An exciting opportunity has arisen for a hands-on Engineering Service Manager to lead a team of field-based service engineers supporting a portfolio of advanced industrial machinery and automated manufacturing equipment across the UK and Ireland. The successful candidate will combine strong technical expertise with effective leadership skills, ensuring exceptional customer support, efficient service delivery, and continuous operational improvement.

Key Responsibilities:

• Lead, motivate, and develop a team of field service engineers.
• Manage engineer workloads, schedules, and customer priorities.
• Conduct regular performance reviews, coaching, and technical development plans.
• Maintain high levels of service quality, responsiveness, and customer satisfaction.
• Provide hands-on support for complex breakdowns, diagnostics, commissioning, and installations.
• Act as the senior technical escalation point for engineers and customers.
• Assist with fault finding on electrical, mechanical, pneumatic, hydraulic, CNC, PLC, and automated systems.
• Support machine upgrades, retrofits, and continuous improvement projects.
• Build strong relationships with customers across manufacturing sectors.
• Ensure service contracts, preventative maintenance programmes, and support agreements are delivered effectively.
• Handle escalated customer issues professionally and efficiently.
• Promote a customer-first approach throughout the service team.
• Monitor service KPIs including response times, utilisation, customer satisfaction, and first-time fix rates.
• Work closely with spare parts, sales, and project teams to ensure seamless customer support.
• Support service planning and scheduling to maximise efficiency and minimise downtime.
• Drive continuous improvement initiatives within the service department.
• Ensure all service activities are carried out in accordance with company and customer health and safety standards.
• Promote a strong safety culture across the engineering team.
• Ensure compliance with relevant industry regulations and procedures.

Beneficial Skills / Qualifications:

• Proven experience within a field service, maintenance, or engineering management role.
• Strong background working with industrial machinery, CNC equipment, automation systems, or capital equipment.
• Hands-on electrical and mechanical fault-finding experience.
• Previous experience managing, mentoring, or supervising engineers.
• Excellent planning, organisational, and communication skills.
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple priorities.
• Full UK driving licence.
• Willingness to travel throughout the UK and Ireland when required.
• HNC/HND, Apprenticeship, or Degree in Electrical, Mechanical, Mechatronics, or Manufacturing Engineering.
• PLC diagnostics experience.
• Experience supporting automated production equipment.
• Knowledge of service contracts, preventative maintenance programmes, and aftermarket support.
• Experience within woodworking, manufacturing, processing, or automated production environments.
• Natural leader with a collaborative management style.
• Customer-focused with a passion for delivering outstanding service.
• Strong problem solver who enjoys technical challenges.
• Commercially aware and results-driven.
• Adaptable, proactive, and able to lead by example.
• Comfortable balancing office-based management responsibilities with hands-on engineering support.