Manager - Engineering (Automotive)

Role overview

This position leads the Engineering Department for an automotive business operating around an OEM-driven, plug-and-play model. The manager is expected to set the technical direction, oversee delivery across all engineering workstreams, and ensure the output is reliable, cost-conscious, and aligned with broader company goals. The role also requires building a high-performance culture centered on accountability, quality, and customer focus.

What you will do

• Create and implement the engineering strategy so it supports business priorities, scalability, flexibility, and fast deployment within the OEM integration model.
• Set team and individual objectives, KPIs, and performance measures, with regular reviews and tracking in place.
• Act as the main engineering representative with senior leadership, OEMs, distributors, and international partners, sharing direction, updates, and risks clearly.
• Promote a workplace culture built on technical excellence, ownership, discipline, and continuous improvement through strong leadership and structured processes.
• Oversee all engineering projects so they are delivered on schedule, within budget, and to the required quality standard.
• Handle multiple concurrent programs in a fast-moving environment while balancing priorities and resources effectively.
• Identify technical and execution issues early and resolve them to protect milestones and reduce delays.
• Standardize engineering workflows and procedures so they remain efficient, consistent, and compliant with internal rules and industry practices.
• Maintain adherence to ISO 9001:2015 and automotive quality methods such as APQP, PPAP, FMEA, and Control Plans across all initiatives.
• Safeguard quality, reliability, and regulatory compliance through audits, validation, and disciplined engineering controls.
• Review engineering records such as drawings, BOMs, ECNs, specifications, and test reports to ensure accuracy, traceability, and compliance.
• Develop strong working relationships with OEMs, distributors, suppliers, and global partners to support delivery and business growth.
• Work closely with Sales, Design, Supply Chain, Quality, Manufacturing, and senior leadership to keep all functions aligned.
• Lead joint execution with international stakeholders and group companies, ensuring smooth communication across regions.
• Coach and develop multicultural engineering teams, encouraging collaboration, accountability, and strong performance.
• Recruit, train, and strengthen engineering capability to meet present and future needs, including succession planning and skills development.
• Encourage ownership and customer-first thinking across the team.
• Manage engineering budgets and drive cost-effective execution through careful planning and financial oversight.
• Track progress against milestones and report status, risks, and recommendations to senior management.
• Allocate resources efficiently across programs to maximize output and meet deadlines.
• Build and improve engineering processes, procedures, and best practices to increase consistency and standardization.
• Drive continuous improvement using data-backed methods to improve efficiency, quality, and performance.
• Support the company’s OEM-after-OEM delivery approach with emphasis on speed, simplicity, and repeatability.
• Maintain oversight of every engineering stage and milestone so project status remains visible and controlled.
• Take full accountability for department outcomes and proactively resolve issues as they arise.
• Coordinate with suppliers for prototyping, tooling, manufacturing, PPAP activities, testing, and technical issue resolution.
• Support expansion of the manufacturing base beyond China by conducting technical evaluations and assessing supplier capability.

Reporting lines and interfaces

Internal stakeholders: Top management, Design, QA/R&D, Quality, Supply Chain, Sales, Finance, and HR & Admin.

External stakeholders: Customers, contractors, subcontractors, and suppliers.

The role covers all engineering activities and related cost planning in consultation with management.

Requirements

• A master’s degree or bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering, or another engineering-related discipline.
• At least 15 years of overall work experience.
• At least 15 years of experience in the automotive upstream domain.
• At least 10 years in a similar leadership position.
• Strong knowledge of mechanical, electrical, electronic, firmware, and electromechanical product development.
• Ability to lead innovation through new engineering ideas, technologies, and product improvement efforts.
• Experience ensuring safe electrical integration, including power-only architecture and vehicle network interaction such as CAN and LIN where relevant.
• Capability to review and approve engineering calculations, CAD/CAE simulations, PCB designs, and architecture decisions.
• Ability to define and run DV/PV plans, EMI/EMC requirements, and reliability standards to OEM expectations.
• Hands-on familiarity with 3D CAD tools such as CATIA, NX, SolidWorks, and CATIA RE.
• Excellent spoken and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex technical topics to different audiences.
• Strong stakeholder management across OEMs, distributors, suppliers, and internal departments.
• Comfort working under pressure, managing parallel projects, and delivering in demanding environments.
• Strong analytical thinking, problem-solving ability, and cross-functional collaboration skills.

Additional information

Backgrounds that may be an advantage: process discipline, OEM network exposure, understanding of regional/international markets, and leadership experience in structured organizations.

Preferred personality traits: strategic and forward-looking, innovative, team-oriented, decisive, results-driven, analytical, resilient, customer-focused, communicative, collaborative, technically strong, detail-oriented, ethical, confident, positive, and culturally aware.

About the company: The employer is a global engineering group supporting competitiveness across major industrial sectors such as automotive, aerospace, energy, rail, marine, life sciences, and telecommunications. It operates in more than 30 countries, with 140 locations worldwide and a workforce of 15,000 employees.