Job Description

Design & Development Manager - Manufacturing / Product Innovation
Permanent | Competitive salary + benefits
Tonbridge
Contact: Emily Powell or Sammy Messenger - Pearson Whiffin Recruitment
Do you thrive in fast-paced, hands-on environments where ideas move quickly, and your decisions make a visible impact?
Are you the kind of design leader who brings energy, pushes boundaries, and loves solving real engineering problems--not just managing paperwork?
If you're nodding, this could be your perfect next step
The Opportunity:
A well-established UK manufacturer is investing heavily in innovation and looking for a dynamic, engaging, sleeves-rolled-up Design & Development Manager to lead their in-house CAD and R&D function.
This role would suit someone currently operating as a Design Manager, Head of Design, NPD Manager or Senior Mechanical Designer within a manufacturing environment.
This isn't a huge corporate machine where everything takes six months and requires four committees.
This is a business where:

• Engineers actually get to engineer
• New ideas get heard quickly
• You can influence design strategy, production thinking, and product performance
• You'll be visible, valued, and genuinely shaping the next generation of products

You'll head up a small, talented team and take ownership of all product design activity--from concept to production release.
As Design & Development Manager, you will:

• Lead, motivate and develop a growing design and R&D team
• Drive concept development, detail design and NPI activity
• Champion innovation and continuous improvement in materials, mechanisms and manufacturing methods
• Collaborate with production, operations and sales to make sure ideas translate into reality
• Challenge existing processes, remove bottlenecks and introduce better ways of working
• Oversee CAD best practice, technical accuracy, testing and compliance
• Influence product strategy, cost improvements and future roadmap decisions

In short: you'll be the person who makes great ideas happen.
What we're looking for:
We want someone with spark. Someone who lights up when they talk about design.
Someone who thrives on problem-solving, gets stuck in, and loves working in an SME where pace matters.
You'll also bring:

• Solid experience leading a design, CAD or NPD function within manufacturing
• A background in mechanical or product design (SolidWorks ideal)
• Strong design-for-manufacture understanding
• Relevant education - ideally degree level
• A balance of creativity, technical competence and commercial awareness
• The ability to rally a team, challenge thinking, and communicate with energy
• A mindset that says: "Let's find a solution," not "That's not my job."

If you prefer rigid structure, big hierarchies, long sign-off chains or working at arm's length--this won't be your environment.
If you love variety, ownership and getting things done--you'll thrive here.
Why join?

• Real ownership of the design function
• Space to innovate and influence
• Senior visibility and a voice at the table
• A supportive, ambitious leadership team
• Products used across the UK and internationally
• The chance to lead meaningful change in a business that actually welcomes it

This role is being managed exclusively by the Manufacturing, Engineering & Technical team at Pearson Whiffin Recruitment.
Find us on Facebook @PearsonWhiffinRecruitment and Instagram @PearsonWhiffinRecruitment.

Skills Required