Machine Shop Manager

Rubicon Recruitment; Southampton; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Private healthcare

Pension

Cycle to work

Electric car scheme

Dog-friendly workplace

Gym membership allowance

Recharge days

Flexible hours

Job summary

Rubicon Recruitment is seeking a Machine Shop Manager to lead a precision machining facility with CNC 3-axis, 5-axis and manual capabilities, including a 6-metre travel ARES centre. You will steer strategy, investment and production pace to meet performance targets.

You will drive delivery of high-precision components, manage capability development, QA and stock control, and champion continuous improvement to reduce lead times while maintaining quality.

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of machine shop teams in a high-tech, precision-driven environment.
• Strong background in metallic manufacturing processes and CNC operations.
• Experience with titanium and exotic metals preferred.
• Commercial awareness of manufacturing financial drivers.
• Ability to plan investments and capability development.

Responsibilities

• Provide strategic leadership across machining functions and align with business objectives.
• Oversee delivery of high-precision metallic and composite components with quality and efficiency.
• Lead investment planning across CNC and composites, fixturing and QA.
• Direct quality assurance and inspection for precision compliance.
• Manage procurement and stock control within budget.
• Drive continuous improvement to reduce lead times and tooling costs.

Skills

Machining leadership

Metallic manufacturing

CNC programming

Titanium experience

Production scaling

Commercial awareness

Job description

As the Machine Shop Manager, you'll run a machine shop with real teeth: CNC 3-axis, 5-axis and manual capability, including a 6-metre travel ARES machining centre, all under your call. No component leaves the shop without your standard stamped on it, metallic or composite. This is a department where the strategy, the investment decisions and the pace are yours to set.

As the Machine Shop Manager, you will benefit from:

• Private healthcare through Bupa
• 5% employer pension contribution
• Cycle to work scheme
• Electric car scheme
• Dog-friendly workplace
• £35 a month towards your gym membership
• Two paid "recharge days" a year
• Flexible hours between 7am and 5pm, Monday to Friday

As a Machine Shop Manager, your responsibilities will include:

• Providing strategic leadership across all machining functions, aligning manufacturing, testing and product development with business objectives
• Overseeing delivery of high-precision metallic and composite components, driving quality, repeatability and production efficiency
• Leading investment planning and capability development across CNC machining, composites machining, fixturing and quality systems
• Directing quality assurance and inspection, guaranteeing precision and technical compliance on every component produced
• Managing procurement and stock control of departmental resources within budget
• Driving continuous improvement to reduce lead times, optimise tooling and improve material efficiency

As a Machine Shop Manager, your experience will include:

• Demonstrable experience machining in a modern manufacturing environment, ideally within motorsport, aerospace or marine technology
• Proven leadership experience running machine shop teams in a high-tech, precision-driven sector
• Strong technical grounding in metallic manufacturing processes, including CNC programming and operation
• Experience machining titanium and other exotic metals
• A track record of scaling production processes while maintaining quality and repeatability
• Commercial awareness, with a clear understanding of the financial drivers behind manufacturing decisions

While Rubicon uses AI to help speed up processes across the business, every application is reviewed by a human to ensure the right decision is made