Manufacturing Systems Lead

This role is responsible for the long-term ownership, performance, governance, and continuous improvement of DEEP Manufacturing’s Manufacturing Execution System (MES) and associated manufacturing systems landscape. The role will ensure these systems are embedded as core business tools that support safe, efficient, and scalable operations across the organisation.

The Manufacturing Systems Lead will ensure the systems are embedded as a core operational tool, driving real-time visibility, production efficiency, and data-led decision making across the business.

The role combines day-to-day system ownership, continuous improvement, and strategic integration delivery, particularly ensuring seamless connectivity between MES, ERP, and wider engineering / PLM systems as the business scales.

Requirements

Manufacturing Systems Ownership & Day-to-Day Operations

• Own the performance, reliability, and usability of the MES platform across global manufacturing operations
• Act as the primary point of contact for all MES-related issues, enhancements, and user support
• Ensure data integrity, system uptime, and process compliance within the MES
• Maintain system configuration, user access, workflows, and documentation
• Act as the internal business owner for manufacturing systems, providing continuity beyond individual projects or implementation phases.

2. Operational Efficiency

• Identify and deliver efficiency improvements across production processes using MES data and insights
• Develop dashboards and KPIs to track throughput, utilisation, scrap, and OEE-style metrics
• Drive standardisation of workflows and best practice usage across global teams
• Partner with operations, engineering, and quality teams to embed lean and data-driven improvements

3. Cross-Functional Adoption & Embedding

• Work closely with Production, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Finance to ensure MES is fully utilised globally
• Act as a translator between technical systems and operational teams, ensuring usability and adoption
• Lead training, onboarding, and change management to drive consistent system adoption
• Challenge and evolve processes to ensure the business is system-led, not spreadsheet-led
• Ensure training materials, documentation, and support mechanisms remain current as business processes evolve.

4. Manufacturing Systems Development & Governance

• Lead projects to integrate MES with ERP, PLM/PDM, and other business systems
• Define and deliver data architecture and system interfaces to enable seamless information flow
• Work with internal stakeholders and external partners to design, test, and deploy integrations
• Support the development of a digital manufacturing roadmap, aligned to scaling from $20m → $50m
• Own the ongoing governance, administration, and optimisation of the MES and related manufacturing systems.
• Maintain a prioritised pipeline of system enhancements aligned to operational needs and business strategy.

5. Change Delivery & Continuous Improvement

• Own delivery of MES-related projects, including upgrades, new modules, and integrations
• Develop business cases for system enhancements with clear ROI and operational impact
• Ensure structured project governance, timelines, and stakeholder alignment
• Manage relevant third-party system providers and service partners, ensuring effective support, delivery, and value over time

6. Data & Insight Enablement

• Ensure MES becomes the single source of truth for manufacturing performance
• Enable real-time reporting and decision-making through clean, usable datasets
• Collaborate with finance and operations to align MES outputs to costing, margins, and planning

Key Deliverables / Measures of Success

• High user adoption and consistent usage of MES across all relevant functions
• Measurable improvements in production efficiency, data accuracy, and visibility, with sustained system uptime and support
• Successful integration of MES with ERP and core business systems
• Reduction in manual processes / duplication of data (e.g. spreadsheets)
• Delivery of system roadmap and continuous improvement pipeline aligned to business scaling and operational maturity year-on-year

Experience & Abilities (Essential)

• Proven experience working with MES systems in a manufacturing environment
• Experience delivering system integrations (MES ERP or similar)
• Strong understanding of manufacturing processes and production workflows
• Track record of delivering process improvements and efficiency gains
• Experience managing cross-functional stakeholders

Desirable

• Experience in advanced manufacturing, defence, or complex fabrication
• Familiarity with ERP systems (e.g. Odoo or similar) and PLM/PDM environments
• Knowledge of lean manufacturing / continuous improvement frameworks
• Experience with data analysis, reporting tools, or dashboards

Skills & Personal Qualities

• Highly analytical and systems-thinking mindset
• Strong communicator able to bridge technical and operational audiences
• Practical, delivery-focused, and comfortable operating in a scale-up / evolving environment
• Proactive problem solver with a bias for action and continuous improvement
• Comfortable challenging the status quo to drive system-led ways of working

Benefits

Salary – Competitve

Bonus – Performance related bonus scheme

Pension - 9% employer contribution with an optional employee contribution

Annual Leave – 25 days, plus statutory holidays

Working Hours – Core Hours

Who we are

DEEP Manufacturing, based in Avonmouth (Bristol) offers advanced manufacturing capabilities and expertise in large-format metal additive manufacturing, rapid prototyping and material testing. Our advanced manufacturing facilities include a state-of-the-art robotics suite, offering 3D printing services and Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing (WAAM) capabilities which means we can deliver manufacturing projects in less time and at lower costs compared to traditional manufacturing processes.

Working at DEEP

We're a team of highly experienced engineering, operations, quality and safety experts, with a funding model that allows us the freedom to think long term and pursue our mission without traditional restraints. We want to drive progress at the forefront of manufacturing and the values we bring to work every day are critical:

Be Curious – Find a better way and ask why not?". Answers are easy, questions are hard – ask original questions and be a curiosity catalyst!

Be Exceptional – It will take the most intelligent, talented and creative people on the planet working together to achieve DEEP's mission. Get it done, be relentless in your pursuit of excellence, and demand excellence from everyone.

Be Fearless – No one has done this on the scale we're doing it before. Impossible things must be done for the first time. We are the team pushing boundaries!

Be Good – Cultivate passion and thrive together. Be safe, take intelligent risks, but never compromise the safety of the team – ever!

At DEEP, we celebrate and embrace diversity and inclusion and strongly believe that the best innovations come from diverse perspectives. We invite applicants from all backgrounds to join us in creating technology that makes a meaningful impact on humanity, our oceans and planet.