The role of the Design Manager, Motorsport and MSO is to lead and manage the design and development of bespoke and high-performance automotive design projects across McLaren Racing and McLaren Special Operations (MSO).
This individual will be responsible for overseeing the successful delivery of creative and production-ready design solutions, ensuring alignment with brand identity, programme objectives, engineering feasibility, and manufacturing requirements.
The role combines strategic leadership, cross-functional collaboration, and people management responsibilities to drive exceptional design outcomes across multiple programmes and stakeholders.
The Design Manager will ensure that all design activities are delivered to the highest standards of quality, innovation, and performance while fostering a collaborative and high-performing team culture.
Design Leadership & Programme Delivery
- Lead and manage the delivery of design projects across McLaren Motorsport and MSO, ensuring alignment with programme requirements, brand values, and performance expectations.
- Oversee the development and refinement of design concepts into production-ready solutions, ensuring feasibility, functionality, and quality.
People Management & Team Leadership
- Provide leadership, coaching, and development support to design team members, fostering a collaborative and high-performing culture.
- Manage team priorities, resource allocation, and performance to ensure successful project delivery.
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Serve as the key interface between design, engineering, manufacturing, programme management, and commercial stakeholders to ensure alignment on project objectives.
- Participate in design reviews, stakeholder meetings, and programme evaluations to maintain design integrity and delivery standards.
Process Improvement & Technical Integration
- Drive continuous improvement in design and delivery processes, focusing on efficiency, innovation, and quality.
- Support the integration of technical requirements, manufacturing constraints, and performance considerations into design development.
Design Advocacy & Brand Alignment
- Champion McLaren Racing and MSO design principles, ensuring all outputs align with brand identity and customer expectations.
- Act as a subject matter expert and design leader, providing guidance and decision-making support across programmes and teams.
What You'll Bring
- Experienced Automotive Manager: Extensive experience in automotive exterior design, with a strong understanding of production processes and engineering constraints.
- Technical Problem Solver: Ability to address complex challenges related to aerodynamics, material selection, and manufacturing techniques.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Works closely with engineering, manufacturing, and other teams to ensure seamless integration of design into production.
- Process & Quality Focused: Attention to detail and commitment to ensuring high production quality standards are met.
- Leadership & Guidance: Provides technical expertise to teams, guiding them through production challenges while maintaining design integrity.
- Continuous Learner: Passion for staying up-to-date with advancements in automotive technologies, materials, and manufacturing processes.
- Strong Communicator: Clear and concise communicator, capable of presenting complex design and production challenges to both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
Essential Functional / Technical Skills
- Advanced skills in sketching, 3D modeling (e.g., Alias, Blender, Autodesk), and design visualization to ensure production-ready designs.
- Expertise in exterior design, material selection, manufacturing processes, and automotive engineering principles.
- Deep knowledge of automotive trends, competitor landscape, and consumer expectations, with a focus on production integration.
What We'll Do for You
- We offer a wide-ranging benefits package, which includes:
- Structured career development framework
- 25 days' holiday, plus bank holiday. Annual buy & sell up to five days
- Enhanced company pension scheme
- Discretionary annual bonus award
- Private medical insurance and health cash plan
- Ability to apply for a sabbatical of up to one year after only two years' service
- Benefits you can adapt to your lifestyle, such as discounted shopping
- Generous parental leave policies
- A range of wellbeing initiatives, such as employee assistance programme and free financial & mortgage advice
XML job scraping automation by YubHub
