Manufacturing Lead

EMBS Engineering; Redditch; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 60,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Direct involvement in apprenticeship &

Collaborative engineering environment

Long-term progression opportunities

Job summary

EMBS Engineering is seeking a Manufacturing Lead near Redditch, Warwickshire. The role leads an engineering and toolmaking team, owning the tool room and driving continuous improvement across a busy, highly regulated manufacturing operation.

You will prioritise improvement activities, mentor apprentices, and partner with the engineering leadership to deliver cost, quality and delivery targets while enabling a clear route to senior leadership over time.

Qualifications

• Proven direct line management experience leading a team.
• Experience in manufacturing with regulated industries is preferred.
• Strong communication and problem-solving skills with internal stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of manufacturing engineers, SMEs and toolmakers to deliver priorities.
• Oversee tool room function, tool design and retooling activities.
• Prioritise improvement work with the wider engineering leadership to remove process constraints.
• Use MRB data and right-first-time metrics to drive focus on critical priorities.
• Support apprenticeship programmes and engage with early careers.
• Drive continuous improvement affecting EHS, quality, cost and delivery.

Skills

Line management

Leadership

Communication

Problem-solving

Apprenticeship involvement

Education

HNC or equivalent engineering qualification

Tools

ERP systems

Job description

Manufacturing Lead

Redditch, Warwickshire

Permanent

Salary: Circa £55,000 - £60,000, dependent on experience

Hours: 39 hours per week, Monday to Thursday 07:30-16:30, Friday 07:30-12:30

Overview

On behalf of a specialist metal fabrication and manufacturing business based near Redditch, EMBS Talent is recruiting for a Manufacturing Lead to join a growing engineering team on a permanent basis. This organisation manufactures precision fabricated components and works across highly regulated industries. The Manufacturing Lead will take ownership of the internal engineering function, including the tool room, and will play a central role in setting priorities, developing the team and supporting a busy manufacturing operation. This is a newly evolved position with a clear route for progression to a senior management position, offering the right person genuine scope to grow into a more senior manufacturing leadership role over time.

Benefits

• Direct involvement in the site's apprenticeship and early careers development
• A collaborative engineering environment with genuine influence over manufacturing priorities
• Clear long-term progression opportunities within a growing organisation

Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage a team of manufacturing engineers, subject matter experts and toolmakers, providing day‑to‑day supervision, direction and support
• Take ownership of the tool room function, overseeing tool design, retooling activity and resolution of legacy manufacturing issues
• Work closely with the wider engineering leadership team to prioritise improvement activity and resolve manufacturing process constraints
• Use data such as MRB outputs and right‑first‑time metrics to focus the team on business‑critical priorities rather than reactive, ad‑hoc tasks
• Support the site's apprenticeship programme, engaging directly with apprentices and contributing to their development
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives to support EHS, quality, cost and delivery performance across the manufacturing process
• Ensure manufacturing documentation, including set‑up packs, work instructions and standard operating procedures, is created, controlled and kept up to date
• Participate in problem‑solving activity and internal/external audits, implementing solutions where gaps are identified

Essential Requirements

• A strong, aspirational work ethic with the drive to develop into a more senior manufacturing leadership role over time
• Proven direct line management experience, ideally leading a team of six or more
• Experience gained as a senior manufacturing engineer, manufacturing or in a similar team leadership capacity, with the ability to delegate and manage people effectively
• Process knowledge across fabrication techniques such as pressing, welding and sheet metal work
• 2‑5 years' experience within manufacturing, ideally gained in a highly regulated industry such as aerospace, oil and gas, power or automotive
• Strong communication and problem‑solving skills, with the ability to technically engage with a range of internal stakeholders
• Experience contributing to or supporting an apprenticeship, training or early careers programme

Desirable Criteria

• Exposure to multi‑axis machining, laser cutting and/or EDM processes
• Experience working with ERP systems
• A HNC or equivalent qualification in an engineering‑related discipline
• Familiarity with lean or continuous improvement methodologies

If you are interested in the opportunity of Manufacturing Lead and believe you meet the illustrated criteria, apply today to join our client's growing team located near Redditch, Warwickshire.

Due to the nature of the markets our client supplies into, all candidates must be UK residents; we cannot offer visa sponsorship for overseas candidates.