Manufacturing Programme Manager

McLaren; Woking; Hybrid; GBP 65,000 - 90,000; Full time

Job summary

McLaren Automotive seeks a Manufacturing Programme Launch Manager to lead and coordinate all Manufacturing functions through the Pre-Series phase, acting as the Manufacturing voice in programme governance.

You will drive cross-functional readiness, manage milestones, and report status to senior leadership, ensuring a seamless transition from product definition to full Series Production while upholding McLaren's high quality standards.

Qualifications

• Experience in programme/project management with Gantt, critical path, RAID logs, and milestone tracking.
• Strong reporting and stakeholder communication.
• Risk and issue management with structured governance.
• Familiar with digital project tools including MS Project, Power BI, SAP, PLM systems, and AI tools.
• Highly organised, delivery-focused and proactive.
• Excellent influencing skills across technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Resilient under pressure in fast-paced environments.

Responsibilities

• Plan and manage projects from concept through launch with robust readiness at milestones.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams including manufacturing engineering, logistics, quality, and launch.
• Track and steer function targets and requirements in line with Manufacturing.
• Represent manufacturing in vehicle programme forums and report weekly status.
• Ensure centralized reporting for the vehicle line director.
• Drive readiness of launch activities with Engineering, Quality and Supply Chain for seamless transition to Series Production.
• Ensure new projects meet McLaren's quality and performance standards during Launch.

Skills

Programme management

Stakeholder communication

Risk management

Delivery-focused

Influencing skills

Resilience

Problem solving

Leadership

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 elevate critical issues to senior leadership.
• 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

What You'll Bring

Business Knowledge:

• 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.)
• 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