Drawing Office Manager

On-site in West Yorkshire·Full-time·Added 14 days ago (last checked 19 Oct)

Agency

Solid Talent

2 open roles

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Our summary

Salary: £65,000 a year
About £4,020 a month after tax.
Work mode: On-site, West Yorkshire
Contract: Permanent, full-time hours
Holiday: 28 days holiday

Skills

Nice to have

Requirements

What we're looking for

Proven track record managing a drawing office or a Senior / Lead Mechanical Design Engineer ready to step into departmental management
Time-served engineering apprenticeship with ONC/HNC/HND, or a Degree (BEng/MEng) in Mechanical Engineering (or equivalent experience)
Full UK Driving Licence

Nice to have

Proficient in SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM (experience managing legacy 2D AutoCAD data is highly desirable)
In-depth experience with stainless steel fabrication, sheet metal design, conveyors, product handling systems, or bespoke special-purpose machinery within the food industry would be highly advantageous
Familiarity with sheet metal CAM/nesting software (e.g. TruTops) and direct-to-machine workflows

Pay & benefits

What you'll get

The role

Drawing Office Manager Permanent Full-Time

Salary – Circa £65,000 DOE

Location – Office based in West Yorkshire

Join a market-leading British engineering manufacturer with over half a century of heritage in designing and producing bespoke automated machinery, conveying systems, and integrated processing lines for the global food sector. They combine end-to-end design with in-house fabrication, sheet metal processing, and final assembly.

We are looking for an experienced Drawing Office Manager (or an ambitious Senior/Lead Mechanical Design Engineer stepping into management) to take complete ownership of drawing office operations. Serving as the critical operational anchor between Senior Leadership, Project Managers, Production, and External Fabrication Partners, you will coordinate a team of 5 Mechanical Design Engineers and CAD Technicians. You will take ultimate accountability for technical accuracy, design schedules, manufacturing releases, and CAD data control.

Responsibilities, but are not limited to

What you'll do

Lead, manage, and mentor a team of 5 design engineers and CAD Technicians, coordinating daily work allocations and tracking project progress from initial handover through to final delivery
Act as the primary technical bridge between Senior Directors, Project Managers, Shop-Floor Fabrication, Assembly, and Subcontract Suppliers
Provide critical engineering input and technical guidance across bespoke mechanical designs, ensuring structural integrity, manufacturability, and technical precision
Manage design phase scheduling from technical handover through to production release, maintaining strict milestone delivery to align with manufacturing deadlines
Direct departmental CAD workflows using SolidWorks and SolidWorks PDM, maintaining strict revision control, BOM accuracy, and management of legacy AutoCAD data
Oversee flat-packing and sheet metal nesting protocols using TruTops software to drive efficient, direct-to-machine output for TRUMPF laser cutters and press brakes
Drive continuous improvement across drawing office workflows, modernising design templates, standardising component libraries, and streamlining ERP/BOM releases