Tooling Manager

Castle Employment Group, A Sunday Times Best Company to Work for; Westhill; On-site; GBP 80,000 - 100,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading engineering organization is seeking a Subsea Tooling Manager to lead a team of Tooling Engineers and oversee the commercial performance of subsea tooling. This senior leadership role offers significant influence over technical direction and commercial strategy. Ideal candidates should possess a degree in a relevant field and have proven experience in subsea engineering environments. Excellent benefits include enhanced holidays, pension, private healthcare, and a car allowance.

Benefits

Enhanced holidays

Pension plan

Private healthcare

Life assurance

Car allowance

Company credit card and travel support

Qualifications

• Proven experience in subsea tooling, ROV systems or subsea engineering environments.
• Demonstrable people management experience.
• Understanding of offshore energy standards like API, ISO and IMCA.

Responsibilities

• Lead design, development, and integration of subsea tooling solutions.
• Provide technical leadership and line management to Tooling Engineers.
• Own commercial performance of tooling portfolio including budgeting and margin improvement.
• Manage supplier relationships and procurement strategies.

Skills

Technical leadership

Commercially astute

Strong communication

Project management

Education

Degree in Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Robotics or related

Job description

Are you an experienced engineering leader with a strong background in subsea tooling and ROV systems?

This is a senior technical management opportunity within a globally operating engineering organisation, offering real influence at both operational and strategic level. Reporting directly into the VP, the Subsea Tooling Manager will take ownership of the technical and commercial performance of a specialist subsea tooling portfolio. You will lead and develop a team of Tooling Engineers based in Newcastle, while working closely with cross-functional teams across multiple UK sites and international customers.

This role combines hands‑on technical leadership with commercial responsibility, strategic planning and customer engagement, making it ideal for an experienced subsea professional looking to step into a high‑impact, visible position.

The Subsea Tooling Manager will be responsible for :

• Lead the design, development, selection and integration of subsea tooling solutions, including pipeline systems, connectors and specialist tooling
• Provide technical leadership and line management to a team of Tooling Engineers, ensuring best practice, compliance and continuous improvement
• Act as the technical authority for subsea tooling across projects, supporting feasibility reviews, troubleshooting and delivery
• Own the commercial performance of the tooling portfolio, including cost control, pricing strategy, budgeting and margin improvement
• Support sales and tendering activity, contributing to RFQs, technical proposals and customer engagement
• Develop short-term revenue growth plans alongside longer‑term 3 to 5 year strategies, including NPD and product roadmap development
• Manage supplier relationships, procurement strategies and tooling lifecycle optimisation
• Champion HSE, quality and compliance across all tooling activities, aligned to ISO and offshore industry standards
• Travel regularly between UK sites, customer locations and overseas exhibitions as required

We are looking for Subsea Tooling Managers who have :

• Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering, Marine Engineering, Robotics or a related discipline
• Proven experience within subsea tooling, ROV systems or subsea engineering environments
• Strong background in technical leadership with demonstrable people management experience
• Commercially astute, with experience of budgeting, pricing, cost control and contract support
• Sound understanding of offshore energy standards such as API, ISO and IMCA
• Confident communicator, comfortable working with senior stakeholders, customers and global teams
• Chartered Engineer status is desirable but not essential

What's in it for you?

• Senior leadership role reporting directly to VP level
• Significant influence over technical direction and commercial strategy
• Permanent position within a stable, globally recognised engineering business
• Excellent benefits package including enhanced holidays, pension, private healthcare, life assurance and car allowance
• Company credit card and support for UK and overseas travel
• Long-term career progression and strategic involvement in future growth

This role offers genuine technical authority, strategic influence and long-term progression within a complex subsea engineering environment.

If you are ready to step into a senior leadership position with scope to drive performance and growth, we want to hear from you. Apply now.