Head of Design & Analysis

Automotive | Powertrain | Design Engineering | Simulation | Engineering Leadership
Milton Keynes | Permanent

We’re recruiting an experienced Head of Design & Analysis to join an established engineering organisation in Milton Keynes, taking responsibility for two critical engineering functions across Design and Analysis/Simulation.

This is a senior engineering leadership position for someone who combines strong technical credibility with the ability to lead people, improve engineering processes and influence the direction of future products and technologies.

Reporting directly to the Engineering Director, you’ll have responsibility for the teams delivering product design and simulation while providing oversight of engineering decisions that impact product integrity, mission assurance, technical compliance and customer requirements. You’ll also play an important role in developing the engineering systems and processes needed to support the organisation's future growth.

The Role

As Head of Design & Analysis, you’ll provide leadership across the complete product design and analysis lifecycle. Your responsibilities will include:

• Leading and developing teams of Design Engineers and Simulation Engineers.
• Taking ownership of the overall Design and Analysis engineering process.
• Overseeing the complete product design cycle across the organisation's products.
• Ensuring engineering work is aligned with business priorities and delivered effectively.
• Supporting the Engineering Director in ensuring engineering resources operate efficiently.
• Mentoring and coaching engineers and identifying future skills and development requirements.
• Ensuring programmes have access to capable engineering resources at the right time.
• Working closely with Chief Engineers to deliver robust technical solutions.
• Leading engineering projects where required due to programme timing or resource requirements.
• Identifying opportunities to reduce complexity, cost and waste across engineering activities.

Technical Leadership

This role goes significantly beyond people management. You’ll provide technical leadership across product development and help shape the organisation's future engineering capability. You’ll be involved in:

• Supporting the development of the technology strategy and future product offerings.
• Supporting products and technologies including engines, electric motors, hybrid systems and electrical systems.
• Reviewing engineering feasibility, cost effectiveness and customer requirements for new and existing products.
• Supporting technical and commercial proposals alongside Business Development and senior leadership.
• Providing technical input into RFQs and new business opportunities.
• Developing and improving engineering business systems to support future growth.
• Driving improvements across the end-to-end design process.
• Supporting engineering decisions that protect product integrity and ensure technical and operational requirements are achieved.

What We’re Looking For

We’re looking for an established engineering leader with a strong background in automotive product development and the technical credibility to lead experienced Design and Analysis engineers. You should ideally have:

• A Bachelor's degree in a relevant engineering discipline.
• Significant experience of product development within the automotive industry.
• Strong Design Engineering and/or Engineering Analysis exposure.
• A proven track record of project management and process control.
• Strong organisational and leadership capability.
• Experience coordinating and leading multi-disciplinary engineering teams.
• The credibility to operate effectively with customers and senior stakeholders.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills at all organisational levels.
• The ability to work independently while remaining highly collaborative.
• A strong improvement mindset with the ability to identify opportunities and develop business cases.
• The flexibility to travel to customer locations when required.
• A full clean UK driving licence.

A relevant Master's degree or PhD would be advantageous.

Who Could This Suit?

This could be particularly relevant if you are currently operating as a:

Head of Engineering | Head of Design | Head of Simulation | Design Engineering Manager | Analysis Manager | Chief Engineer | Engineering Manager | Technical Director

and have built your career within automotive, powertrain or closely related advanced engineering environments. It represents an opportunity to take genuine ownership of both the people and processes behind Design and Analysis, while contributing directly to technology strategy, product development and future engineering capability.

If you have the engineering credibility to lead technical teams while driving the processes and systems required to support future growth, we’d be keen to speak with you.