Head of Manufacturing Launch

Overview

In this role you lead end-to-end manufacturing launch delivery across vehicle programs from virtual gateways to SOP and ramp-up. You partner with the Vehicle Line Director to steer a single integrated launch plan within a matrixed organization. You ensure readiness across facilities, equipment, tooling, processes and people, while managing risks, quality, safety and cost to meet timing, volume and customer outcomes. You drive cross-functional collaboration and continuous improvement through complex launches and diverse teams.

Pay / Benefits

• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Private medical insurance and health cash plan
• Life assurance benefit
• Sabbatical option after two years’ service

Responsibilities

• Lead integrated manufacturing launch strategy, plan and governance for assigned vehicle lines and ensure milestones and readiness criteria are met.
• Define and own manufacturing deliverables from virtual series gateways through pre-series, SOP, ramp-up and stabilisation into production.
• Partner with Vehicle Line Director, Launch Director, PMO and peers to ensure programme robustness and visibility of risks and dependencies.
• Establish plans, owners and milestones across virtual series, build phases and readiness activities; chair launch forums as required.
• Deliver manufacturing readiness across facilities, equipment, tooling, process maturity, parts, people capability and workforce preparation.
• Lead readiness and execution through virtual series, trial builds, pilot builds, pre-production and production validation for SOP readiness.
• Drive capacity planning and resource allocation to achieve stable ramp-up and output targets.
• Establish proactive risk/issue management and lead structured problem-solving for critical launch issues with root-cause analysis.
• Ensure compliance with UK Health & Safety, environmental regulations and automotive standards; promote a strong safety culture.
• Lead launch quality and supplier readiness in partnership with Quality/Supply Chain/Purchasing to protect build events and SOP timing

Key requirements

• Senior leadership experience in automotive manufacturing, industrialisation and launch environments with cross-functional delivery accountability
• Proven success leading complex launches through build phases, gateways, SOP and ramp-up under tight quality, timing and cost constraints
• Strong understanding of automotive governance, launch readiness methodologies and matrixed delivery
• Ability to influence senior stakeholders and drive delivery without direct line authority
• Knowledge of APQP, PPAP, PFMEA, Control Plans and automotive quality systems with ability to drive completion to plan
• Structured problem-solving capability (root cause, corrective action and verification) and risk management
• Commercial and financial acumen including budgeting, forecasting and cost control
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management across all levels
• Degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Operations Management or Quality Management (or equivalent) with extensive automotive launch experience
• Senior leadership experience appropriate to Band 3 level

• Strategic thinking and cross-functional collaboration
• Stakeholder management and influencing without direct authority
• Problem-solving and structured root-cause analysis
• APQP
• PPAP
• PFMEA

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