Chief Engineer Repower

We reserve the right to close this vacancy early if we receive sufficient applications from suitably qualified and experienced candidates. We therefore encourage early applications.

All applicants must hold a valid right to work in the UK. Please be aware that we are unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position now or in the future.

Wrightbus is looking for a Chief Engineer – Repower / Engineering Delivery Lead to lead the technical execution, engineering integration, and release readiness of Repower programmes, with an initial focus on Bicester delivery commitments. The role will ensure vehicle requirements are translated into safe, compliant, verified, and manufacturable engineering solutions while leading cross-functional engineering teams and external technical partners.

Location: Bicester-based, with regular engagement at Ballymena, suppliers and project sites

Key responsibilities

1. Integrated technical delivery

• Own the integrated engineering delivery plan and technical maturity of assigned Repower work packages, aligned with the Programme Manager’s master schedule and agreed gateway criteria.
• Translate vehicle/customer requirements into a coordinated technical work breakdown, interfaces, release sequence and evidence-based deliverables across structural, mechanical, electrical, controls, software and validation disciplines.
• Run practical engineering coordination and design-maturity reviews; highlight resource gaps, blocked dependencies, late design changes and recovery options early.
• Ensure carryover component assessment and new/modified designs are robust, configured correctly and released at the maturity required by downstream purchasing, build and test activities.

2. Engineering assurance and technical governance

• Apply BP03.1 Requirements & Systems Engineering: confirm baselined requirements, applicability and appropriate traceability to design and test evidence.
• Apply BP03.2 Design, DVP & Release: maintain technical reviews, DFMEA/risk assessments where applicable, design verification plans and evidence-led release recommendations.
• Apply BP03.3 Engineering Change & Configuration: maintain accurate change approvals, eBOM/drawing/software configurations, revision/effectivity and release records.
• Apply BP03.4 Problem Solving & Reliability: drive disciplined root-cause and verified corrective action for programme/test/field concerns, feeding lessons back into Repower designs.
• Identify safety, statutory, structural-integrity or homologation risks; seek the designated System Owner, VEM, Product Safety/Homologation and other required technical approvals before release. Escalate unresolved risks without delay.
• Ensure decisions and residual risks are documented; use design decision records and PTM escalation where appropriate. No release or risk acceptance outside delegated authority.

3. Engineering partners, resourcing and interfaces

• Define clear technical statements of work, inputs, deliverables, assumptions and acceptance criteria for external engineering partners; review the quality and maturity of incoming designs and evidence.
• Coordinate cross-functional resource demand with Engineering Functional Leads and System Owners; make capacity/capability constraints visible to the accountable engineering leader and Programme Manager.
• Work with Manufacturing, Supply Chain, Quality and Aftersales to ensure designs are buildable, serviceable, validated and practically introduced.
• Lead the Bicester engineering execution cadence, promote transparent reporting and coach assigned engineers; direct line management only where formally allocated.

Candidate Requirements (Summary)

Essential

• Senior technical delivery leadership within commercial vehicles, automotive, off-highway, or other regulated engineering environments, with strong integration and release experience.
• Ability to lead multi-discipline teams across mechanical/structural systems, electrical integration, vehicle systems, test/validation, and external design providers.
• Practical knowledge of requirements, DFMEA, DVP, engineering change, CAD/BOM configuration, and controlled design release.
• Strong evidence-led decision-making, customer/supplier communication, issue escalation, and delivery recovery under programme pressure.
• Relevant engineering degree or equivalent capability, with the ability to work regularly on-site in Bicester.

Desirable

• Experience in bus/coach, repower, or zero-emission vehicle conversion/integration, including battery/electrical systems.
• Familiarity with UK vehicle type approval, UNECE requirements, and outsourced engineering teams.
• Chartered Engineer status or equivalent professional recognition.

Performance Measures

• Engineering releases delivered to agreed maturity and timescales, with credible release confidence.
• Technical risks, compliance gaps, and design decisions closed with evidence and appropriate sign-off.
• Improved first-time release quality with reduced late changes, rework, and interface delays.
• Strong DVP maturity, traceability, and manufacturing/build/test readiness.
• Effective resource and partner dependency management, with strong cross-functional collaboration.

Why Join Wrightbus?

• We offer a comprehensive package designed to support your career and wellbeing:
• Discretionary bonus scheme
• Life insurance
• Medicash health scheme
• Discounts with major retailers
• Career progression pathways
• Flexitime options

Ready to drive the future of transport?

Apply now and become part of a team that’s shaping the next generation of sustainable mobility.