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POSITION: Senior Manager, Studio Engineering (22 months FTC)

POSTING END DATE: 12/09/2025

LOCATION: Gaydon, Warwickshire (UK)

SALARY: Competitive

As a part of the Creative team, you’ll be at the core of what we do at JLR, shaping the future of modern luxury. Working in Vehicle Design, Materiality, Brand Design, Digital Design, Business Planning and Transformation, you’ll collaborate with other creative minds to deliver sustainable solutions using cutting-edge technology. Unleash your creativity on iconic brands. Come, be a proud creator of the exceptional.

WHAT TO EXPECT

Join our Design Hub – a dynamic, agile, and forward-thinking environment dedicated to delivering premium contemporary vehicle design services to external partners. We are pioneering the future of mobility by blending innovative technology, fresh ideas, and creative approaches that resonate with evolving customer lifestyles. Operating at speed and with commercial focus, we balance bold design innovation with practical feasibility. Close collaboration with our China-based realisation studio and external engineering partners ensures our designs translate smoothly into production-ready vehicles that stand out in the premium contemporary segment.

This position is a key part of the Studio Engineering team, responsible for preserving design integrity while ensuring it’s feasibility. As a member of the Design Technical Senior Management Team, it holds primary responsibility for delivering multiple feasible vehicles within a single Vehicle Line or Architecture of a Joint Venture project with a Chinese partner.

The role involves leading teams in both the UK and China, overseeing activities through Feasibility Checkpoints and a partner’s Product Development process - from Product Definition to Production Release - while maintaining the integrity of the design.

A people orientated leader with strong leadership, technical expertise and collaboration is essential to maintaining design integrity while driving engineering feasibility. Periodic overseas travel is expected with this role.

THE ROLE

Key Responsibilities

• Oversee and manage Studio Engineering teams and activities across the UK and China for multiple vehicles.
• Ensure Studio Engineering deliverables are met by managing results through programme gateways in accordance with the Creative and Product Development process.
• Maintain alignment between design integrity, programme objectives, and engineering requirements at key programme gateways and data releases.
• Collaborate with JLR and Partner stakeholders to ensure timely, well-assessed, and appropriate inputs into the development of the design aesthetic.
• Facilitate direct and indirect cross-team integration to ensure compatibility of inputs and are appropriate to the designs.
• Ensure compliance with legal regulations, programme assumptions, internal standards, and attribute requirements through programme gateways and data releases.
• Oversee on-time Data and Surface Releases to support the overall Product Creation process.
• Lead the generation and development of feasible engineering schemes in CAD, proposing creative alternatives where necessary and securing stakeholder alignment.
• Provide technical guidance to Studio Engineering and Design teams, enhancing aesthetics while ensuring manufacturability and high-quality standards.
• Lead efforts in resolving design-related issues, ensuring a structured and effective approach.
• Ensure the Studio Engineering team lead Feasibility Reviews with Stakeholders focussing on issue resolution.

Key Performance Indicators

• Deliver programmes on Time and to Cost
• Proof of effective collaboration and alignment with wider JLR and JV stakeholders
• Achieve Design Feasibility Gateway / Increment deliverables
• Deliver Data Releases on time with relevant stakeholder alignment
• Ability to manage competing priorities and lead teams effectively
• Employee Net Promoter Score

Key Interactions

• JLR and JV partners Creative Designers
• JLR Design Technical & Realisation Team
• JLR and JV partners 3D Modelling Teams (Digital Sculpting & Surfacing, Creative Modelling, Visualisation)
• JV partners Product Engineering Teams
• JV partners Advanced Manufacturing
• JV partners Product Quality

WHAT YOU’LL NEED

Essential Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• Proven experience in Studio Engineering, Design Feasibility or similar, including Concept or Technical development, with a strong hands-on approach to problem solving and solution creation.
• Demonstrated ability to manage cross-functional teams, delivering feasible solutions while maintaining design intent.
• A technically skilled and people-oriented leader with a strong design sensibility and the ability to directly contribute to engineering solutions, over relaying information between teams.
• A strategic, forward-thinking mindset with expertise in solving complex technical challenges creatively and applying real-world engineering solutions to design feasibility issues.
• Proven experience in adopting and adapting feasibility processes in line with changing demands.
• Extensive experience in vehicle packaging, bumper and exterior trim engineering, exterior lighting systems, occupant and pedestrian safety, closures, manufacturing and assembly, instrument panel, console, and door trim engineering.
• Solid track record in people management, with a demonstrated ability to develop both individual, and team skills and capabilities.
• Strong business acumen and a customer-driven approach to design delivery.
• Excellent communication skills, with the ability to engage effectively across all levels and disciplines, including Creative, Vehicle Programme, Engineering, and Commercial teams.
• A degree or equivalent relevant experience is preferred.
• Strategic Thinking; capability to align workplace experience initiatives with broader organisational goals and culture.
• Customer centric mindset; treating employees as internal customers, ensuring their workplace is personalised and positive.
• Excellent presentation skills.

Desirable Knowledge, Skills and Experience

• CATIA V5 & TCE data management system
• CATIA V6 & Enovia data managment system

Personal Profile

• Demonstrates our Creators' Code behaviours of Customer Love, Unity, Integrity, Growth and Impact.
• A proactive individual with a customer mindset, ensures interactions are seamless, personalised, transparent, and dependable.
• Team player who is willing to take responsibility for their own workload, whilst providing leadership and support to other members of their direct and indirect team
• A determined highly motivated, results driven, and committed leader operating with confidence, energy, and pace.
• Time-zone management expertise: Efficient in coordinating across different time zones to optimise collaboration and efficiency.
• Comfortable interacting and positively challenging others (from internal squads to senior leaders) in an influential way, whilst building credibility and trust
• Resilient and enthusiastic
• Travel & work overseas when required by Creative, Programme, and Partner leadership teams

Creating Modern Luxury requires a modern approach to work. At JLR, hybrid working is a voluntary, non-contractual arrangement providing employees flexibility around how, when and where they work. Some roles require more on-site work, but details of this can be discussed with the hiring manager during the interview stage.

We work hard to nurture a culture that is inclusive and welcoming to all. We understand candidates may require reasonable adjustments during the recruitment process. Please discuss these with your recruiter so we can accommodate your needs. 

JLR is committed to equal opportunity for all.

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