Mechanical Engineering Manager - Production

Halter; Auckland; On-site; NZD 150,000 - 200,000; Full time

Job summary

Halter in Auckland, New Zealand is seeking a Senior leader to own Machine Design with scope to oversee Production Tooling. You will build the team, set standards, establish supplier models, and lead the cadence needed to deliver reliable production equipment and tooling at scale.

You will lead mechanical, mechatronics, and tooling teams, balance hands-on depth with leadership, and influence cross-functionally to deliver outcomes across fixtures, automation, and long-term tooling strategy.

Qualifications

• Experience leading mechanical, mechatronics, machine design, tooling, or manufacturing engineering teams.
• Strong technical judgement across production equipment, fixtures, automation, suppliers, and tooling.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Machine Design team, and manage Production Tooling engineers when the team structure requires it.
• Own delivery outcomes across machine design and tooling programs: schedule, risk, production impact, validation quality, supplier performance, and sustained line capability.
• Translate Production Engineering priorities into a clear portfolio roadmap across fixtures, automation, production-enabling equipment, tooling programs, and supplier qualification work.
• Set and uphold standards for design reviews, commissioning, validation evidence, documentation, release readiness, sustaining ownership, and change control.
• Build a coherent make-vs-buy and supplier strategy for machine builds, fabrication, tooling, spares, maintenance, and long-term support.

Skills

Machine Design

Leadership

Tooling

Production Engineering

Job description

The Role

Own Machine Design as a function, with scope to manage Production Tooling where business needs require a combined mechanical/tooling leadership seat. Build the team, standards, supplier model, and operating cadence required to deliver reliable production equipment, fixtures, automation, and upstream tooling outcomes at scale.

What you'll do

• Lead and develop the Machine Design team, and manage Production Tooling engineers when the team structure requires it.
• Own delivery outcomes across machine design and tooling programs: schedule, risk, production impact, validation quality, supplier performance, and sustained line capability.
• Translate Production Engineering priorities into a clear portfolio roadmap across fixtures, automation, production-enabling equipment, tooling programs, and supplier qualification work.
• Set and uphold standards for design reviews, commissioning, validation evidence, documentation, release readiness, sustaining ownership, and change control.
• Build a coherent make-vs-buy and supplier strategy for machine builds, fabrication, tooling, spares, maintenance, and long-term support.

What we're looking for

• Experience leading mechanical, mechatronics, machine design, tooling, or manufacturing engineering teams.
• Strong technical judgement across production equipment, fixtures, automation, suppliers, and tooling.
• Able to balance hands‑on technical depth with people leadership and cross‑functional influence.
• Models Halter's leadership principles: high ownership, demanding and supportive leadership, strong dynamic range, and front‑of‑the‑jersey decision making.

Join our team

Halter is committed to promoting a diverse and inclusive workplace — a place where we can each be ourselves and do the best work of our lives. Research shows that while men apply to jobs when they meet an average of 60% of the requirements, women and under‑represented groups of candidates tend to only apply when they meet every requirement. If you think you have what it takes but don't necessarily tick every requirement on this job description, please still get in touch and apply to Halter.