Engineering Manager - Sustaining

Location: Kent (Hybrid - 2 days onsite)
Salary: Circa £80,000 + package
Type: Permanent

The Role

An opportunity has arisen for an experienced Engineering Manager to lead a Sustaining Engineering function supporting a portfolio of complex products within a quality-critical manufacturing environment.

This role will take ownership of team leadership, technical direction, and project delivery, ensuring consistent, high-quality output across all sustaining activities. You will act as the technical authority for the product range, driving continuous improvement, resolving complex engineering challenges, and supporting the full product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

Lead and develop a Sustaining Engineering team, driving performance across people, process, and project delivery
Act as technical authority, providing guidance on mechanical design, materials, and manufacturing methods
Oversee sustaining activities including design changes, product improvements, and issue resolution
Lead engineering projects of significant scope, ensuring delivery to quality, cost, and timeline objectives
Collaborate with cross-functional teams including Quality, Operations, and Engineering
Manage planning, resource allocation, and team performance, promoting continuous improvement
Ensure compliance with internal standards, procedures, and regulatory requirements
Support supplier and stakeholder engagement to resolve technical and operational challenges

Requirements

Degree qualified in Mechanical Engineering or equivalent experience
Proven experience in an Engineering Manager or Senior Engineering leadership role
Strong background in mechanical product development, ideally including plastics, moulding, or extrusions
Experience leading teams and delivering complex engineering projects
Experience working within regulated or quality-critical industries such as medical devices, pharmaceuticals, aerospace, or similar
Strong understanding of product lifecycle support, engineering change, and problem-solving methodologies
Excellent communication, leadership, and organisational skills

Additional Information

Hybrid working: 2 days per week onsite
Limited travel (typically less than 10%)
Reporting into senior engineering leadership