Technical Services Manager

Are you a manufacturing and engineering leader who thrives on setting standards, driving consistency, and shaping how world‑class operations are delivered?

Are you ready to act as the group authority for manufacturing technology, maintenance strategy, asset reliability, CNC programming, tooling, CAPEX delivery, and New Product Introduction across multiple UK sites?

As Technical Services Manager (TSM), you will define how manufacturing and maintenance are executed across the group. Reporting to the Production Director, you’ll work as a senior group presence across all four UK locations, setting clear standards and ensuring site teams consistently deliver safe, efficient, and future‑ready manufacturing in a safety‑critical rail environment.

You’ll ensure manufacturing processes are robust, repeatable, and fully compliant with rail standards, enabling the reliable and traceable production of switches, crossings, rail components, and assemblies.

If you’re passionate about engineering excellence, governance, and continuous improvement at scale, this is your opportunity to make a lasting impact across UK manufacturing operations.

• Define and lead the group manufacturing technology strategy, aligned to business objectives and long‑term growth.
• Own the manufacturing asset lifecycle and maintenance strategy, including asset criticality, reliability improvement, critical spares, and replacement planning.
• Lead the manufacturing CAPEX portfolio end‑to‑end, from business case through delivery, commissioning, and benefits realisation.
• Provide functional leadership for CNC programming, tooling, and fixtures, driving standardisation, optimisation, cost control, and risk reduction.
• Lead New Product Introduction (NPI) to ensure safe, robust, and repeatable manufacturing processes ready for operational handover.
• Establish and govern group manufacturing standards, specifications, and technical governance across all sites.
• Define and maintain manufacturing routings, standard times, capacities, and process data within Microsoft AX/ D365/ ERP systems.
• Partner closely with Operations, Maintenance, Engineering, Planning, and Design to ensure standards are practical, embedded, and support design‑for‑manufacture.
• Ensure all manufacturing processes, assets, and changes comply with Quality, EHS, and rail industry requirements.
• Uphold the Company Code of Conduct, taking responsibility for health, safety, environmental compliance, and other reasonable duties aligned to the role.

• Degree educated (or equivalent experience) in Manufacturing, Mechanical, Industrial, or Production Engineering.
• Proven experience leading CAPEX delivery and/ or manufacturing transformation within a heavy or complex manufacturing environment.
• Strong technical expertise in CNC machining, tooling strategies, and machine capability.
• Experience working across multi‑site manufacturing operations.
• Working knowledge of ERP systems (Microsoft AX/ D365 preferred).
• Structured, data‑driven problem solver with a continuous improvement mindset.
• Demonstrated ability to influence senior stakeholders and site teams without direct authority.
• Technically credible leader able to set standards, challenge constructively, and drive alignment.
• Clear communicator who can align group strategy into site‑level execution.
• Resilient and collaborative, comfortable operating in a regulated, safety‑critical manufacturing environment.

• Competitive salary with an annual bonus
• Tailored training to help you learn and develop
• Company funded external qualifications (where relevant to the role)
• Company pension scheme with 7% employer contribution
• Life assurance cover 3.5 x salary
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Discounted gym membership – up to 25% off across 4,000 UK gyms
• Fuel Card – save 2-3p per litre on across 3,500 UK fuel stations including BP, Esso and Shell
• Various employee recognition schemes
• 33 days holiday per annum, pro rate (inclusive of bank/public holidays)

Progress Rail, a Caterpillar company, is one of the largest integrated and diversified providers of rolling stock and infrastructure solutions and technologies for the global rail industry. The company…