Manager - Manufacturing Engineering

Rolls-Royce plc; East Midlands; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

Rolls-Royce plc is seeking an established Manufacturing Engineering leader to shape Civil Manufacturing strategy, investment and transformation. The role sits at the centre of Civil Manufacturing Engineering, driving governance, investment choices and technology deployment across multiple business units.

You will lead cross‑business programmes such as MUSIC, align priorities with senior leaders, and ensure practical, value-driven outcomes while delivering sustainable improvements across Civil

Qualifications

• Extensive manufacturing engineering leadership experience in a complex industrial setting.
• Proven ability to lead cross-business programmes and governance across multiple units.
• Strong track record in business-case development and investment decisions.
• Experience integrating technical, commercial and programme considerations.
• Familiarity with Lean, Six Sigma or equivalent improvement methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Influence Civil-wide manufacturing strategy and investment priorities.
• Lead development and ownership of Manufacturing Engineering business cases.
• Direct cross‑business governance for MUSIC and other programmes.
• Align multiple business units and secure commitment to common approaches.
• Drive technology deployment and sustainable cost reduction across Civil.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional

Governance

Lean/Six Sigma

Strategy

Communication

Education

Manufacturing Engineering degree or related

Job description

Why join Rolls-Royce?

At Rolls-Royce we are proud to be a business that has truly helped to shape the modern world and are committed to always being a force for progress; powering, protecting and connecting people everywhere. By joining Rolls-Royce, you'll have the opportunity to work on world-class solutions, supported by a culture that believes individuality is our greatest strength, and all perspectives, experiences and backgrounds help us innovate and enable our high-performance culture. We are looking for an established Manufacturing Engineering leader to join the Civil Manufacturing Operations Central Team. This is a rare opportunity to broaden your leadership impact beyond a single Manufacturing Business Unit and help shape the future direction of Civil Manufacturing Engineering. Working across the business, you will influence manufacturing strategy, technology investment and transformation priorities at Civil level, with the opportunity to shape approaches that are then deployed within individual businesses. The role sits at the centre of Civil Manufacturing Engineering and works across Manufacturing Business Units, Technology and Operations. You will bring practical leadership insight from an operational environment, help align priorities across the wider organisation and ensure manufacturing innovation is translated into sustainable operational and business value. Working closely with senior leaders, you will help shape where we invest, how we deploy manufacturing technologies and how benefits are realised across Civil. A significant focus will be supporting delivery of the Manufacturing Unequalled by Sustainable Innovation & Cost (MUSIC) programme and wider manufacturing transformation activities.

What you will be doing:

• Influence Civil-wide manufacturing strategy
• Work with Manufacturing Engineering, Operations and Technology leaders to identify cross-business opportunities, align priorities and support the long-term competitiveness and capability of Civil manufacturing.
• Shape manufacturing investment priorities
• Personally lead the development and ownership of Manufacturing Engineering business cases, bringing technical, commercial and programme considerations together to direct investment towards the opportunities that create the greatest value across Civil.
• Provide cross-business leadership
• Bring multiple Manufacturing Business Units into alignment, challenge priorities constructively and build commitment to common approaches that can be adopted across different manufacturing environments.
• Deliver technology-enabled business improvement
• Identify and develop opportunities to reduce product and operating costs through technology deployment, industrialisation and manufacturing innovation.
• Accelerate technology deployment
• Support the transition of manufacturing technologies from development into operational deployment, ensuring that solutions are practical, benefits are realised and improvements are sustained.
• Lead major transformation initiatives
• Personally establish and lead the governance for MUSIC and other strategic programmes, ensuring clear decision-making, active management of risks and dependencies, robust prioritisation, benefit assurance and alignment across multiple businesses.
• Enable Civil-wide benefit realisation
• Support the replication and scaling of successful technologies and approaches across Manufacturing Business Units to maximise enterprise value.

Why this role is different

• Broaden your leadership experience beyond a single Manufacturing Business Unit.
• Influence Civil-wide manufacturing strategy and investment priorities.
• Gain direct exposure to senior Manufacturing Engineering, Operations and Technology leaders.
• Lead across organisational boundaries and different manufacturing environments.
• Shape approaches that can be deployed through the individual businesses.
• Build an enterprise perspective while continuing to apply practical Manufacturing Engineering leadership.
• Develop the breadth of experience that supports future senior leadership opportunities.

Position qualifications:

• Significant Manufacturing Engineering leadership experience gained within a complex industrial environment.
• Established experience of leading teams and delivering business results within an operational manufacturing environment.
• A strong track record of influencing at senior leadership level and operating effectively across organisational and business boundaries.
• Demonstrable ownership of business cases and investment decisions, integrating technical, commercial, financial and programme considerations.
• Substantial experience establishing and leading programme governance, including decision-making, risk and dependency management, prioritisation and benefits assurance.
• A strong track record of influencing senior leaders and aligning multiple businesses where direct authority may be limited.
• Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical operational understanding.
• Strong analytical, communication and problem-solving skills.
• Degree qualified in Manufacturing Engineering or a related discipline, or equivalent experience.
• Preferred requirements: Experience working across more than one Manufacturing Business Unit, site or functional area.
• Experience contributing to business-wide strategy, transformation or technology deployment.
• Experience of benefits realisation and investment governance.
• Familiarity with Civil Manufacturing Operations processes and governance.
• Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma or equivalent improvement methodologies.

Grade: Management level C

Job Category Manufacturing Engineering

Posting Date 01 Oct 2026; 00:10

Posting End Date 07 Oct 2026

Rolls-Royce pioneers cutting-edge technologies that deliver the cleanest, safest and most competitive solutions to our planet’s vital power needs.

For further information please contact: Lizzie Moore - [e-mail]