Technical Manager/Lead Project Engineer

I'm currently representing a industrial machinery manufacturing company based near Gloucester searching for a Technical Manager/Lead Project Engineer. Please see JD:

Technical Manager / Lead Project Engineer

Location: Gloucester
Sector: Industrial Machinery Manufacturing

About the Company

We are a UK-based manufacturer of industrial machinery, supplying complex, automated equipment to customers worldwide, including large multinational organisations across FMCG and industrial sectors.
Due to the upcoming retirement of our current Technical Manager, we are seeking an experienced Technical Manager / Lead Project Engineer to take ownership of our engineering function.

The Role

This is a pivotal senior position within a manufacturing-led engineering environment, sitting at the intersection of engineering innovation, shop-floor production, and technical leadership.
You will lead the engineering and technical department, overseeing the full product lifecycle of complex industrial machinery - from R&D and CAD design through to assembly-line support and final quality assurance. The role is closely embedded with manufacturing operations.
Your objective will be to maintain technical excellence, while ensuring products are manufacturable, compliant, reliable, and delivered to agreed cost and schedule.

Key Responsibilities

• Engineering Leadership
  Lead, mentor, and develop a multidisciplinary engineering team (mechanical, electrical, and software), providing technical direction on complex projects.
• Product Development & R&D
  Drive innovation and continuous improvement of machinery, systems, and associated technologies.
• Manufacturing Support
  Act as the technical bridge between design and production, supporting build, commissioning, and troubleshooting on the shop floor.
• Technical Compliance & Safety
  Ensure all equipment meets CE marking, the Machinery Directive, and relevant EN / ISO standards.
• Project Management
  Own technical project schedules, budgets, and resource planning to ensure on-time delivery of machine orders.
• Supplier & Quality Management
  Manage suppliers for key components (e.g. servo systems, controls), and implement structured testing and validation processes.

Skills & Experience

Technical Background

• Degree-qualified in Mechanical, Electrical, or Mechatronics Engineering.
• Typically 7+ years' experience in industrial, special-purpose, or capital equipment machinery environments.
• Strong understanding of automated machinery, including servo motion control systems.
• Proficient in 3D CAD (SolidWorks preferred).
• Familiarity with PLC and servo systems is highly desirable.

Core Competencies

• Strong fault-finding and problem-solving skills across mechanical and control systems.
• Commercially aware, balancing engineering quality with cost, delivery, and manufacturability.
• Clear communicator, comfortable engaging with non-technical stakeholders.
• A systems thinker who understands how design changes affect machine performance and reliability.

If this opportunity is of interest please send an updated version of you CV.