Manufacturing Engineering Manager

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 125,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days’ holiday

Enhanced company pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance benefit

Sabbatical after 2 years’ service

Wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

McLaren Automotive Ltd is seeking a senior Manufacturing Structure Planning leader in the UK. You will develop long‑term structure plans, ensure layouts and capacity models align with product roadmaps, and lead capital and efficiency initiatives across the manufacturing network.

You will collaborate across functions, translate engineering changes into structural impacts, and drive improvements in safety, quality and regulatory compliance while reporting to senior leadership.

Qualifications

• Experience creating long‑term manufacturing structure plans aligned with product roadmaps.
• Proven ability to lead cross‑functional teams and translate engineering changes into actionable structure plans.
• Strong analytic capabilities to assess capacity, layout efficiency, and investment priorities.

Responsibilities

• Develop long-term structure plans aligned with product roadmaps, engineering changes, and forecasts.
• Assess future production capacity and define equipment, layout, and headcount needs.
• Lead scenario planning to identify bottlenecks and investment priorities.
• Design and optimise factory layouts, lines, and material flow.
• Support NPI readiness for new processes and equipment.
• Plan facility expansions, relocations and line reconfigurations.
• Maintain layout drawings, structure plans and capacity models within governance.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality and regulatory standards.
• Act as central interface between Manufacturing Engineering and process partners.
• Lead major programme structure elements and report to senior leadership.
• Drive continuous improvement and Lean/Six Sigma initiatives.

Skills

Strategic thinking

Long-term planning

Analytical skills

Leadership

Team development

Cross-functional collaboration

Manufacturing expertise

Communication skills

Data-driven mindset

Adaptability

Job description

• Manufacturing Footprint & Industrialisation
• Programme & Project Delivery

What to Expect

Reporting to the Head of Manufacturing Engineering, you will be responsible for developing and maintaining the long‑term manufacturing structure plan, ensuring that facility layouts, production flows, and capacity strategies support business growth, product development, and operational excellence. This role provides leadership in translating engineering requirements and business forecasts into robust factory structures, layouts, and capacity models. Additionally, this team will own tooling design and realisation.

Key responsibilities will include:

• HS&E, legal and regulatory requirements (including fixed equipment and machinery)
• Strategy & Capacity Planning
• Manufacturing Footprint & Industrialisation
• Programme & Project Delivery
• Equipment Handover protocol
• Investment Planning
• Cross‑Functional Leadership Interface
• Resource management
• Cost Management
• Quality assurance ISO-9001 / IATF 16949.

What You'll Do

Strategic Structure & Capacity Planning

• Develop long-term structure plans aligned with product roadmaps, engineering changes, and business forecasts.
• Assess future production capacity requirements and define equipment, layout, and collaborate on headcount requirements.
• Lead scenario planning to identify structural bottlenecks and investment priorities.

Factory Layout & Industrialisation

• Design and optimise factory layouts, production lines, workstations, and material flow.
• Support new product introductions (NPI) by ensuring structural readiness for new processes and equipment.
• Plan and manage facility expansions, relocations, and major line reconfigurations.
• Maintain approved layout drawings, structure plans, and capacity models within formal governance processes.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, and regulatory standards.

Cross-Functional Collaboration

• Act as the central interface between Manufacturing Engineering and all process partners, including senior management.
• Translate engineering changes into structural impacts and communicate required actions into relevant launch team
• Facilitate cross-functional structure planning reviews and ensure aligned decision-making.

Project & Programme Delivery

• Lead structure-related elements of major programmes, including line installations, layout changes, and facility upgrades.
• Manage project plans, risks, deliverables, and capital requirements.
• Provide regular status reporting to stakeholders, including senior leadership.

Continuous Improvement & Performance Analysis

• Identify opportunities to improve production flow, ergonomics, takt time adherence, and overall factory efficiency.
• Analyse capacity utilisation, OEE, and bottleneck data to inform structural changes.
• Support continuous improvement methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, and Kaizen.

Financial & Investment Planning

• Develop and maintain the capital expenditure (CAPEX) roadmap relating to layout, tooling, and structural improvements.
• Produce cost-benefit analyses and ROI assessments for structural projects.
• Partner with Finance to ensure full alignment with budget cycles and strategic plans.

Leadership & Team Development

• Line-manage structure planning specialists, layout engineers, and project staff (as applicable).
• Foster a culture of innovation, collaboration, and technical excellence.
• Support succession planning and capability development within the Manufacturing Engineering function.

What You'll Bring

• Live the McLaren values.
• Strategic thinking and long-term planning
• Strong analytical and problem-solving ability
• Leadership and team development
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Technical expertise in manufacturing processes
• Excellent communication and presentation skills
• Highly motivated, resilient, and agile.
• Data driven and process focused.
• Dynamic, with the ability to respond to challenging situations in an innovative manner.

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.