Ford & Stanley Executive Looking for Head of Engineering at Newport Full Time

Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Specialists in Executive Interim and Permanent appointments to the UK & European Rail Industry have been retained to work in partnership with CAF Rolling Stock to source and appoint a UK Head of Engineering based in Newport, South Wales.

CAF are a world class leader in the international market for the design, manufacture, maintenance and supply of equipment and components for railway systems. They are the most complete manufacturer of rail vehicles in the UK market and have been recognised for their hard work and professional service, having won the internationally acclaimed “Manufacturer of the Year” award at the prestigious Global Light Rail Awards in 2017 for projects they have been involved in within the UK and overseas.

Job Summary:

The Engineering Manager in CAF UK will act as a liaison between the Company’s Headquarters and the Engineering Office located in UK. The main goal will be to coordinate the design activities carried out by the UK engineering teams as well as provide proper support to the UK stakeholders (Customers, Manufacturing etc.), always in relationship with technical and engineering topics.

Lead, manage and motivate a team of professionals, obtaining participation and commitment to shared objectives and aligning them with the overall objectives.

Client Opportunity Statement

“The role will shape the way in which UK engineering interacts and collaborates with Spain headquarters”

“In Spain we are an employer of choice, we have ambition for our UK operations to follow suit- this this role will play a big part in that.”

 “We have ambitious plans for our UK operation, underpinned by some very exciting new projects coming online.”

Candidate Essentials:

• Rail Industry experience required – Rolling Stock engineering (Passenger ideal, would consider light rail or rail freight)
• Strong leadership and management experience
• Soft skills to include interpersonal, organisational skills, open minded, proactive, adaptable, ability to work to a high degree of autonomy and ability to use their own initiative.
• Previous experience of leading cross-functional teams in various locations, collaborative
• Degree in any engineering discipline 
• Charted or on the way to becoming charted preferred

Good to know…

• Role is based on site in Newport 3-4 days a week and remotely from home 1-2 days a week, relocation package available for candidates from further afield.
• 1st Stage Interview with COO and Head of HR On-site in Newport. Final Stage Interview Face to Face again, on-site in Newport WC 22nd Aug with Spanish counterpart. 
• Role reports into the Vehicle Product Lines Manager in Spain with a strong dotted line into the UK COO.
• The position has a team of 8 direct reports and the potential for growing the team over the coming years.
• Joining into a solid global capability of 700+ engineers currently working for CAF throughout Europe with CAF Spain holding ‘employer of choice’ status.
• Opportunity to work within the group to shape how the role interacts with colleagues in Spain.
• Strong pipeline with key upcoming projects.
• Role has been retained indefinitely with Ford & Stanley Executive Search who will be managing all direct and indirect interest.
• We are open to offering a relocation package for the right candidate as we appreciate and understand Rolling Stock Engineering talent in south Wales or the borders are scarce/limited.

Budget:

• Low £75k, Mid £80k, High £85k
• Holiday 25 days + bank holidays
• Pension up to 6% matched contributions
• Healthcare

Note: We are unable to offer a Car Allowance OR Bonus with this position.

Search Director Summary Statement

Likely to require relocation for the right candidate as experienced Managers / Heads of / Directors of Rolling Stock engineering in South Wales are far and few in-between. Luckily, Wales is a beautiful part of the world and CAF are open to providing a full relocation package as a part of the offer.

Passenger, Freight, OTM or Light Rail Vehicles – we are open to senior engineering professionals that hold extensive engineering prowess in any of these areas. Unfortunately, we cannot consider those from outside of Rail Rolling Stock for this position.

3 days a week is the minimum you can expect to need to be in Newport hence the need to be based locally.

Leadership, Management experience is the standard expectation – in addition the role will offer the challenge of international liaison and relationship management with your new Spanish counterparts to significantly reduce the 808-mile physical gap through collaboration and regularity of communication.

This is a rare and exciting an opportunity to take engineering ‘centre stage’ of one of the most ambitious Rolling Stock OEM’s in the UK of whom can boast a strong pipeline of projects.

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search

About Ford & Stanley Executive Search – Specialist Head-hunters to the UK & European Rail Industries.

At Ford & Stanley Executive Search we go beyond a recruiting transaction with our core mission being that of every interaction we have with clients and candidates is best in class. We are select in the opportunities we represent, as such, work under strict exclusivity or retained agreements with forward thinking and proactive Rail companies that place their trust in our ability to deliver a winning shortlist at the first time of asking.

Our Executive Search Directors invest time at the front end of process with our client’s leadership team or stakeholders to consult, understand the opportunity inherent within the role, business need, map and agree timescales with supporting delivery plan well in advance of conducting the search.

All candidates both active and passive (head-hunted) can expect full and professional engagement from the Executive Search team in addition a timely, thorough and engaging recruitment process from a committed employer that seeks to secure ‘cream of the crop’ from a busy and noisy UK Rail candidate market.

Ford & Stanley Group Ltd is committed to a policy of equal opportunities for all opportunity seekers and approach all opportunity with a mindset of who is right for the job irrespective sex, sexual orientation, gender reassignment, marital or civil partnership status, age, disability, colour, race, nationality, ethnic or national origin, religion or belief or political beliefs and we place an obligation upon all staff to respect and act in accordance with the policy. We shall adhere to such a policy at all times and will review on an on-going basis all aspects of recruitment to avoid unlawful or undesirable discrimination.