Director of Manufacturing Launch

Overview

In this role you will lead the industrialisation and launch of new automotive programmes from pre-production to full-rate manufacturing. You’ll ensure NPI delivery is safe, on time, within budget, and meets quality and customer expectations, while working with engineering, quality, supply chain, and other teams. You promote a strong safety culture and ensure regulatory and industry standards compliance. You provide strategic leadership across the launch lifecycle to mitigate risk and guarantee operational readiness.

Pay / Benefits

• Structured career development framework
• 25 days’ holiday plus bank holidays
• Enhanced company pension scheme
• Discretionary annual bonus
• Private medical insurance
• Life assurance benefit

Responsibilities

• Provide programme leadership with governance alongside Vehicle Line Director peers
• Ensure manufacturing readiness and end-to-end launch execution
• Lead risk and issue management to safeguard delivery
• Ensure quality and compliance throughout the launch lifecycle
• Develop Launch Managers and programme teams, fostering high performance and continuous improvement
• Track KPIs including SOP, on-time delivery, budget adherence, and OEE during the launch
• Monitor customer launch scorecards and warranty/quality performance

Key requirements

• IOSH or NEBOSH Health & Safety qualification

• Leadership
• Coaching and development of teams
• Cross-functional collaboration
• NPI launch management
• Manufacturing readiness planning
• Quality and compliance management

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