R&D Manager – SFR343

Our client is a leading manufacturer of custom-made steel door and fire door solutions.

Decades of manufacturing experience, designing and making quality products whilst offering first class customer service.

Brief Description of Job Purpose:

The purpose of this role is to lead and own the safe and efficient operation of the Research and Development team, its development and design and certification of product current and future products to meet the customers’ needs by the most cost-effective method of manufacture through existing or by proposing new technology, that support the development of new business that grow profitability.

Key Accountabilities:

• Ensure a safe working environment for all employees and continually improve the environment and procedures, reacting to suggestions and proactively searching for issues.
• Ensure quality is improved by ease of design and proactively seeking methods to improve performance.
• To ensure that production costs are kept to a minimum and calculated at design, checked at design release, constantly looking for ways to improve profitability.
• To look forward and strategically suggesting new technology and alternative processes/methods of manufacture that will benefit the business.
• Develop the members of the team to upskill/cross train and engaged.
• Ensure all certification is up to date and testing that enables to sell product into specified markets.
• The development and introduction of new products to market with the appropriate certification and test results.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensuring safe practices are adhered to on site and off site.
• Identify and help rectify any unsafe practices and assist with leading indicator safety reviews.
• Drive a culture of support and development and zero waste through SQDCP process, improving performance to maximise KPI’s using lean tool and techniques.
• Ensuring OTIF for not only the R&D department, but for the company are met.
• For undertaking audits of the management system.
• Assist in technical assistance for customers.
• Manage employee performance regarding following company policies such as safety practices, absenteeism, and disciplinary procedures.
• Manage the team’s development plans and cross training, ensuring timing plans exist and are communicated to the teams on said developments.
• Effectively communicate to the team the section company performance and direction.
• Lead new product development, proactively suggesting improvement to products to remove cost and improve efficiency.
• Set the standard and implement lean principles in sections such as 5S, Standard Operations, Visual Management, and value stream analysis.
• Lead audits in the section on time and to a high quality, identifying improvements and dates to complete actions.
• Lead and own the generation of product development plans and ensure they are achieved.
• Report daily, weekly, and monthly on section performance in line with the KPI’s in the quality manual and at the various review meetings.
• Ensure any spend in the section is within budget.
• Identify new equipment and processes that can help to improve gross margin within the section.
• Manage all certification ensuring budget costs are provided annually to accounts and managed throughout the year, including testing and paperwork.
• Assist is special projects as and when required which may be in other departments.

If you’re interested in in this position, please contact SFR Recruitment Solutions.