Workshop Manager - Plant and Light Vehicles

ANT Recruitment; Studley CP; On-site; GBP 40,000 - 48,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Bupa

25 days annual leave

Bank holidays

Job summary

ANT Recruitment is supporting an established UK transport and engineering business seeking a Workshop Manager to lead a mixed plant and light-vehicle workshop. You will be hands-on on the tools while supervising daily activity, ensuring servicing, repairs and quality control.

Ideal candidates have hands-on leadership experience, the ability to coach technicians, manage prioritisation, and develop routines, records and communication between workshop and fleet management.

Qualifications

• Strong practical maintenance background with credible workshop supervisory or management experience.
• Ability to lead technicians while contributing to fault-finding and repairs.
• Confident coordinating a mixed vehicle/plant workload and recognising personal limits.
• Experience checking work quality, supporting colleagues and maintaining clear maintenance records.
• Organised, constructive approach to improving an established workshop and bringing people together.

Responsibilities

• Plan and allocate daily maintenance work, balancing routine servicing, repairs and equipment availability.
• Stay visible on the workshop floor and provide hands-on technical support rather than managing entirely from an office.
• Monitor work in progress, inspect completed work and follow up defects, incomplete tasks and recurring faults.
• Coach technicians and support apprentices within their competence and supervision needs.
• Develop clear working routines, job records, housekeeping and communication between the workshop and fleet management.
• Help establish suitable workshop equipment, resources and maintenance processes as the operation is improved.
• Prioritise safe, legal and compliant maintenance, escalating issues that need specialist advice or further authorisation.
• Set professional standards for punctuality, teamwork, responsibility and care of vehicles and equipment.

Skills

Maintenance leadership

Workshop supervision

Fault finding

Team coordination

Record keeping

Education

Technical/workshop-management qualifications

Tools

Forklifts

Hydraulic equipment

Generators

Job description

Workshop Manager - Plant and Light Vehicles

Location: Studley, Warwickshire
Sector: Workshop Management / Plant and Vehicle Maintenance
Employment Type: Full-time; salaried appointment; contract duration to be confirmed
Salary: £40,000-£48,000 per annum, dependent on experience
Hours: On-site role; contracted hours to be confirmed within the current workshop operating pattern
Recruitment Partner: ANT Recruitment

About the Company

ANT Recruitment is supporting an established UK transport and engineering business. The employer’s identity will be discussed confidentially during the recruitment process.

The Role

Lead a mixed plant and light-vehicle workshop while remaining actively involved in diagnosis, servicing and repairs. This is a working manager position, with substantial time on the tools alongside daily supervision, coaching and quality control.

The workshop covers vans, pickups and mixed plant. Equipment includes forklifts, hydraulic jacks and generators, with some older equipment requiring practical diagnostic judgement. This appointment is separate from the specialist trailer/SPMT maintenance requirement.

Key Responsibilities

• Plan and allocate daily maintenance work, balancing routine servicing, repairs and equipment availability.
• Stay visible on the workshop floor and provide hands-on technical support rather than managing entirely from an office.
• Monitor work in progress, inspect completed work and follow up defects, incomplete tasks and recurring faults.
• Coach technicians and support apprentices within their competence and supervision needs.
• Develop clear working routines, job records, housekeeping and communication between the workshop and fleet management.
• Help establish suitable workshop equipment, resources and maintenance processes as the operation is improved.
• Prioritise safe, legal and compliant maintenance, escalating issues that need specialist advice or further authorisation.
• Set professional standards for punctuality, teamwork, responsibility and care of vehicles and equipment.

Skills and Experience Required

• A strong practical maintenance background with credible workshop supervisory or management experience.
• Ability to lead technicians while contributing to fault-finding and repairs.
• Confidence coordinating a mixed vehicle/plant workload and recognising the limits of personal competence.
• Experience checking work quality, supporting colleagues and maintaining clear maintenance records.
• An organised, constructive approach to improving an established workshop and bringing people together.

Desirable Experience

• Relevant technical or workshop-management qualifications.
• Experience with vans, pickups, forklifts, hydraulic equipment or generators.
• Transferable HGV or PSV workshop leadership experience, supported by a clear plan for learning unfamiliar plant.

Candidate Profile

This role would suit a hands-on leader who enjoys improving how a workshop operates. You should be comfortable with older equipment, a mixed team and a workshop that is being developed. Practical judgement, visible supervision and a willingness to help colleagues matter as much as an impressive job title.

Package and Working Arrangements

• The normal salary band discussed is £40,000-£48,000 per annum. Any departure from that band requires separate agreement.
• The salaried management package discussed includes Bupa and 25 days of annual leave plus eight bank holidays; eligibility and policy terms will be confirmed at offer stage.
• A pension is available. Contribution percentages and the basis of calculation remain to be verified.
• A three-month probation was discussed. No bonus scheme or company car was offered.
• The plant workshop was not working weekends at the time of the briefing, but future coverage and the contractual pattern must be confirmed.
• Accommodation may be discussed case by case for the right candidate; it is not an included or guaranteed benefit. Sponsorship is unconfirmed.