Cost Engineer ( CTO)
Location Coventry
Job type: Contract
Salary: £30\-35ph umbrella co inside IR35
Contact name: Vicki Martinson
Contact email: vmartinson@select\-engineering.net
Contact phone: 07804209054
Job ref: CTO
Published: 25 days ago
Expiry date: 29 Aug 2026 23:59
Startdate: September 2026
Overall Purpose of the Role
The CTO Engineer is responsible for identifying, developing, and delivering engineering‑led cost reduction and margin improvement initiatives in support of Lear internal and Customer financial roadmaps. The role includes ensuring that all proposed engineering changes are technically robust, commercially viable, and aligned with customer requirements, while driving standardisation, operational excellence, and continuous process improvement across the CTO function.
Key Responsibilities
Technical \& Commercial Delivery
- Identify and develop margin improvement proposals to achieve Lear’s internal CTO financial targets.
- Develop and deliver a pipeline of proposals that meet customer targets and align with customer needs and expectations.
- Ensure engineering integrity and robustness for all proposed technical changes.
- Secure internal and external commercial agreement and business case alignment for all engineering change proposals.
- Lead the preparation, presentation, and approval of proposals with internal and customer stakeholders, including the development and presentation of physical samples where required.
- Drive clear and robust capture of Customer Requirements through direct customer engagement and structured benchmarking activities.
- Lead Value Chain Analysis activities, including heat‑mapping and margin improvement initiatives.
- Drive commonisation initiatives across vehicle platforms and programmes where appropriate to maximise reuse and reduce complexity.
- Maintain strong communication with internal programme teams, engineering, manufacturing and purchasing to ensure seamless implementation of approved proposals.
- Act as a key interface between customers, suppliers, and internal stakeholders to ensure alignment and timely execution.
- Support Lear internal CTO process improvement and standardisation activities, including digitalisation and automation initiatives.
- Contribute to the development and maintenance of Lear’s “Best‑In‑Class” European CTO position through disciplined standards, governance, and continuous improvement.
- Drive operational excellence throughout the end‑to‑end CTO process.
- Support timely and accurate monthly financial reporting, forecasting, and tracking of CTO initiatives in collaboration with Finance.
- Ensure transparency and traceability of financial benefits linked to engineering changes.
The successful candidate will demonstrably:
- Be highly self‑motivated, proactive, and comfortable working independently.
- Effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities in a dynamic, fast‑paced environment.
- Communicate confidently and professionally with stakeholders across the business, including customers and suppliers.
- Maintain a positive, solution‑focused mindset when addressing challenges.
- Apply structured, logical, and analytical thinking to technical and commercial problem‑solving.
Experience/ Skills
- Experience within an automotive and/or manufacturing environment.
- Cost reduction experience
- Understanding of engineering design, manufacturing processes, and materials.
- Strong numerical and analytical skills, with confidence working with cost and financial data.
- Experience within the automotive OEM or Tier‑1 supplier environment is highly preferred.
- Experience supporting VA/VE or cost‑reduction initiatives
- Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or structured problem‑solving methodologies.
- Experience supporting process standardisation, digitisation, or automation initiatives.
- Strong proficiency in engineering and business tools (e.g. understanding of CAD/Engineering Drawings, costing tools, Excel, PowerPoint).
Consultant
Vicki Martinson
Director
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