Subsea Tooling Manager

Pin Point Recruitment; Southampton; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

A leader in recruitment services is looking for a Subsea Tooling Manager to manage a global subsea tooling portfolio. This role involves technical and commercial management, ensuring tooling solutions meet project requirements. Candidates should have a degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline and at least 7 years of experience in subsea tooling or engineering. Strong leadership and commercial skills are required, along with a commitment to safety and quality.

Qualifications

• 7+ years experience in subsea tooling or subsea engineering.
• Proven experience in design-and-build environments.
• Strong knowledge of offshore energy industry standards.

Responsibilities

• Lead the design and integration of subsea tooling.
• Own the commercial strategy for subsea tooling.
• Champion a strong HSE culture.

Skills

Technical expertise in subsea tooling

Commercial and financial management

Leadership skills

Strong communication abilities

Problem-solving skills

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering

Chartered Engineer status

Job description

Job Title: Subsea Tooling Manager

Location: Aberdeen, Newcastle or North Yorkshire

Role Purpose

The Subsea Tooling Manager is responsible for the technical, commercial, and strategic management of a global subsea tooling portfolio. The role ensures tooling solutions are engineered, delivered, and cost‑managed to meet project requirements safely, efficiently, and reliably, while driving performance, profitability, and market growth.

Key Responsibilities

Technical Leadership

• Lead the design, development, selection, and integration of subsea tooling, including pipeline PIG launch and recovery systems and subsea connectors.
• Provide technical leadership to tooling engineers, ensuring compliance with industry standards and best practices.
• Ensure tooling designs are maintained, certified, and compliant with regulatory and quality requirements.
• Support projects through technical reviews, feasibility assessments, and operational troubleshooting.
• Drive continuous improvement in tooling performance, reliability, and innovation.

Commercial & Strategic Management

• Own the commercial strategy for subsea tooling, including budgeting, pricing, and cost control.
• Support sales enquiries and prepare technical and commercial proposals in response to RFQs.
• Manage vendor relationships, procurement strategies, and contract negotiations.
• Optimise tooling inventory and lifecycle management to reduce cost and lead times.
• Identify market trends, emerging technologies, and growth opportunities.
• Develop and deliver short‑term revenue improvement plans and a 3–5 year strategic roadmap, including funded new product development.
• Support marketing activities, customer engagement, and industry exhibitions.

Project, Operational, HSE & Quality

• Coordinate with internal teams to ensure tooling is delivered to customer expectations.
• Ensure timely resolution of equipment and operational issues.
• Champion a strong HSE culture and ensure compliance with safety, legislative, and quality systems.
• Participate in audits, incident investigations, and continuous improvement activities.

Key Competencies

• Strong technical expertise in subsea tooling and ROV‑related systems.
• Proven commercial and financial management capability.
• Leadership, strategic planning, and execution skills.
• Strong organisational, communication, and problem‑solving abilities.
• Commitment to safety, quality, and continuous improvement.

Qualifications & Experience

• Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Robotics, or related discipline.
• Chartered Engineer status desirable.
• 7+ years’ experience in subsea tooling, ROV operations, or subsea engineering.
• Proven experience in design‑and‑build environments and technical team management.
• Strong knowledge of offshore energy industry standards (API, ISO, IMCA).

Work Environment

• Office‑based with regular travel to operational teams, customers, and exhibitions in the UK and overseas.