Technical Project Lead

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Sheffield; On-site; GBP 65,000 - 95,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Holiday entitlement

Pension scheme

Discretionary bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical after 2 years

Wellbeing programme

Parental leave

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a Technical Project Manager to lead delivery of internal and external projects at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC). You will drive new product introduction, technology development and process improvements, applying McLaren Development Process governance.

You will coordinate cross‑functional teams, manage budgets and schedules, and report progress at leadership reviews. A background in composites or advanced manufacturing is preferred.

Qualifications

• Significant experience in project management and system delivery, ideally within composites or advanced manufacturing.
• Experience in high- and low-volume programs, OEM/Tier 1 environments preferred.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in parallel.

Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and deliver technical projects from inception to completion.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, QA, and operations to define scope and deliverables.
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines and resource allocations.
• Identify and manage risks, issues and dependencies.
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies and track project performance.
• Communicate clearly across organizational levels and drive process improvements.

Skills

Project management

Communication

Stakeholder management

Risk management

Leadership

APQP/TVM knowledge

Team collaboration

Tools

MS Project

MS Excel

JIRA

Job description

Reporting to the Business Development Manager, the Technical Project Manager will lead the delivery of internal and external projects at the McLaren Composites Technology Centre (MCTC). These projects span new product introduction, advanced technology development, CAPEX and process improvements, and Total Value Management (TVM).

Operating within a matrix organization, you will help define and deliver world‑class products and technologies. You will support business planning, concept development, and the robust execution of parallel projects through the McLaren Development Process, using governance tools to meet project targets and strategic business objectives.

What You'll Do

• Define and deliver all MCTC project targets and milestones, ensuring effective communication and reporting at each stage.
• Facilitate seamless information flow within the project team and across stakeholders using both formal and informal program management tools.
• Foster continuous collaboration with internal and external stakeholders to align development plans with project milestones and resource allocation.
• Liaise with cross-functional teams and external partners to resolve project challenges and support root cause analysis (RCA) activities.
• Support key technology and system decisions with business cases and lifecycle planning, incorporating risk management and decision‑making frameworks.
• Create and maintain a High-Level Plan (HLP) aligned with development timelines, gateway reviews, and sign‑off deliverables.
• Demonstrate delivery performance through KPIs, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to quality and engineering standards.
• Act as the primary point of contact for Programme and Design Teams, representing the MCTC Projects team and its objectives.
• Manage full project budgets, including internal/external resources, tooling investments, D&D, and BOM costs, in collaboration with the Business Development Manager.
• Prepare and present project updates at vehicle gateways and monthly MCTC leadership reviews.
• Promote and implement a Simultaneous Engineering approach to maximize early stakeholder engagement and minimize late‑stage changes.
• Collaborate with procurement and supply chain teams to monitor supplier performance and develop future sourcing strategies.

Project Management Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and deliver technical projects from inception to completion.
• Collaborate with engineering, product, QA, and operations teams to define project scope, goals, and deliverables.
• Develop detailed project plans, timelines, and resource allocations.
• Identify and manage project risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Facilitate Agile ceremonies including daily stand‑ups, sprint planning, and retrospectives.
• Track project performance using appropriate tools and techniques.
• Ensure clear communication across all organizational levels.
• Drive continuous improvement in project delivery processes.

What You'll Bring

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience

• Significant experience in project management and system delivery, ideally within composites or advanced manufacturing.
• Experience in both high‑volume and niche‑volume programs, preferably within OEM and Tier 1 supplier environments.
• Proven ability to manage multiple projects in parallel.
• Strong leadership in project delivery within APQP, Six Sigma or similar frameworks.
• Demonstrated problem‑solving capabilities and commercial acumen.

Personal Attributes

• Passion for high‑performance vehicles, engineering excellence, and innovation.
• Confident and tactful communicator who can challenge constructively.
• Self‑starter with the ability to work under pressure and use initiative.
• Strong team player with excellent interpersonal skills.
• Adaptable, flexible, and resilient in a fast‑paced environment.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ambitious, self‑motivated, and capable of inspiring others.

What We'll Do for You

We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:

• 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

Who Are We?

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.