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Job Title: Head of Engineering

Location: Covering two sites North Yorkshire & North East

Reports to: GM

Team Size: 15–20 Engineering Staff

Working Hours: Full-time, flexibility required to support 24/7 operations

Role Overview

We are seeking a hands-on Head of Engineering to lead and develop our engineering function across both sites. This is a pivotal leadership role requiring a blend of strategic oversight and practical involvement in day-to-day operations. The successful candidate will drive engineering excellence, ensure equipment reliability, and support continuous improvement in a fast-paced, 24/7 manufacturing environment.

Key Responsibilities

Lead, manage, and develop a multi-disciplinary engineering team (15–20 staff) across both sites.
Oversee all engineering activities including maintenance, reliability, and capital projects.
Support and develop the Planned Maintenance (PPM) schedule, ensuring full preventative maintenance is carried out effectively.
Ensure compliance with health & safety, environmental, and quality standards.
Drive root cause analysis and implement corrective actions to reduce downtime.
Collaborate with production and operations teams to optimise equipment performance.
Manage engineering budgets, spare parts inventory, and contractor relationships.
Lead site engineering strategy aligned with group objectives and sustainability goals.
Support and lead initiatives in extrusion, thermoforming, and injection moulding processes.
Champion continuous improvement and lean manufacturing principles.
Manage contractors on site and ensure they meet legal and company requirements.
Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

Overall Equipment Effectiveness (OEE): Monitor and improve OEE across all production lines.
Mean Time Between Failure (MTBF): Increase MTBF through proactive maintenance and reliability initiatives.
Mean Time to Repair (MTTR): Reduce MTTR by streamlining fault diagnosis and repair processes.
Engineering Spend vs Budget: Maintain spend within agreed budgets while ensuring operational efficiency and asset reliability.
Ideal Candidate Profile

Electrically biased engineer with strong mechanical understanding.
Proven leadership experience in a manufacturing environment, ideally multi-site.
Hands-on approach with the ability to mentor and motivate technical teams.
Experience in plastic packaging or similar sectors (extrusion, thermoforming, injection moulding).
Strong problem-solving skills and a proactive mindset.
Excellent communication and stakeholder management abilities.
Relevant engineering qualifications (HNC/HND/Degree or equivalent).
What We Offer

Competitive salary and benefits package.

A dynamic and supportive working environment.

Career development within a forward-thinking organisation