Engineering and Manufacturing Leadership Search
Engineering and technical appointments within advanced manufacturing.
The people who run engineering and manufacturing well are almost never on the market. Hiring one is a confidential search, not an advert. Core Search runs that search for you, from engineering and operations managers to directors.
Leadership roles we search for
Engineering Managers and Heads of Engineering
Leading design, development and manufacturing engineering teams, and the technical roadmap.
Manufacturing and Production Managers
Output, cost, quality and people across the shop floor, from single cells to full production.
Operations Managers and Directors
Running the operation end to end: production, supply chain, planning, quality and improvement.
Plant, Site and General Managers
Full responsibility for a site, its performance, its people and its customers.
Quality Managers and Heads of Quality
Quality systems, accreditations, customer and supplier quality, and a right-first-time culture.
Technical and Engineering Directors
Setting technical strategy, leading engineering functions and sitting on the leadership team.
How a leadership search works
1. Brief
We get to know the business, the team and what success looks like in the first year, not just the job description.
2. Market map
We map leaders in comparable businesses and tell you who is realistically within reach and what they earn.
3. Confidential approach
We approach people directly and discreetly. Your name is shared only when a candidate is serious and you are ready.
4. Assessment
Structured interviews on track record, leadership, commercial judgement and technical credibility, with references taken properly.
5. Shortlist
A short, evidenced shortlist with our honest view of each candidate, including the risks.
6. Offer and start
We manage the offer, the counter-offer and the notice period, and stay in touch through the first months.
Why leadership hires are different
A wrong senior hire costs far more than a fee. It costs momentum, good people and often a year of results.
The strongest candidates are employed, visible to your competitors and careful about who they talk to. Some searches are sensitive too, such as replacing someone who is still in post. All of this needs a discreet, direct approach.
What we assess
- A measurable track record: safety, quality, delivery, cost and output, not just responsibilities held.
- Leading teams through change, growth or turnaround.
- Commercial judgement and how they work with owners, boards and customers.
- Technical credibility with the engineers they will lead.
- Fit with your business, your pace and your plans for the next few years.
Who we work with
Owner-managed and investor-backed manufacturers, and sites within larger groups that hire their own leaders, across motorsport, automotive, aerospace and defence, automation, testing and specialist manufacturing in Oxfordshire, Warwickshire, the West Midlands and the UK.
Questions
Can you run a search to replace someone still in post?
Yes. Your business is not named in our approaches until you are ready, and we agree with you exactly what we can say.
How do you charge for a leadership search?
Director and head-of searches are run on a retained basis, with the fee paid in stages as the search progresses. That gives you a dedicated, exclusive search with a clear process and timeline. Manager-level roles can be handled on a success-only basis. We will recommend the right option when we take the brief.
How long does a leadership search take?
We agree a timeline at the brief and update you every week. You will see a market view early, so there are no surprises.
I am a senior leader considering a move. Can I talk to you confidentially?
Yes. Conversations stay between us, and we never send your details to a business without your agreement.
What areas do you cover?
Oxfordshire, Warwickshire and the wider Midlands are our base, and we search nationally.
Planning a senior engineering or operations hire?
Start with a confidential conversation. We will tell you honestly what the market looks like.