Head of Engineering & Product Development
Lancing (Onsite) | Competitive Salary + Benefits
An exciting opportunity for an experienced engineering leader to take ownership of a high-performing R&D team within a growing medical devices organisation.
This role has opened due to a planned retirement, offering a structured handover alongside the opportunity to make an immediate impact. You’ll step into a critical next-generation product development programme mid-way through its lifecycle, making this a highly visible and business-critical position.
This would suit someone operating at Head of Engineering, Head of Product Development, NPI Lead, Senior R&D Manager or Principal Engineer level, looking to take the next step into a broader leadership role with full ownership of the end-to-end product lifecycle.
The Role
You will lead engineering, product development and NPI (New Product Introduction) from concept through to manufacturing and ongoing product support, while embedding quickly into a live, high-priority development programme.
✅ Key Responsibilities
- Lead R&D, product development and NPI across the full lifecycle
- Take ownership of a critical next-generation product programme
- Deliver complex electromechanical / mechatronic projects
- Ensure compliance with ISO13485, UK/EU MDR and design control
- Oversee validation, verification & engineering change management
- Lead and develop a high-performing engineering team
- Collaborate across quality, regulatory, manufacturing & commercial teams
- Drive innovation, continuous improvement & cost optimisation
About You
- Strong leadership experience in engineering, product development or NPI
- Background in medical devices or another regulated industry
- Knowledge of ISO13485, MDR and quality systems
- Proven delivery of NPI and R&D programmes
- Ability to step into and lead complex projects mid-cycle
- Commercial awareness with experience managing budgets and costs
…