MECHANICAL DESIGN ENGINEERING MANAGER

This client is part of a large group concerned with home security products, predominantly metal, manufactured both in the UK as well as overseas. In the UK the customer base is via well-known DIY outlets, builder’s merchants, trade counters, hardware stores and online.

They seek a Design Engineering Manager, following a retirement, to manage a small team of seven Mechanical Design Engineers involved in a range of product design projects. You will review, assess and monitor engineering and process integrity during NPD development. You will also introduce and encourage product integrity improvements throughout the PEP process and the product range.

• Work alongside the Product Development Team in as a leading advocate for the full product journey and life cycle being taken in to account during the design process
• Create and embed a culture across the Design and Product Management Teams of robust product and performance specification that also fits with the latest industry standards and regulations
• Redesign and embed a robust FMEA process to improve the integrity within the design of new and modified products to ensure product designs meet specification requirements and to enable consistency of manufacture
• Embed the use of VAVE and Lean techniques to deliver on the right balance of quality, aesthetics, cost and speed to market on every project
• Create and foster an innovative environment with a strong focus on risk awareness
• Ensure the correct processes are followed to support Change Management with a new ID system for up-issued products
• Lead the team in identifying and incorporating best practice design principles so they form the start point in every project
• Build a close relationship with the manufacturing teams in the UK and Asia, both internal and external, and collaborate to ensure designs are consistent with process capability
• Work with stakeholders across the business and the group to ensure all product enhancement programme processes and systems are running correctly and efficiently to produce quality products first time
• Work with internal UKAS approved and external quality and testing regimes
• Key outputs include training delivery programme for relevant processes, design FMEA studies and Process FMEA studies, configuration management using a new ID system, approval process for PEP projects during the design phases, mentoring of the design team to ensure that validation becomes best practice and monthly reports

• Relevant qualifications and skills in mechanical design
• A strong career record in successful mechanical design using of products made from pressure diecasting, injection moulding, pressing, assembly and finishing
• Sector experience make be similar but a background from other sectors would be refreshing
• Proficient with the operation of 3D design software ideally Solid Works and Enterprise
• Experienced in the use and facilitation of quantitative value analysis and FMEA studies
• Capabilities in operating Finite Element Analysis simulations
• Collaborative approach with good communication, team-working and leadership attributes coupled with coaching, mentoring and training skills
• Able to explain complex technical concepts to non-technical team members
• Ability to find creative solutions to complex engineering problems
• Able to modernise, bring fresh ideas and confidently challenge the status quo in a fast-changing environment
• Analytical thinker
• Understanding of industry standards and regulations