Research & Development Director
A market‑leading international engineering and manufacturing business is seeking an experienced Research & Development Director to lead the transformation of its global engineering and product development function.
Reporting directly to the Managing Director, this is a board‑facing leadership role with responsibility for a team of approximately 27 engineers and an annual R&D budget of circa £12 million.
The successful candidate will drive engineering excellence, product portfolio optimisation, value engineering, cost reduction, manufacturing efficiency and targeted innovation, ensuring products remain commercially competitive while supporting future growth.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead and develop a high‑performing Engineering and R&D function.
- Drive product reengineering, value engineering and cost optimisation programmes.
- Implement Design for Manufacture (DFM) and Design for Assembly (DFA) methodologies.
- Improve product quality, reliability, serviceability and manufacturability.
- Establish engineering governance, project management and stage‑gate processes.
- Develop and deliver a long‑term product roadmap aligned to business strategy.
- Lead targeted new product development and innovation initiatives.
- Collaborate closely with Operations, Manufacturing, Supply Chain and Commercial teams to improve business performance.
About You
- Proven leadership experience within Engineering, R&D or Product Development.
- A strong track record of engineering transformation and organisational change.
- Experience delivering product reengineering, value engineering and cost reduction initiatives.
- Strong knowledge of DFM, DFA, product lifecycle management and engineering governance.
- Experience managing substantial engineering budgets and multidisciplinary teams.
- A commercially focused approach combined with strong technical credibility.
- Experience within industrial instrumentation, engineered products, manufacturing technology or industrial equipment environments would be highly advantageous.
Why Apply?
This is a rare opportunity to shape the future of a highly respected engineering and manufacturing business. You will have significant influence over strategy, engineering investment, product development and operational performance while playing a key role in the company’s long‑term growth and success.
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