$130k-150k base super Adelaide Based Relocation support available for interstate and returning Australian candidates About the Company Our client is a well-established and growing advanced manufacturing organisation with a strong reputation for innovation, technical capability, and product excellence. Operating in a highly engineered environment, they are investing in the future of their product development and innovation capability and are seeking an experienced people leader to drive this transformation. This opportunity will suit a commercially minded engineering leader who thrives on building capability, developing teams, and creating scalable innovation functions within complex manufacturing environments. The Role As Senior Manager – Innovation & Product Development, you will lead a multidisciplinary function across engineering, product development, and innovation. This role is less about being the deepest technical specialist and more about leading people, building capability, improving ways of working, and creating a high-performing culture. You will oversee multiple programs and teams, balancing strategic direction with operational execution, while partnering closely with Quality, Operations, Commercial, and Executive Leadership. This is an opportunity to make a genuine impact on the future direction of a growing advanced manufacturing business. Key Responsibilities Leadership & Team Development Lead, mentor, and develop engineering and product development teams Build leadership capability, succession pathways, and technical depth across the function Foster a culture of innovation, accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement Create an environment that attracts, develops, and retains top engineering talent Innovation & Product Development Drive innovation and new product development across multiple programs and product streams Improve product development frameworks, governance, and delivery processes Build scalable systems and ways of working that improve quality, speed, and execution Support the transition from concept through to commercialisation and manufacturing readiness Advanced Manufacturing & Operational Excellence Partner closely with manufacturing, operations, and quality teams to align product development with production capability Support engineering maturity within a complex manufacturing environment Drive continuous improvement across processes, capability, and delivery outcomes Strategic & Cross-Functional Leadership Influence senior stakeholders across Engineering, Operations, Quality, Commercial, and Executive Leadership Support prioritisation of resources, investment, and strategic initiatives Help shape the future structure, capability, and direction of the broader engineering function About You You are an experienced engineering or product development leader who has successfully led teams within advanced manufacturing environments. You are known for your ability to build strong teams, develop leaders, and drive operational and cultural maturity. You may come from industries such as: Medical devices Plastics or polymer manufacturing Automotive Advanced manufacturing Industrial manufacturing Highly regulated manufacturing environments Most importantly, you bring strong leadership capability, commercial thinking, and experience managing multidisciplinary technical teams. Skills & Experience Proven leadership experience within engineering, innovation, or product development functions Strong people management capability with experience leading large or multidisciplinary teams Background within advanced manufacturing or complex production environments Experience improving engineering capability, structure, systems, and ways of working Ability to lead multiple projects, programs, or product streams simultaneously Strong stakeholder management and cross-functional leadership skills Experience working closely with manufacturing, quality, and operations teams Strategic mindset with the ability to execute and deliver outcomes Qualifications Degree qualified in Engineering, Manufacturing, Product Development, Mechatronics, Industrial Design, or related discipline Postgraduate qualifications in Leadership, Engineering, Innovation, or Business will be highly regarded