Senior DVA Strategy & Dimensional Lead

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 100,000 - 140,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Enhanced pension scheme

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical after 2 years

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a DVA Strategy Manager within Design Execution Validation to define PQD, datum strategy, and tolerancing across vehicle programmes. You will align design intent with manufacturing capability and product quality targets, leading a team of Programme Leads to deliver dimensional excellence.

The role operates at senior management level, setting standards, governance, and a robust operating framework to achieve Engineering Right First Time.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical / Automotive Engineering with extensive dimensional engineering experience.
• Deep expertise in GD&T (BS8888 / ISO1101), datum strategy and location principles, tolerancing at system and vehicle level.
• Senior/leadership experience in complex programme environments.
• Strong track record influencing engineering design direction and delivery outcomes.
• Experience leading teams (Leads / senior engineers).
• Understanding manufacturing processes, variation drivers, and assembly systems.
• Familiarity with DVA simulation tools (e.g. 3DCS) to support strategy and decision‑making.
• Experience of 8D or Practical Problem Solving (PPS).
• Methodical approach to work with strong analytical skills.

Responsibilities

• Own the definition and deployment of PQD as the enterprise standard for how parts mount and interface on the vehicle.
• Establish PQD as a core element of engineering governance, ensuring consistent interpretation and application across all programmes.
• Ensure strategies are scalable, repeatable, and consistently applied across programmes.
• Drive alignment between design, manufacturing, and quality functions to ensure feasibility and robustness.
• Act as the senior authority for dimensional strategy across the business.
• Represent dimensional strategy in programme reviews, governance forums, and business decision‑making.
• Ensure dimensional considerations are embedded in key product and engineering decisions.
• Hold overall accountability for delivery of DVA and dimensional quality targets across all programmes.
• Ensure readiness and robustness of gateway deliverables at a portfolio level, rather than at individual programme execution level.
• Provide a portfolio‑wide view of dimensional risks, driving early intervention where required.
• Ensure consistency of methodologies, outputs, and maturity across all programmes.
• Effectively communicate concerns to senior management for concept/business decisions.
• Lead and manage a team of DVA Programme Leads, each accountable for implementation within their respective programmes.
• Set clear direction, expectations, and performance standards for delivery of PQD, datum, and tolerancing.
• Provide oversight and assurance, ensuring consistent quality and adherence to standards across all programmes.
• Intervene at a senior level to resolve any cross-programme conflicts, High‑risk dimensional issues, Strategic misalignments.
• Provide an integrated link between design intent, quality target expectation and engineering drawing / quality control plan definition to ensure robust design capability and effective communication.
• Define and maintain the DVA standards, frameworks, and governance over tolerances
• Drive consistency in PQD implementation, Datum and tolerancing approaches
• Build and develop a high‑performing DVA leadership capability through Programme Leads.
• Ensure alignment between engineering, simulation, and manufacturing disciplines into a unified dimensional strategy.

Skills

GD&T

Datum strategy

Tolerancing

Leadership

Influence

8D PPS

SPC

Education

Bachelor in Mechanical/Automotive Engineering

Tools

3DCS

Job description

McLaren Automotive is seeking a DVA Strategy Manager within Design Execution Validation to define PQD, datum strategy, and tolerancing across vehicle programmes. You will align design intent with manufacturing capability and product quality targets, leading a team of Programme Leads to deliver dimensional excellence.

The role operates at senior management level, setting standards, governance, and a robust operating framework to achieve Engineering Right First Time.