Design Office Supervisor

Job Title

Design Office Supervisor

Reports To

Technical Director

Direct Reports

Design Engineers, CAD Designers and Technical Support Personnel (as applicable)

Job Purpose

The Design Office Supervisor is responsible for leading and coordinating the day-to-day operations of the Design Office, ensuring that engineering and design deliverables are completed safely, efficiently, and in accordance with required quality, regulatory, and customer standards.

Reporting to and supporting the Engineering Leadership, the role oversees the allocation of design resources, supervises design personnel, monitors project progress, and ensures compliance with company procedures, customer requirements, and applicable industry standards.

As the first line of leadership within the Design Office, the Design Office Supervisor provides technical direction, mentors and develops team members, fosters collaboration, and drives continuous improvement initiatives to enhance design quality, productivity, and overall team performance.

In addition to supervisory responsibilities, the Design Office Supervisor actively contributes to the department's engineering and design activities, applying technical expertise to support project delivery and business objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Team Leadership & Supervision

• Supervise and coordinate the daily activities of the design office team.
• Allocate work and resources to meet project priorities and delivery schedules.
• Provide technical support and guidance to designers and engineers.
• Monitor team performance and support employee development through coaching and mentoring.
• Assist with recruitment, onboarding, and training of new team members.
• Promote a positive and collaborative working culture.

Design Coordination

• Ensure design activities are completed in accordance with project plans and deadlines.
• Review engineering drawings, models and technical documentation for completeness and quality.
• Coordinate design reviews and ensure actions are completed in a timely manner.
• Support the development of engineering solutions that meet customer and regulatory requirements.
• Escalate technical or resource issues to the Engineering Leadership as required.

Project Support

• Work closely with project managers and engineering leads to monitor project progress.
• Track engineering deliverables and support the achievement of project milestones.
• Assist with estimating engineering effort, resource requirements, and schedules.
• Support design change control and configuration management activities.
• Participate in customer meetings, technical reviews, and internal project updates.

Quality & Compliance

• Ensure adherence to engineering standards, company procedures, and quality management systems.
• Support design verification and validation activities.
• Maintain accurate engineering records and document control practices.
• Assist with audits and corrective action implementation.
• Promote compliance with health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.

Continuous Improvement

• Identify opportunities to improve design processes, workflows, and productivity.
• Support the implementation of engineering best practices and lessons learned.
• Encourage standardisation and effective use of design tools and systems.
• Participate in initiatives to improve quality, efficiency, and customer satisfaction.

Key Accountabilities

• Timely completion of mechanical  design deliverables.
• Effective allocation and utilisation of design office resources.
• Compliance with quality standards and engineering procedures.
• Reduction of design errors and rework.
• Team performance, engagement, and development.
• Accurate reporting of project and resource status to the Engineering Leadership.

Qualifications & Experience

Essential

• HNC/HND or Degree in Engineering or a related discipline.
• Experience working within an engineering design environment.
• Proven experience leading or supervising engineering, design, or CAD teams.
• Strong understanding of engineering drawing standards and design processes.
• Minimum 3 years’ experience using 3D CAD (preferably SolidWorks).
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet project deadlines.

Desirable

• Experience within process related industries such as glass, steel, aluminium etc.
• Experience with document management systems, EPDM or Vault.

Skills & Competencies

Leadership

• Strong team leadership and supervisory skills.
• Ability to motivate and develop team members.
• Effective conflict resolution and decision-making capability.

Technical

• Sound engineering and design knowledge.
• Ability to review technical documentation and drawings.
• Strong problem-solving and analytical skills.

Communication

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with engineers, project managers, customers, and suppliers.

Organisation

• Effective planning and prioritisation abilities.
• Strong attention to detail.
• Ability to manage competing demands within a fast-paced environment.

Key Performance Indicators (KPIs)

• Achievement of design delivery milestones.
• Design quality and reduction in engineering errors.
• Resource utilisation and workload management.
• Compliance with engineering procedures and quality standards.
• Team capability development and training completion.
• Customer and internal stakeholder satisfaction.
• Continuous improvement actions implemented.