Engineering Manager

• Days – Monday to Friday (early finish on Fridays)

Location: South Lanarkshire, Scotland

Umbilical Search is proud to be working with a well-established manufacturing business operating within a 24/7 production environment. The site is focused on operational excellence, continuous improvement, and the ongoing adoption of modern manufacturing technologies and automation to drive long-term performance.

This is a key leadership appointment for the site, offering the opportunity to shape and build a high-performing engineering function. The successful Engineering Manager will be responsible for developing structure, capability, and accountability across maintenance, tooling, automation, and facilities engineering, ensuring strong plant reliability and execution discipline.

The role will suit a hands‑on yet strategic engineering leader who thrives in fast‑paced manufacturing environments and is passionate about developing teams, improving asset performance, and delivering structured engineering excellence.

For further information on this confidential assignment, please email an up‑to‑date CV and contact number to

Key Accountabilities

• Lead day‑to‑day engineering activity across maintenance, tooling, automation, and facilities
• Build a structured engineering system with clear planning, priorities, and performance tracking
• Improve plant reliability through strong maintenance practices (preventative maintenance, downtime reduction, MTBF improvement)
• Deliver engineering and automation projects on time and in full
• Drive root cause analysis to eliminate repeat equipment failures
• Support the introduction of new automation, controls, and manufacturing technologies
• Manage engineering KPIs such as downtime, breakdown response, and maintenance effectiveness
• Oversee engineering budget and ensure effective cost control and ROI on spend
• Develop and coach engineering teams to improve technical skill and performance
• Ensure safe working practices and strong compliance across all engineering activities
• Work closely with production to support uptime, efficiency, and continuous improvement

Experience Required

• Experience in an Engineering Manager, Maintenance Manager, or senior maintenance leadership role
• Strong background in maintenance engineering within a fast‑paced manufacturing environment
• Proven ability to improve equipment reliability (downtime reduction, MTBF, maintenance performance)
• Experience with automation, controls, or modern manufacturing systems
• Hands‑on understanding of mechanical and electrical maintenance principles
• Experience leading and developing engineering or maintenance teams
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a 24/7 production environment
• Experience delivering engineering projects from start to finish
• Strong problem‑solving skills with a focus on root cause fixing, not repeat repairs
• Engineering qualification (degree or time‑served apprenticeship) in Mechanical, Electrical, or similar discipline preferred

How to Apply

Please click “apply” or for further information, contact Ajay Bhella at Umbilical Limited. Alternatively, email an up‑to‑date CV to

Umbilical Limited is committed to promoting Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion in the workplace. We act as a neutral third party in the recruitment process, basing candidate searches solely on skills and experience.

We do not discriminate on the basis of age, gender, sex, relationship status, disability, race, religion/beliefs, or sexual orientation.

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