Interim Manufacturing Engineering Manager

The Assignment
This is for a well-established, independent UK manufacturer with decades of operation, all from a single manufacturing site in Merseyside.

Role Overview
As a Manufacturing Maintenance & Engineering Consultant, working on-site full-time, you will:
- Conduct a comprehensive review of all engineering activities across the production facility.
- Lead, manage, and develop a small engineering team.
- Design and implement robust preventive maintenance strategies.
- Define and clarify accountabilities and performance metrics for maintenance and engineering tasks.
- Establish a system to monitor and reduce downtime, improving operative throughput and overall equipment effectiveness (OEE).
- Work to transfer and share knowledge of existing infrastructure and systems, including SCADA, HMI and PLCs
- Support the creation of a new permanent management role, and participate in its recruitment before the contract concludes.

Key Responsibilities
- Assess and optimise existing maintenance schedules and team practices.
- Implement preventative strategies that minimise downtime and extend asset life.
- Develop a culture of accountability, with clear roles, responsibilities, and performance indicators and reporting.
- Mentor and upskill the engineering team, embedding sustainable practices, and transferring knowledge of existing systems
- Document standard operating processes for existing infrastructure and systems
- Collaborate with senior leadership to design the future Engineering Manager role and assist in recruitment for that position.

Qualifications & Experience
- Proven manufacturing engineering management experience within high-volume, powder based or similar industrial operations.
- Demonstrated leadership and team development skills in engineering contexts.
- Strong competence in developing and deploying preventive maintenance programs and downtime reduction strategies.
- Data-driven mindset, skilled in using metrics to guide improvements in throughput and efficiency.
- Experience of understanding and operating SCADA based systems with associated HMI and PLC controllers together with associated plant
- Experience in transitioning consultancy roles into long-term positions, including position design and recruitment.
- Available to work on-site five days per week for 3 to 6 months (with potential extension).
- Excellent communicator, trustworthy, and able to work confidentially in sensitive business settings.