TECHNICAL MANAGER – PROCESS & PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT & TESTING

“Transformational change and leadership role for graduate calibre Engineering professional, with lean, CI & Six Sigma experience required to manage specification sales led technical operation.  Experience of sheet metal CNC forming, pressing and welding processes, innovation, product development and testing advantageous” 

c£55-60000 + Benefits

East/West Midlands border

Commutable from Nuneaton, Tamworth, Atherstone, Dordon, Bedworth, Hinckley, Lichfield, Ashby de la Zouche, Leicester, Coventry, Rugby, Lutterworth, Sutton Coldfield, Coleshill, Cannock, Rugeley, Burton upon Trent, Birmingham, Solihull, Warwick, Leamington Spa

Our client, a division of a large UK group, is a market leader in the specification sales led manufacture and supply of mechanical security and service access solutions to the industrial and commercial sector including hotels, airports, shopping centres, high rise buildings, supermarkets, distribution centres, hotels, rail/underground, hospitals/care homes, student accommodation, commercial and residential developments, interior design and fit out sector. The technical and sales team work closely with architects, engineers, main contractors and other specifiers.  The products are both standard and bespoke.

With a broad remit and working with a small team you will lead the Technical function across one major site on the East/West Midlands border and oversight of another in Hertfordshire. You will work with design, product development, sales, CNC technical engineers/programmers, IT and production personnel. Using best practice, you will identify opportunities for increased efficiency, productivity & innovation. Your ultimate responsibility is to take the division, technically, from its current state to a higher level within a few years that will drive business growth with differentiated products. 

Key to success in the role is oversight of testing, fire certification and compliance both routine and developmental in the light of building regulations and recent events in high rise buildings.  

 
The Role

• Develop and evolve appropriate processes to efficiently drive new and existing product portfolio development, creating an environment to promote innovation, engineering integrity, reliability and best value.
• Develop and evolve effective processes to manage the compliance and timely delivery of customised manufacturing design data in line with agreed service levels.
• Effectively maintain the organisation’s product certification and regulatory compliance programme, ensuring appropriate systems and controls are in place to identify changes in regulatory and certification requirements and maintaining compliance throughout the specification of standard and customised products.
• Provide a source of technical leadership and expertise to the Division focussing on the development of engineering techniques.
• Lead initiatives to support the business’s waste reduction strategy through value engineering and design for manufacture. 
• Develop appropriate KPIs that drive and measure continuous improvement. 
• Lead the personal development and capability of the design and manufacturing support team members.
• Set and then work within established budgets, managing full costs associated with development of existing products and new product development.
• Maintain high standards around the company’s established operating principles of Lean Operational Excellence, Data Driven Decision Making, Profitable Growth, and Employee Engagement.
• Maintain and develop robust business systems including overseeing migration and implementation of new ERP system.  
• Drive safety excellence within all technical operations and contribute to daily maintenance management.

 Your Background

• You will be an engineering graduate or time-served probably with HND or HNC and with c7/8 years proven experience in managing a technical, mechanical design or manufacturing environment ideally working with sheet metal or similar materials.
• Previous specific responsibilities may have been for mechanical design, production or/and engineering functions. Enjoys supporting manufacturing.
• Experience in managing and maintaining fire certifications and testing for passive fire protection products is desirable.
• Commercial understanding and used to serving customers daily.
• Strong focus on innovation and driving processes
• Exceptional communication and relationship management/building skills across all functions.
• A proven motivator, mentor and highly visible leader who has successfully worked and engaged with cross-functional teams.
• Assertive and effective decision making demonstrating a senior presence whilst also a team player.
• Strong analytical skills with the ability to contribute to the strategic agenda.
• Expertise in lean/continuous improvement.
• Takes personal ownership and able to manage the journey.
• Strategically minded but tactically adept. Total business understanding and focus on key priorities.
• Future potential to progress further within the organisation. Able to take the business to new levels.
   

STRATEGIC CATEGORY BUYER/MANAGER – PRECISION ENGINEERING & PROCESS TECHNOLOGY

“Exciting Transformational Change role for ambitious precision engineering and process technology procurement specialist with experience of large £multi million capital investment projects.”

£Very Competitive (Dependent Upon Experience) + Blue Chip Benefits Package

Location: North West

Commutable from Chester, Ellesmere Port, Mold, Wrexham, Birkenhead, Wallasey, Warrington, Runcorn, Widnes, Liverpool, Crewe, Knutsford, Macclesfield, Greater Manchester, Wigan, Newton le Willows, Leigh, Heywood, Skelmersdale.

Our client is a global player within the specialist energy, electricity and power generation sector. 

As part of a strategic transformation of the procurement function moving to a shared service and category management model across its global operating units, our client seeks to strengthen its team with the appointment of an ambitious, innovative and creative Strategic Senior Category Buyer/Manager – Precision Engineering and Process Technology. 

You will be a university degree educated strategic category and procurement management professional with experience of precision engineering equipment including tooling, valves, vacuum pumps and automated process technology.

We are looking for a highly motivated change orientated individual who can contribute to the development of our client’s procurement capability.

You will be skilled at working collaboratively across different cultures and will be able to bring significant change in a regulated environment. Meeting these sometimes-competing objectives while driving a value delivery agenda provides a stimulating and challenging environment which will test you every day.

The Role:

• Delivery of new strategic procurement options for the precision engineering and process technology category.
• Category development and delivery, setting out the value drivers for the category and the roadmap of actions for delivery.
• Commercial interface with all other process facilities within the process technology division ensuring technical and regulatory compliance;
• Detailed risk analysis of the supply chain and asset base to establish a demand pipeline and to drive value delivery.
• Shaping and management of supplier relationships to ensure value is delivered including value definition, value creation including opportunity development and supply chain execution process; value capture including governance and compliance management and value protection to mitigate risk.
• Management and development of robust business partner relationships will be critical to success in the role. You will be expected to leverage experience of procurement strategy and delivery in your field of expertise to build these relationships. The strength of your relationship will enable you to confidently challenge business partners to think and act differently, to be creative and open to new ideas and to explore new supply chain possibilities.
• Acceptance of responsibility for delivering the value set out in your sub-category strategy.
• Experience of influencing and shaping contracts, supplier relationships and contract management will ensure you deliver the expected business benefits from the spend you are managing.
• Contribution to the development of the Procurement function’s capability bringing experience of best practice from other industries and employers.

The Ideal Person will possess the following qualifications, experience, skills and competencies:

• A university degree and ideally CIPS (or equivalent) qualification
• Experience of working across global operations or multi-site environments and a keen sense of cultural awareness.
• Experience ideally gained within energy, power generation, oil and gas or defence related sectors including NEC3 or EPC construction contracts would be highly advantageous.
• Understanding of the nuances of Precision Engineering and Automated Process Technology contracts and knowledge and skill in the development of category specific contracts which secure value for our client and mitigate risk as much as possible.
• A proven track record in value delivery, improvement activity and best practice development in Precision Engineering and Process Technology procurement.
• Understanding Precision Engineering and Process Technology markets, suppliers and technologies and how to leverage them for value for our client
• Building Precision Engineering and Process Technology sub-category and category strategies to describe how value will delivered in the short, medium and long term
• Negotiating with Precision Engineering and Process Technology suppliers to drive the right commercial and contractual outcomes
• Building relationships internally and externally to enable you to be successful in your role and to contribute to the development of our client as a world-class procurement organisation
• A thirst for knowledge, an inquisitive mind-set and drive for results.
• A knowledge of Procurement systems and technologies and the ability to put operational measures in place to ensure contracts deliver brilliantly.

In return our client offers a very competitive salary and blue-chip benefits package and the opportunity to develop your career within a market leader.