Manufacturing Programme Manager

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Old Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Career development

25 days holiday

Enhanced pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical option

Wellbeing programme

Parental leave

Job summary

McLaren Automotive invites an experienced Manufacturing Programme Launch Manager to lead cross-functional teams through Pre-Series, ensuring readiness at every milestone. You will bridge Manufacturing and Vehicle Programme management, delivering on cost, timing, and quality objectives.

The role requires strong governance, risk management, and stakeholder communication as the project moves from definition to full Series Production, with close collaboration across Engineering, Manufacturing, and

Qualifications

• Experience leading manufacturing programmes from concept to launch.
• Strong reporting and stakeholder communication skills.
• Knowledge of governance structures and stage-gate systems.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage current project within the function from concept through launch, ensuring readiness at milestones.
• Coordinate cross-functional core team including manufacturing engineering, logistics, quality, and launch.
• Track and steer function targets and requirements in alignment with Manufacturing Functions.
• Represent manufacturing in vehicle programme forums and report weekly status.
• Prepare and evaluate function content and ensure centralized reporting for the line director.
• Manage readiness and progression of launch activities with Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Supply Chain.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Delivery focus

Cross-functional collaboration

Tools

MS Project

Power BI

SAP

PLM systems

AI tools

Job description

The Manufacturing Programme Launch Manager plays a central role in leading, coordinating, and integrating the efforts of all Manufacturing functions to ensure successful deliverables during the Pre-Series phase. This role acts as the Manufacturing voice in programme governance forums, bridging the gap between Manufacturing and Vehicle Programme management.

What You'll Do

• Responsible for planning and managing current project within function from concept through launch, ensuring robust readiness at each programme milestone.
• Coordinate cross-functional core team including manufacturing engineering, logistics, quality, and launch to ensure successful manufacturing operations.
• Track and steer all function targets and requirements in alignment with Manufacturing Functions.
• Represent manufacturing in vehicle programme forums, report weekly status, and esc
• Prepare and evaluate function related content and ensures centralized reporting for vehicle line director.
• Manage readiness / progression of launch activities alongside Engineering, Manufacturing, Quality and Supply Chain teams to ensure a seamless transition from Product Definition to full Series Production.
• Quality achievement - Ensuring that all new Projects meet McLaren's high standards of quality and performance throughout the Launch phase
  Understanding of how manufacturing decisions impact vehicle cost, timing, and business case viability.
• Understanding of programme financial structures (e.g. CapEx , Opex, cost per unit models, ROI).
• Knowledge of automotive programme governance, stage-gate systems, and cross-functional interdependencies.

Essential Functional / Technical Skills

• Strong Programme/project management (Gantt, critical path, RAID logs, milestone tracking)
• Strong reporting, presentation, and stakeholder communication skills
• Risk and issue management with structured governance
• Proficient with digital project tools (e.g. MS Project, Power BI, SAP, PLM systems, AI tools.)

Personal Attributes / Competencies

• Highly organised, structured, and delivery-focused
• Strong influencing skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders
• Resilient under pressure; thrives in fast-paced, ambiguous environments
• Proactive, solutions-driven, and decisive
• Excellent communicator with the ability to simplify complexity
• Collaborative team player who brings people together to resolve challenges
• Customer- and quality-focused mindset with a passion for launch excellence
• Ability to commute to McLaren Offices in Bicester and Woking.
  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.

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