Team Leader, Manufacturing Engineer (Drawing Office)

At McLaren Racing, we believe only by chasing performance in everything we do can we give ourselves the best chance of success. Performance on track and in the factory. Performance for our people, our business and our partners. It’s about more than winning. It’s about hitting the highest standards, and then raising the bar again.

Purpose of the Role:

To lead the Manufacturing Engineering Team based in the Design Office, with responsibility to add performance to the car through a proactive collaboration between design and manufacturing and to deliver efficiencies that save costs and shorten lead times from design to track. Working with the Manufacturing Engineering Team Leader based in the Machine Shop, the Head of Machining, the Design Director, planning and the wider team you will create value add at the earliest opportunity to smooth the flow of work packets through the design process, into planning and the machine shop. 

The team that you lead will positively affect lead-time and cost of car. You will inspire positive change and continuous improvement initiatives and provide the first point of contact for all team members that are within your area of responsibility and influence. 

McLaren has a formidable history - come and be part of our future success!

Principal Accountabilities:

• Lead the development, management, and wellbeing of our team by promoting the correct use of policies, procedures, and SOP’s. The wellbeing of our team is a priority
• Promote the one-team approach by encouraging team members to identify and implement continuous improvement processes to minimise waste, reduce costs and deliver meaningful sustainability in everything that we do
• Work with the Head of Machining to identify skills gaps and suggest personal development plans, to provide learning opportunities for the good of both our people and the whole team
• Conduct quarterly, high quality 1-2-1’s using Culture Amp as a record with your direct reports
• Support the Head of Machining with team flexibility, banking and burning hours to meet demand and accepting requests made by our team members where possible
• Manage and monitor workload with respect to the planned release of components
• Encourage and embrace proactive engagement with design at the earliest gateway to ease manufacture without compromising car performance
• Support DFM meetings, driving high quality feedback into design about cost of features, finishes and tolerances
• Review and determine optimal material requirements, supporting the procurement process where appropriate
• Support the creation of stage models and drawings to smooth the production of components within machine shop
• Develop robust routings to ensure seamless flow through manufacture
• Determine the requirement for bespoke cutters, tooling, fixtures, and gauging. Initiating the procurement process where appropriate
• Design, test and evaluate processes and SOP’s that support our workload and provide end to end security at pace
• Work with our team members to resolve Non-Conformance Report (NCR) and quality concerns with robust corrective action

Knowledge, Skills, and Experience:

• Educated to NVQ level 5 or 6 or equivalent - HND or Bachelor’s Degree
• Experienced Manufacturing Engineer, with an excellent overview of design for manufacture, cost control, stage modelling, production routings and directed inspection
• Experience of leading and managing a Team, with the ability to flex leadership styles
• Experience of coaching and motivating team members
• Experience of effective performance management of team members to ensure a high performing and motivated team
• Knowledge of 3, 4 and 5 axis multi-tasking machining in either Formula One or an aerospace environment
• In-depth knowledge of CAD / CAM systems relevant to manufacturing engineering & machining
• Knowledge and understanding of Microsoft Office products and MRP systems
• Experience with managing the delivery of work packets to enable the seamless manufacture of complex components to extremely demanding deadlines often with conflicting priorities
• Has facilitated and supported effective change management
• Has developed and participated in a team-oriented environment
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to provide effective feedback
• Experience of leading quality concern resolution with tools such as 8D, 5why, fishbone diagrams and other appropriate quality tools

What can McLaren offer?

We constantly strive to be better tomorrow than we are today. Our ambition is to be the most pioneering and exhilarating racing team in the world, and our collective task is to set the standards for high performance in sport. We show up every day with energy and enthusiasm, ready to play our part.

We encourage and support diversity, equity and inclusion. We will actively promote a culture that values difference and eliminates discrimination in our workplace.

McLaren Racing is based at the iconic McLaren Technology Centre (MTC) near Woking. Our state of the art, sustainable campus offers many facilities including a gym, swimming pool, restaurant and indoor and outdoor break-out areas, as well as direct access to park and common land. The MTC is connected to Woking mainline station via regular shuttle buses, from which London Waterloo is a 30 minute train ride.

We offer a comprehensive package of benefits including private healthcare, car schemes, life insurance and generous pension contributions.