Lead Engineer

Elis UK Ltd; Glenfield; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary competitive

25 days leave

Private medical cover

Company pension

Life assurance

Development opportunities

Career progression

Job summary

Elis UK Ltd in Leicester is seeking a Lead Engineer to join the team and help lead the site engineering function, combining technical expertise with people leadership to maintain performance and reliability.

The role offers the opportunity to act as deputy to the Engineering Manager when required, developing leadership experience and advancing your engineering career within Elis. Strong hands-on maintenance and supervisory experience are essential.

Qualifications

• Experience in industrial maintenance or manufacturing environments.
• Strong hands-on maintenance experience.
• Previous supervisory or team leadership experience.
• Electrical and/or mechanical engineering experience.
• Experience with PPM and corrective maintenance.
• Practical fault-finding and problem-solving abilities.

Responsibilities

• Provide hands-on leadership and technical support to the engineering team; coach and mentor engineers, senior engineers and apprentices.
• Support the delivery of planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and corrective maintenance.
• Plan and coordinate engineering resources around production requirements and maintenance activity.
• Oversee fault finding, breakdown response and corrective engineering works.
• Improve equipment reliability and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE) in collaboration with production.
• Ensure safe systems of work and compliance with QHSE requirements.

Skills

Leadership

Fault finding

Communication

Autonomy

Budget awareness

Education

HNC/HND/NVQ3/City & Guilds

Engineering degree

Apprenticeship

Tools

PPM software

Job description

About Elis

Elis is an international leader in textile, hygiene and facility services, helping businesses across a wide range of industries to operate safely, sustainably and efficiently. With a presence in 29 countries and a team of around 52,000 people, we combine the scale and stability of an international organisation with the opportunity to build a rewarding and long-term career.

Our people are at the heart of everything we do. We believe in investing in our people, recognising their contribution and giving them the opportunity to develop, progress and build careers they can be proud of.

At Elis, you'll be part of a culture built on trust, respect and collaboration, where your ideas and contribution are valued. We want our people to have a voice, and our commitment to listening and acting on employee feedback was recognised when Elis UK won Best Employee Engagement Experience Initiative at the 2024 CIPD People Management Awards for our Employee Voice programme.

With opportunities across operations, engineering, logistics, sales and our head office support functions, there are many ways to develop your career with Elis.

The Opportunity

Are you an experienced engineer ready to take the next step into engineering leadership, while still staying close to the hands-on side of engineering?

We're looking for a Lead Engineer to join our team in Leicester, working closely with our Engineering Manager to help lead the site engineering function and keep our operation performing at its best.

This is a key role within the site. You'll combine your technical engineering experience with people leadership, coaching and continuous improvement, supporting the day-to-day performance of the engineering team while helping us improve equipment reliability and overall equipment effectiveness.

You'll also act as a deputy to the Engineering Manager when required, giving you genuine responsibility and the opportunity to develop your leadership experience and take the next step in your engineering career.

If you're currently a Senior Engineer, Maintenance Team Leader, Engineering Team Leader or Maintenance Supervisor looking for more responsibility, we'd particularly like to hear from you.

What You'll Be Doing

• Provide hands-on leadership and technical support to the engineering team. Coach and mentor Engineers, Senior Engineers and Apprentices, helping to develop capability across the team.
• Support the delivery of planned preventative maintenance (PPM) and corrective maintenance.
• Help plan and coordinate engineering resources around production requirements, maintenance activity and unplanned issues.
• Support fault finding, breakdown response and corrective engineering works. Help oversee the installation, testing, maintenance and repair of machinery, equipment and site facilities.
• Work closely with production colleagues to improve equipment reliability and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
• Identify opportunities for continuous improvement and help turn them into practical changes.
• Ensure safe systems of work, engineering procedures and QHSE requirements are followed.
• Support the training of engineers and operators when new machinery and equipment are introduced.
• Work with approved suppliers to source parts and machinery.
• Help ensure the site's PPM schedule is effectively managed and completed. Support engineering safety training and help build a strong safety culture across the site.
• Take responsibility for the engineering team during periods when the Engineering Manager is absent.

What We're Looking For

We're looking for someone who combines strong technical engineering knowledge with the ability to lead, influence and develop others.

• Proven experience within industrial maintenance, manufacturing or a production environment.
• Strong hands-on operational maintenance experience.
• Previous supervisory, team leadership or management experience.
• Electrical and/or mechanical engineering experience.
• Experience working with PPM and corrective maintenance programmes.
• A recognised engineering qualification such as HNC, HND, NVQ Level 3, City & Guilds, a relevant engineering degree or a time-served apprenticeship.
• A practical approach to fault finding and problem solving.
• The confidence to coach, motivate and support other engineers.
• Strong communication skills and the ability to build effective working relationships across engineering and production.
• The ability to work autonomously, make decisions and drive positive change.
• Good commercial awareness and an understanding of engineering costs and budgets.

What We Offer

As part of Elis, you'll join a supportive and established international business where your contribution is valued.

What We Offer

At Elis, we believe great people should be recognised, supported and given the opportunity to grow. In return for the impact you'll make, you'll receive a strong benefits package and the opportunity to build a long-term career within an established international business.

We offer:

• Competitive salary - recognising your experience and the importance of the role
• 25 days' annual leave plus bank holidays - giving you time to switch off and recharge
• Private medical cover - supporting your health and wellbeing
• Company pension - 5% employer contribution alongside 5% employee contribution
• Life assurance - providing additional peace of mind for you and your family
• Investment in your development - with ongoing training and opportunities to grow your skills and leadership capabilities
• Genuine career progression - with opportunities to develop your career across Elis in the UK and our wider international business