quality, safety and delivery priorities.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders across Manufacturing, Product Development, Quality, Supply Chain, Finance and programme leadership, including effective supplier and external‑partner negotiation.
• Experience governing manufacturing systems, equipment, facilities and core technical documentation, including work instructions and PFMEA, to support safe, compliant and consistent program delivery.
• Strong structured problem‑solving expertise, including DMAIC and the seven basic quality tools, with evidence of resolving complex, non‑routine manufacturing challenges and embedding sustainable corrective action.

Personal attributes

• Highly motivated, resilient, assertive and process / data driven.
• Dynamic, with the ability to respond to challenging situations in an innovative manner.
• Clear Communication Skills: Effective communication is essential. As a head of manufacturing engineering, you’ll interact across the business at all levels. Clear communication both written and oral is vital for explaining instructions, presenting solutions, and avoiding project failure.
• Team Player, quickly develop good working relationships / Teamwork: You succeed with your team. Encourage, empower, and improve team members.
• Trustworthy, building trust within the organisation is crucial for this role. Trust foster positiv dynamics and contributes to successful outcomes despite challenging situations faced.
• Ability to think logically whilst ensuring day to day operation objectives are met. Passion for coaching and motivating people.

What We’ll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus award
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
• Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
• Generous parental leave policies
• A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice

Who Are We?

No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath‑taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks.

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey.