At Hexcel, world-class manufacturing depends on world-class equipment reliability. As our Maintenance Manager at Duxford, you'll have the opportunity to shape the future of engineering excellence within a global leader in advanced composite materials.
This is far more than a traditional maintenance leadership role. Here, you'll:
- Lead a highly skilled engineering function supporting cutting-edge manufacturing technology used in the aerospace industry.
- Own and influence long-term capital investment, reliability and maintenance strategies that directly impact operational performance and business success.
- Drive continuous improvement and team development within a collaborative site where your ideas, leadership and technical expertise will genuinely make a difference.
If you're an engineering manager who enjoys developing people, improving equipment performance, and creating a culture of proactive reliability rather than reactive maintenance, this is an exciting opportunity to leave a lasting legacy.
With our strong investment in research and development and our culture of continuous improvement, Hexcel is the industry leader in the manufacturing of advanced lightweight composite materials, including carbon fibre, woven reinforcements, resins, prepregs, honeycombs, engineered core and composite structures. We invite you to join the Hexcel team at our Duxford site and become part of the "Strength Within."
About the Role
As Maintenance Manager, you will lead all maintenance and engineering support activities across our Duxford manufacturing operation. Responsible for both internal engineering resources and external service providers, you will ensure safe, efficient and compliant maintenance practices while maximising equipment reliability, availability and performance.
Working closely with Production, Quality, Operations and Site Leadership teams, you will develop and implement maintenance strategies that support operational excellence and long-term business objectives. This role will suit a hands-on engineering leader who combines strong technical knowledge with exceptional people leadership and a passion for continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities
- Lead all site maintenance activities, ensuring equipment, facilities and engineering services operate safely, efficiently and in full compliance with company and statutory requirements.
- Manage, coach and develop the maintenance team, building capability, engagement and succession plans for future growth.
- Develop and continuously improve preventative, predictive and corrective maintenance programmes to maximise equipment uptime and reliability.
- Monitor maintenance KPIs, equipment performance and engineering metrics, driving sustainable improvements through data-led decision making.
- Lead Root Cause Analysis investigations into equipment failures and reliability issues, ensuring robust corrective and preventative actions are implemented.
- Manage engineering contractors and outsourced service providers, ensuring performance against agreed safety, quality and service standards.
- Identify equipment lifecycle and obsolescence risks, developing investment, replacement and asset reliability plans to support future operational requirements.
- Manage maintenance budgets, project expenditure and engineering resources to achieve operational and financial objectives.
- Ensure maintenance records, statutory inspections, calibration activities and asset information are accurately maintained within the CMMS and associated systems.
- Partner with cross-functional teams to support continuous improvement initiatives, capital projects, equipment installations, commissioning activities and manufacturing excellence programmes.
What We're Looking For
- Significant experience leading maintenance, engineering or reliability functions within manufacturing, aerospace, automotive, FMCG, chemicals or other industrial environments.
- Recognised Engineering qualification through apprenticeship, HNC/HND, degree or equivalent industry experience.
- Proven leadership experience managing technical teams, developing talent and creating high-performing engineering cultures.
- Strong understanding of mechanical, electrical and manufacturing equipment maintenance principles.
- Experience implementing preventative and predictive maintenance strategies that improve reliability, availability and performance.
- Working knowledge of CMMS systems, maintenance planning methodologies and asset management best practices.
- Strong understanding of UK Health, Safety and Environmental legislation, with IOSH, NEBOSH or equivalent qualification desirable.
- Experience managing contractors, engineering service providers and maintenance-related project activities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with experience leading Root Cause Analysis and continuous improvement initiatives.
- Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across all levels of the business.
Why Join Hexcel?
This is a unique opportunity to take ownership of a critical maintenance engineering function within one of the world's leading advanced materials manufacturers. You'll play a key role in ensuring manufacturing performance, developing engineering talent, supporting future growth and helping deliver products that enable some of the most advanced aerospace and industrial applications globally.
Whether your background comes from aerospace, automotive, FMCG, chemicals, pharmaceuticals, heavy manufacturing or another engineering-intensive environment, you'll find the opportunity, autonomy and support needed to make a genuine impact.
If you're an ambitious maintenance leader looking to build a culture of reliability, improve operational performance and lead engineering excellence within a global manufacturing business, we'd love to hear from you.
Candidates must be eligible to work in the country where the position is based. Hexcel (NYSE: HXL) is a global leader in advanced composites technology, a leading producer of carbon fiber, and the world leader in honeycomb manufacturing for the commercial aerospace industry.
