Senior Mechanical Engineer

Senior Mechanical Engineer

Location: Caerphilly

Salary: Up to £44,000

Hours: Mon-Fri 37.5 hours a week

Are you an experienced Mechanical Engineer with strong leadership skills and a passion for driving reliability and performance? We are recruiting for a Senior Mechanical Engineer to join a major manufacturing operation in Caerphilly. This is a fantastic opportunity to take ownership of a high‑performing maintenance function and play a pivotal role in site engineering performance.

As Senior Mechanical Engineer, you will provide the technical and managerial expertise required to lead a skilled maintenance team and support all mechanical functions on site. You will ensure plant reliability, deliver maintenance programmes effectively, and drive continuous improvement across engineering, safety and operational performance. You will also deputise for the Maintenance Manager when required, contributing to long‑term engineering strategy while supporting day‑to‑day performance and production needs.

• Lead, support and manage a multi‑skilled maintenance team.
• Ensure maintenance and reliability programmes are delivered safely, efficiently and within budget.
• Provide technical expertise and immediate decision‑making during breakdowns, prioritising safety and operational impact.
• Monitor engineering KPIs including unplanned downtime, MTBF, MTTR and maintenance effectiveness.
• Plan and allocate engineering resources to meet operational, statutory and quality requirements.
• Support production teams with technical guidance and engineering solutions.
• Maintain strong safety standards and manage relevant safety documentation and permits.
• Control engineering expenditure, including MRO budgets and spare parts usage.
• Manage contractor activity on site, ensuring compliance with permits, RAMS and safety procedures.
• Lead root cause analysis, continuous improvement, FMEA and reliability initiatives.
• Deliver plant improvement proposals, maintenance schedules and upgrade projects.
• Train, mentor and develop maintenance staff, supporting succession planning and skill enhancement.
• Maintain strong working relationships with engineering, production and quality departments.

• Mechanical Engineering Degree, HND or HNC (or equivalent).
• 5+ years' experience in a supervisory or technical role within a continuous process, manufacturing or heavy engineering environment.
• Strong technical understanding of mechanical maintenance and engineering principles.
• Good knowledge of SAP maintenance systems.
• Strong understanding of Health & Safety legislation and safe working practices.
• Sound knowledge of stores, purchasing and cost‑control processes.
• A resilient, proactive and solutions‑oriented leader with excellent decision‑making skills.
• Strong coaching, communication and team development abilities.

• A challenging and rewarding leadership role within a major industrial environment.
• The opportunity to influence engineering strategy and drive continuous improvement.

Excellent benefits and long‑term career development