Most people would agree cookies make life better. For us, they help us make our site and marketing better. But if you don't like cookies, that's cool too. Find out more in our
Cookie Policy.
Explore our vision: Incredible, effortless recruitment
£55k-£75k
Typical base salary
12 wks
Replacement guarantee
Technical credibility
They must earn the team's respect. Ask what they've engineered themselves, not just managed.
People leadership
Look for someone who develops engineers and handles underperformance, not just allocates work.
Delivery and standards
Ask how they've improved quality, output or process in a previous team.
How to run the hire
1. Define the remit
Be clear on team size, what they engineer, and the standards you expect.
2. Build a scorecard
Weight the outcomes that matter - delivery, quality, retention - and score against it.
3. Source and approach
Strong engineering managers are rarely applying, so approach them directly.
4. Test leadership with a scenario
Give an underperforming engineer or a slipping project and hear how they'd handle it.
5. Reference the team
Confirm the team they led delivered and stayed.
Fees typically run 18-22% of first-year salary, capped and agreed upfront.
Nothing is due until your hire starts, and the fee covers the whole search.
Usually 6-10 weeks, with a shortlist in the first fortnight.
Notice periods and how specific your sector requirement is are the main things that move the timeline.
An Engineering Manager leads a team of engineers - setting priorities, managing delivery, developing people and holding standards.
In most businesses they still bring technical judgement to the work, while spending more time leading than doing.
In smaller teams, usually yes - they need to hold technical credibility and step in when it counts.
In larger ones the role is more purely about leading. We scope the balance so the shortlist fits how your team runs.
Try: Tell me about a team you improved and how.
How do you handle an engineer who isn't performing?
Walk me through a project you delivered under pressure. and How do you keep good engineers?
Yes, across manufacturing, precision engineering, automotive and process industries.
Where sector or process knowledge matters we match it; where leadership is the priority, we cast wider.
Tell us about your role and a specialist engineering recruiter will call you. No fee until your hire starts.
{"@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [{"@type": "Article", "headline": "How to Hire a Engineering Manager in the UK (2026)", "description": "How to hire an Engineering Manager in the UK. Salary, time to hire and what to look for.", "datePublished": "2026-07-13", "dateModified": "2026-07-13", "author": {"@type": "Person", "name": "Mark Wilkinson", "jobTitle": "Managing Director", "url": "https://www.linkedin.com/in/coburg-markwilkinson/", "worksFor": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Coburg Banks"}}, "publisher": {"@type": "Organization", "name": "Coburg Banks", "logo": {"@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://cdn.prod.website-files.com/645cf1f1ad8cd97335eefcd6/67e52adb28b5bfce304c13dd_CB%20Sales%20Logo.svg"}}, "mainEntityOfPage": "https://www.coburgbanks.co.uk/hiring/engineering-manager"}, {"@type": "FAQPage", "mainEntity": [{"@type": "Question", "name": "How much does it cost to hire an Engineering Manager?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Fees typically run 18-22% of first-year salary, capped and agreed upfront. Nothing is due until your hire starts, and the fee covers the whole search."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "How long does it take to hire an Engineering Manager?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Usually 6-10 weeks, with a shortlist in the first fortnight. Notice periods and how specific your sector requirement is are the main things that move the timeline."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What does an Engineering Manager do?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "An Engineering Manager leads a team of engineers - setting priorities, managing delivery, developing people and holding standards. In most businesses they still bring technical judgement to the work, while spending more time leading than doing."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Should an Engineering Manager still be hands-on?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "In smaller teams, usually yes - they need to hold technical credibility and step in when it counts. In larger ones the role is more purely about leading. We scope the balance so the shortlist fits how your team runs."}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "What should I ask an Engineering Manager at interview?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Try: Tell me about a team you improved and how. How do you handle an engineer who isn't performing? Walk me through a project you delivered under pressure. and How do you keep good engineers?"}}, {"@type": "Question", "name": "Do you recruit Engineering Managers across sectors?", "acceptedAnswer": {"@type": "Answer", "text": "Yes, across manufacturing, precision engineering, automotive and process industries. Where sector or process knowledge matters we match it; where leadership is the priority, we cast wider."}}]}, {"@type": "ItemList", "name": "What to look for in a Engineering Manager", "itemListElement": [{"@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Technical credibility"}, {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "People leadership"}, {"@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Delivery and standards"}]}, {"@type": "ProfessionalService", "name": "Coburg Banks Engineering Recruitment", "url": "https://www.coburgbanks.co.uk/engineering-recruitment-agencies", "telephone": "+441213622300", "foundingDate": "2002", "areaServed": {"@type": "Country", "name": "United Kingdom"}, "serviceType": "Engineering Recruitment", "sameAs": ["https://www.linkedin.com/company/coburgbanks/", "https://uk.trustpilot.com/review/coburgbanks.co.uk", "https://www.facebook.com/CoburgBanksJobs/"]}]}
