Head of Manufacturing Launch

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 160,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday

Enhanced company pension

Private medical insurance

Discretionary annual bonus

Life assurance

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a senior manufacturing launches leader to drive end-to-end delivery from virtual gateways through SOP, ramp-up, and into series production. You will lead a matrixed organisation, own the integrated launch plan, and ensure safety, quality, timing and cost targets are met.

A strong track record in automotive manufacturing and governance is essential. The role requires deep experience in APQP/PPAP processes, risk management, and delivering complex launches across

Qualifications

• Senior leadership experience in automotive manufacturing and launch delivery.
• Experience leading complex launches through build phases, SOP and ramp-up.
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and manage cross-functional delivery.
• Strong understanding of automotive governance and launch readiness methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated manufacturing launch strategy and governance.
• Define plans, milestones, and owners across virtual series and production readiness.
• Chair launch forums and manage risks, dependencies, and recovery actions.
• Deliver manufacturing readiness across facilities, tooling, and workforce preparation.
• Lead readiness through virtual series, pilot builds, and pre-production to SOP.
• Drive capacity planning and optimization to achieve ramp-up targets.

Skills

Senior leadership

Automotive manufacturing

Programme governance

Stakeholder management

APQP/PPAP knowledge

Problem solving

Financial acumen

Effective communication

Education

Degree in Engineering/Manufacturing/Operations

Tools

APQP

PPAP

PFMEA

Job description

What to Expect

Senior operational leader within Manufacturing Operations accountable for end-to-end Manufacturing Operations launch delivery across assigned vehicle programmes from virtual series gateways through pre-series build phases, Start of Production (SOP), ramp-up and stabilisation into series production, ensuring safe, controlled, cost-effective and capable delivery of required quality, timing, volume, financial and customer outcomes. Works in close partnership with the Vehicle Line Director and leads a highly matrixed organisation around a single integrated launch plan. cope includes multiple concurrent programmes and model year activity, with circa seven direct reports

What You'll Do

Lead the integrated manufacturing launch strategy, plan and governance framework for the assigned vehicle line(s), ensuring all functions are aligned to outcomes, milestones, gateway decisions and readiness criteria.

• Ensure Manufacturing Operations deliverables are defined, owned, tracked and delivered to
• Partner with the Vehicle Line Director, Launch Director, PMO and programme peers to ensure programme robustness, with clear visibility of Manufacturing Ops risks, dependencies, constraints and recovery actions.
• Establish clear plans, owners, milestones and recovery actions across virtual series, build-phase and readiness activities; chair/lead launch forums as required.
• Deliver manufacturing readiness across facilities, equipment, tooling, process maturity, parts, people capability and workforce preparation.
• Lead readiness and execution through virtual series, trial builds, pilot builds, pre-production and production validation to confirm capability for SOP.
• Drive capacity, constraints and resource planning to achieve stable ramp-up to rate and output targets.
• Establish proactive risk and issue management; lead structured problem-solving for launch?critical issues (root cause, corrective action, verification) and embed lessons learned.
• Ensure compliance with UK Health & Safety legislation, environmental regulations, company policies and relevant automotive standards; champion a strong safety culture.
• Lead launch quality and supplier readiness in partnership with Quality/Supply Chain/Purchasing (e.g., APQP completion, PPAP approval, Run@Rate, containment and recovery actions) to protect build events and SOP timing

plan from virtual series gateways through pre-series launch, SOP, ramp-up and stabilisation into series production.

What You'll Bring

Essential

• Significant senior leadership experience in automotive manufacturing, industrialisation and production launch environments with accountability for cross-functional delivery, operational performance and launch outcomes.
• Demonstrated success leading complex manufacturing launches through build phases, gateway governance, SOP and production ramp-up within demanding quality, timing and cost
• constraints.
• Strong understanding of automotive programme governance, launch readiness methodologies and delivery through highly matrixed organisations.
• Proven ability to influence senior stakeholders, align competing priorities and drive delivery through both direct teams and wider indirect organisations without direct line authority.
• Working knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans and automotive quality systems; able to drive completion to plan.
• Strong structured problem-solving capability (root cause, corrective action and verification) using recognised methodologies.
• Strong commercial and financial acumen, including budget ownership, forecasting, investment justification and cost control.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills across all organisational levels.
• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or Quality Management (or equivalent relevant experience), plus extensive automotive manufacturing and manufacturing launch delivery experience.
• Senior leadership experience appropriate to a Band 3 level.

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.