“Advanced Manufacturing – Automotive / Aerospace OEM Focus”South Wales / Some Flexibility – on site as requiredUp to £75,000 Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits(Relocation Assistance may be available) Our client is an integral part of an international, market leading engineering solutions provider with over 20 operations in 10 countries. Working out of a specialist design, development, test and manufacturing facility in South Wales, the business is benefiting from substantial capital investment. It is currently undergoing a rapid phase of expansion and is at the forefront of “state-of-the-art” developments in technologically sustainable, innovative and resilient solutions for a highly demanding global customer base that spans Land Vehicle, Aerospace and Industrial markets.Reporting to the Engineering Director, this is a highly customer-facing role, combining strong technical leadership with commercial awareness. You will lead the development of innovative new products in close collaboration with customers and will also act as a technical ambassador for the business, helping to identify opportunities, shape product concepts, and translate customer requirements into robust, manufacturable engineering solutions.The RoleProvide “hands on” technical leadership for the end-to-end development of new products from concept through to productionTranslate customer needs into clear technical requirements and product specificationsDrive innovative solutions, ensure designs meet performance, quality, cost, regulatory and manufacturability requirementsOversee design reviews, validation plans, testing and product sign-offAct as a primary technical interface with key OEM customersPresent and “sell” the company’s engineering capabilities and technical solutionsCollaborate with customers to co-develop new products and technologiesSupport commercial teams in technical proposals, tenders and customer presentationsBuild long-term, trusted relationships with engineering and procurement stakeholdersIdentify emerging trends across our system solutions, expertise and applicationsProactively generate new product ideas aligned with market and customer needsContribute to the innovation of company’s product roadmap and technology strategyBenchmark competitor technologies and industry best practiceWork closely with manufacturing, quality, sales and programme teamsProvide technical guidance, leadership and mentoring to engineers within the teamManage multiple development projects in parallel, ensuring delivery to time and budgetBe the technical expert support at trade shows, exhibitions and other industry eventsThe CandidateDegree-qualified in Mechanical Engineering or a related engineering disciplineSignificant experience in product development combined with proven experience of working within land vehicle automotive and/or aerospace OEMsStrong customer-facing skills with the ability to build trusted relationships and communicate complex technical concepts clearlyDemonstrated ability to lead product development from concept to production that meet customer and market needsCommercial awareness and ability to support sales and business development activitiesExperience in systems engineering and requirements managementKnowledge of automotive/aerospace standards and regulatory frameworksProject management experienceA strong company ambassador - confident, credible and professional in front of customersInnovative, curious and passionate about engineering solutionsA motivated self-starter who is able to work on own initiativeStrong problem-solving and analytical skillsCommercially minded with a customer-first mindset and an entrepreneurial approach towards increasing the pipeline of innovative product concept creation and opportunitiesAble to operate effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environmentStrong people management and collaboration skills; able to a make a positive impact on company reputation as a leading engineering & technology partnerMaintain high standards of Health and Safety: - safe working practices and support environmental initiativesDemonstrate superior presentation, communication and attention to detail skillsConversant with tools & processes – FEA,DFMEA, FMEA etc - IT Skills, including Microsoft 365Available and prepared to undertake international travel on an occasional basis