Vehicle Line Manager - Chassis

McLaren Automotive Ltd; Woking; On-site; GBP 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

25 days holiday

Pension scheme

Discretionary annual bonus

Private medical insurance

Life assurance

Sabbatical after two years

Discounted shopping

Parental leave

Wellbeing programme

Job summary

McLaren Automotive is seeking a Vehicle Line Manager to lead the Chassis systems for full vehicle programmes. You will set targets, manage budgets and schedules, and ensure delivery on time, to budget and to the highest quality, coordinating with Chassis managers and cross‑functional teams.

You will own the Chassis High Level Plan, drive decisions with business cases, run risk assessments and represent the Chassis function in meetings, gateways, and supplier reviews.

Qualifications

• Engineering degree 2:1 or above.
• Experience in automotive programmes, covering project management and system delivery (Chassis preferable).
• Experience in high‑volume and niche volume programs in OEM or Tier 1 environment.
• Knowledge of DFMEA and its application in automotive environments.
• Proven project leadership and delivery within an APQP framework.
• Knowledge of automotive technologies, systems and manufacturing techniques.
• Strong problem-solving and commercial acumen.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver all Chassis project targets and deliverables.
• Create and maintain the Chassis High Level Plan (HLP) and ensure alignment with development plans.
• Deliver projects on time, on budget and to quality targets.
• Manage the full budget for the Vehicle Line across the Chassis department.
• Prepare and present Chassis MDP slides for project gateways.
• Collaborate with Chassis Managers, Principals and cross-functional teams.

Skills

Project leadership

System delivery

Automotive knowledge

APQP

Education

Engineering degree 2:1 or above

Job description

What to Expect

The Vehicle Line Manager has overall responsibility for delivering the complete Chassis systems content systems for full vehicle programmes, delivering content at committed timing, budget and quality. The role covers Chassis systems and components including suspension layout, wishbones, uprights, bearings, wheels, brakes, steering, active aerodynamics, springs, suspension systems and associated software.

What You'll Do

• Define and deliver all Chassis project targets and deliverables, ensuring they are cascaded, communicated, and reported against effectively at every stage of the vehicle programme to management.
• Generate and support key technology and system decisions with business cases and a clear lifecycle approach. Ensure consequences of decisions are understood and fed back into targets, budgets and plans.
• Create and maintain a Chassis High Level Plan (HLP). Work with Chassis Managers, Principals and cross-functional teams to ensure the CVT HLP is consistent with development plan, gateways, sign-off timing deliverables are met when required.
• Deliver projects on time, on budget and to the quality and engineering robustness targets.
• Be the primary point of contact for the Programme. Define and embrace the functional and departmental goals and be the voice of the Chassis Function Group.
• Responsible for managing the full budget for the Vehicle Line across the Chassis department, including internal and external resources, tooling investment, D&D and BOM cost with support from Vehicle Programme Manager.
• Prepare and Present Chassis MDP slides to project gateways communicating the contents delivered by CVT Managers.
• Together with Chassis Managers and Principals, represent the Chassis team for the Finance, Project and Attribute meetings and report back to the Chassis department.
• Support decision meetings with concise, accurate technical and project information. Ensure consequences of decisions are understood and fed back into targets, budgets and plans.
• Manage design release process through ETRS for the whole Chassis Engineering group for the vehicle programme.
• Deliver all systems in line with targets, KPIs and milestones as set by the McLaren Development Process (MDP) and Project management leaders.
• Generate and maintain the Risk Assessment Tool (RAT) for Chassis and ensure DFMEAs and DVPs are completed as per MDP requirements.
• Promote, implement and support a Simultaneous Engineering approach where early engagement from all stakeholders is maximized in order to ensure maximum efficiency and performance and avoid late changes and delays in the overall process.
• With the department managers work closely with support functions like purchasing, project and supply chain team to monitor current supplier performance and develop future supply strategies.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS & EXPERIENC

What You'll Bring

Essential Functional / Technical Skills:

• Engineering degree 2:1 or above.
• Significant experience working within automotive programmes, covering project management, and system delivery (preferably Chassis systems).
• Experience both High volume and niche volume programs in an OEM or Tier 1 supplier.
• Knowledge of DFMEA and its application in automotive environment.
• Proven project leadership and delivery within an APQP or similar framework.
• Knowledge of Automotive technologies, systems and manufacturing techniques.
• Experience in problem solving.
• Demonstrable commercial acumen.

What We'll Do for You

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

• Structured career development framework
• 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.