Engineering Shift Lead

Engineering Shift Lead Location :
Cambrian Industrial Park, Tonypandy, CF40 2XX
Salary :
Circa £41,00 DOE Contract :
Full-time, permanent Hours/Shift Patterns:
Monday to Friday (6am to 2pm or 2pm to 10pm on a rotating shift) Department :
Engineering

The Role We are seeking an experienced Engineering Shift Lead to take ownership of engineering performance during your shift. This is a hands-on leadership role, combining technical expertise with people management, safety leadership and continuous improvement. You will lead, coach and develop a shift-based engineering team while remaining actively involved in maintenance, breakdown response, fabrication and improvement work. You'll play a key role in improving equipment reliability, reducing downtime and building a high-performance, safety-first culture.

What you'll be responsible for People Leadership & Culture Leading start-of-shift briefs, end-of-shift reviews and effective cross-shift handovers Setting clear expectations and holding the team to agreed standards Coaching, developing and recognising engineers on shift Managing performance, conduct and absence issues fairly and in line with company policy Creating a culture of accountability, teamwork and continuous improvement Hands-on maintenance & breakdown response Diagnosing and repairing mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic faults Supporting electrical fault-finding where competent Carrying out fabrication, machining and component repair work Ensuring fast, safe and effective breakdown resolution to minimise downtime Preventive Maintenance Delivering scheduled preventive maintenance to defined standards Working from maintenance schedules and production plans Maintaining accurate maintenance records for compliance and analysis Safety, Compliance & Housekeeping Championing safe systems of work and leading point-of-work risk assessments Working closely with the H&S Manager to drive safety compliance Investigating accidents and near misses and ensuring corrective actions are completed Maintaining BRC accreditation, 5S standards and excellent housekeeping Continuous Improvement & Projects Identifying and implementing equipment and process improvements Supporting automation and cost-reduction initiatives Applying Lean tools, RCA and 5 Whys methodology Driving improvements in OEE, reliability and downtime reduction Facilitating small Kaizen activities and sharing best practice across shifts Communication & Decision Making Providing clear shift performance updates to the Head of Engineering Maintaining accurate breakdown, repair and PM records Liaising with internal teams and external suppliers Allocating labour and approving reasonable overtime within agreed parameters Stopping work where safety or quality is at risk and escalating appropriately Deputising for the Head of Engineering within agreed authority What success looks like Strong shift-level safety performance and audit results Reduced downtime and improved equipment reliability Planned maintenance completed on schedule Engaged, well-coached engineering team Improved OEE and measurable CI cost savings High levels of near-miss reporting and closed corrective actions What we're looking for Essential Strong mechanical engineering background with hands-on experience Proven ability to diagnose and repair mechanical, pneumatic and hydraulic systems

Experience with fabrication, machining and hand-fitting components Leadership experience within a maintenance or engineering environment Knowledge of RCA and 5 Whys problem-solving techniques Good understanding of HSE requirements and compliance standards Confident people leader who sets standards and holds others accountable Flexible and able to work rotating shifts Desirable Basic electrical fault-finding capability

Experience with Lean / Continuous Improvement tools Manufacturing environment experience IOSH Managing Safely or equivalent H&S qualification Track record of improving OEE and equipment performance Why Join Us A leadership role that keeps you hands-on and technically challenged Real influence over engineering performance and site reliability Opportunity to develop people, systems and processes Supportive leadership structure and clear decision-making authority If you're an experienced engineer ready to lead from the front balancing people, performance and technical excellence we'd love to hear from you.

Apply now to join our Engineering leadership team. No agencies please.