Job Title
Lead Multi-Skilled Maintenance Engineer
Ref #
59206
Date posted
Friday, June 19, 2026
Country
United Kingdom
Location
Sheffield
Business area
Sheffield
Department
Sheffield
Position level
5 - Supervisory / Professional​ - (L-17)
Working time
Full Time
Contract type
Permanent
Working pattern
Senna Sheffield
Salary
N/A
What to Expect
This is an exciting opportunity for a Lead Maintenance Engineer to join our Composites Technology Centre located in Sheffield, on a permanent basis.
In this role, you will provide leadership of the maintenance engineering team on a shift basis across the Composites Technology Centre, translating business priorities into effective maintenance plans that protect operational continuity, support capacity and performance improvement, and enable safe, reliable and cost-effective manufacturing operations. You will play a key role in informing and shaping the site maintenance strategy and will lead the implementation of that strategy across reactive, preventative and predictive maintenance, asset care, reliability improvement and technical standards, ensuring resources, systems and priorities are aligned to business requirements. You will lead a team of engineers through subordinate technical leadership, shape medium-term maintenance plans and investment priorities, and act as a senior maintenance authority for complex operational, technical and people decisions within the function. Therefore, you will be an experienced engineering team leader with advanced technical expertise across electrical, mechanical and fluid power systems, with a strong background in maintenance strategy implementation, asset management, team leadership and operational performance improvement.

Principal Accountabilities

Reporting into the Maintenance Manager, the Lead Maintenance Engineer will be accountable for driving maintenance excellence, shaping continuous development of the maintenance engineering function across the site, ensuring maintenance plans, asset reliability priorities, technical standards and resource deployment support business, operational and capacity objectives. You will input into the development of the site maintenance strategy and will lead the prioritisation and implementation of maintenance activity through subordinate technical leadership, balancing short-term operational demands with medium-term asset care, reliability improvement and risk reduction goals. You will be accountable for maintenance budgets, planning assumptions, inventory strategy, contractor management and the governance of maintenance KPIs, using data and engineering judgment to make decisions that optimise uptime, cost, compliance and total cost of ownership. The role will also establish maintenance procedures and engineering standards, lead significant maintenance and equipment improvement projects, and act as a key cross-functional partner to production, engineering and leadership teams to influence site performance, operational readiness and future capability.

Shift pattern 
• Alternating Mornings (06:00 – 14:00) and Afternoons (14:00 – 22:00) 
• Potential for 3 shift rotation in future


What You'll Do
Leadership & Strategic Management
• Contribute to defining the site maintenance strategy, policies and priorities, and lead the implementation of these through effective planning, governance and alignment with business objectives, operational requirements and industry best practice
• Lead, coach and develop the team of maintenance engineers, including capability and succession planning 
• Establish and monitor maintenance KPIs, OEE (Overall Equipment Effectiveness) and reliability metrics
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives using Lean, TPM and Six Sigma methodologies
• Manage maintenance budgets, forecasting and cost control activities
• Lead major maintenance, asset improvement and equipment installation projects, ensuring delivery supports long-term reliability, capacity and operational resilience

Technical & Engineering Excellence
• Provide technical leadership across electrical, mechanical and fluid power systems
• Lead complex fault-finding investigations and root cause analysis activities
• Develop and maintain maintenance technical standards, specifications and procedures
• Implement reliability-centred maintenance (RCM) and condition-based monitoring programmes
• Optimise preventative and predictive maintenance schedules to maximise equipment uptime
• Evaluate and implement new technologies and maintenance methodologies

Operational Delivery
• Provide operational shift leadership for maintenance delivery across the site, ensuring effective execution of reactive, preventative and predictive maintenance through appropriate leadership, prioritisation and governance
• Minimise equipment downtime through proactive maintenance planning and rapid response coordination
• Oversee maintenance planning and scheduling to optimise resource utilisation
• Manage spare parts strategy, inventory levels and supplier relationships
• Ensure compliance with all health, safety and environmental regulations


Stakeholder Management & Collaboration
• Build strong partnerships with production, engineering and quality functions
• Coordinate maintenance activities with operational requirements to minimise production impact
• Liaise with external contractors, suppliers and OEMs for specialist support
• Provide insight, performance reporting and recommendations on maintenance risks, investment priorities, capability requirements and improvement opportunities
• Support homologation, validation and new product introduction activities

Quality & Compliance
• Ensure all maintenance activities meet company procedures and engineering standards
• Maintain comprehensive maintenance documentation, records and CMMS data integrity
• Lead safety inspections, risk assessments and incident investigations
• Ensure compliance with ISO standards, PUWER, LOLER and relevant regulations
• Drive implementation of health, safety and environmental best practices

What You'll Bring
Basic Qualifications & Experience 
• HNC, HND in a relevant Engineering discipline 
• Served a full Engineering Apprenticeship and/or qualified to a minimum of NVQ level 3 or equivalent in a relevant Engineering subject (City and Guilds Level 3, SVQ/IVQ) 
• Minimum 5 years' experience in maintenance engineering within an industrial or manufacturing environment
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing engineering teams
• Advanced multi-skilled capability across electrical, mechanical and fluid power disciplines with experience in fault finding using electrical, mechanical, and fluid power schematic drawings. 
• Experience with CMMS/EAM systems and data-driven maintenance decision making 
• Strong knowledge of reliability engineering principles and methodologies


Preferred Qualifications and Experience
• Degree qualified in Mechanical, Electrical or Manufacturing Engineering (BEng/MEng) or equivalent professional qualification
• Professional qualifications in maintenance management (e.g., IIMM, SMRP)
• Demonstrable experience developing and implementing world class maintenance strategies
• Advanced knowledge of robotic systems, PLCs and automated equipment 
• Proficiency with Siemens TIA Portal for PLC programming and diagnostics
• Experience implementing TPM, RCM or condition monitoring programmes
• Knowledge of Industry 4.0 technologies and smart maintenance systems

Personal Attributes
• Strategic thinker with strong analytical and problem-solving capabilities
• Proven leadership skills with ability to inspire, influence and develop teams
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills at all organisational levels
• Strong business acumen with commercial and financial awareness
• Results-driven with focus on continuous improvement and operational excellence
• Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment
• Proactive, innovative approach to engineering challenges
• Strong decision-making abilities under pressure
• Commitment to safety, quality and environmental sustainability

What We'll Do for You
We offer a wide – ranging benefits package, which includes:
  • Structured career development framework
  • 25 days’ holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
  • Enhanced company pension scheme
  • Discretionary annual bonus award
  • Private medical insurance and health cash plan
  • Life assurance benefit
  • Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years’ service
  • Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
  • Generous parental leave policies
  • A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice
Who Are We?
No restraints. No limitations. We don’t simply push boundaries. We completely rethink them. McLaren Automotive exists to create breath-taking performance road cars.

It takes a community to do what we do. A diverse group of people with many areas of expertise, united by their passion to deliver visionary products and set new benchmarks. 

McLaren Automotive commits to equal opportunity for all. Diversity, Equality and Inclusion is at the heart of our impact, it drives our innovation and enables us to truly create something special. Join us on our journey. 

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