Our client is the UK''s market leader in the manufacture of customer-focused vehicles mounted equipment. We are seeking a Lead Principal Design Engineer / Manager to take ownership of the mechanical design function at a management level reporting into the Technical Director. This is a lead role, managing a small mechanical design team while remaining technically "hands-on" to ensure the design and engineering integrity of every vehicle that leaves the site. As the Lead Design Engineer, you must have Fabrication expertise in sheet metal and platework ideally. The primary challenge in this role is to address a critical departmental bottleneck: designs are currently transitioning to production without fully engineered drawings.We need a structural specialist with a management mindset who can overhaul design standards and implement the necessary discipline to ensure every CAD release is 100% manufacture-ready. You will introduce the structure and technical standards (BS8888) required to ensure that complex mechanical designs move seamlessly from concept to the job-shop floor. Key ResponsibilitiesDesign Excellence: Design and Develop concepts and Prototypes and feasilbility modelllings.Create and oversee comprehensive part, assembly, and installation drawings. You will be the final gatekeeper for quality, cost, and performance targets.Leadership and Mentorship: Manage a small team of designers with a dedicated focus on professional development-mentoring them in technical standard