Build Manager

Build Manager - Boreham Motorworks

Thruxton Area

£60,000 - £70,000 DOE

The DRVN Automotive Group are seeking an experienced Build Manager to lead the establishment and operational readiness of the new Boreham Motorworks vehicle assembly facility in the Thruxton area. This role will be central to turning engineering definition into safe, repeatable and high-quality vehicle builds as Boreham Motorworks moves into low-volume production.

Working as part of DRVN Automotive Group and closely with the Boreham Motorworks programme, the successful candidate will help shape the facility, define assembly processes and standards, oversee vehicle build delivery, and personally undertake hands-on training in the assembly of Boreham Motorworks vehicles. They will use this detailed product and process knowledge to establish the Thruxton build operation and then train, coach and develop the technicians responsible for assembling Boreham Motorworks vehicles. Working closely with Manufacturing Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Engineering, Programme Management and suppliers, this is a highly hands-on leadership role requiring both production discipline and the flexibility to operate within a specialist automotive environment.

Overview of the Role

• Salary - £60,000 - £70,000
• Holidays: 33 days includes Bank Holidays
• Salary Sacrifice Pension
• Private Healthcare/Life Insurance
• Employee Referral Scheme
• Location – Thruxton
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Company Overview

DRVN Automotive Group is a specialist automotive group focused on the design, engineering, manufacture and delivery of distinctive performance and luxury vehicle programmes. Within the Group, Boreham Motorworks is the high-performance road, race and rally brand operating through an official licence agreement with Ford Motor Company to develop and manufacture a series of historically significant Ford performance icons.

Boreham Motorworks identity is rooted in Ford’s historic Boreham competition lineage. Current programmes include the Ford Escort Alan Mann 68 Edition, Ford Escort Mk1 RS and Ford RS200, combining authentic heritage with OEM-level engineering, modern development methods and specialist low-volume craftsmanship.

As DRVN Automotive Group establishes the Boreham Motorworks manufacturing capability in the Thruxton area, this role offers a rare opportunity to help shape the facility, assembly processes, training standards and production culture from the outset, while contributing directly to the growth of one of the Group’s most exciting vehicle programmes.

Key Responsibilities

Facility Planning & Manufacturing Readiness

• Lead the operational planning and readiness of the new Boreham Motorworks vehicle assembly facility in the Thruxton area.
• Work with Manufacturing Engineering and Operations to define facility layout, vehicle flow, workstations, storage, tooling, equipment, utilities and quality-control points.
• Support the specification, procurement, installation, commissioning and validation of production equipment, tools, fixtures and assembly aids.
• Develop facility and production-readiness plans, identifying risks, dependencies and actions required to support programme launch dates.
• Ensure the facility supports safe, efficient and repeatable low-volume vehicle assembly while retaining the flexibility required for specialist vehicle programmes.
• Support the implementation of suitable visual management, 5S, material presentation and workplace organisation standards.

Vehicle Build Management

• Take day-to-day leadership of prototype, pre-production and production vehicle builds within the Boreham Motorworks facility.
• Translate engineering definition into practical build sequences, standard operations and clear technician instructions.
• Plan vehicle build activity, manpower, workstation readiness, tooling and material requirements in line with programme priorities.
• Ensure vehicles are assembled to the required standards for quality, safety, craftsmanship, timing and technical conformity.
• Maintain a visible, hands-on presence within the build environment and support the team directly when complex assembly concerns arise.
• Coordinate the identification, escalation and resolution of build issues with Engineering, Manufacturing Engineering, Quality and Supply Chain.
• Capture build concerns, lessons learned and improvement opportunities and ensure they are fed back into future builds and production processes.
• Support engineering changes and ensure revised requirements are understood and correctly implemented within the build process.

Boreham Vehicle Assembly Training

• Personally undertake structured, hands-on training in the complete assembly of Boreham Motorworks vehicles before assuming full responsibility for production build leadership.
• Develop detailed knowledge of vehicle build sequence, assembly methods, tooling, torque requirements, bonding, fit and finish, quality standards and critical build characteristics.
• Work alongside Engineering, development-build and manufacturing teams to understand the vehicle from prototype and development builds through to production assembly.
• Translate this learning into robust build processes, standard operations, work instructions and technician training materials for the Thruxton operation.
• Maintain sufficient hands-on assembly knowledge to support early production builds, coach technicians directly, resolve build concerns and continuously improve assembly methods.

Team Leadership & Training

• Support the recruitment, onboarding and development of vehicle build technicians as the new operation grows.
• Develop structured training plans, skills matrices and competency requirements for vehicle assembly activities.
• Train, coach and assess technicians in the correct assembly of Boreham Motorworks vehicles, passing on the build knowledge and standards gained through the manager’s own hands-on vehicle assembly training.
• Establish best-practice methods for fastening, torque control, bonding, fit and finish, component handling, inspection and rework.
• Mentor the build team through early programme builds and support the transition from prototype-style activity into controlled repeatable production.
• Create a positive, accountable and quality-focused production culture with strong communication and clear ownership at all levels.

Process, Quality & Continuous Improvement

• Work with Manufacturing Engineering to develop and maintain work instructions, process sheets, build standards and assembly documentation.
• Support PFMEA, Control Plan, quality-gate and manufacturing risk-assessment activities where applicable.
• Work closely with Quality to ensure appropriate in-process inspection, traceability and end-of-line quality controls are established.
• Lead or support structured problem-solving, root-cause investigation and corrective-action activity for build and production concerns.
• Monitor build performance and identify opportunities to reduce rework, improve build time, increase right-first-time quality and improve consistency.
• Ensure tooling, calibrated equipment and production aids are controlled and maintained to support repeatable vehicle assembly.
• Apply lessons learned across programmes and continuously improve facility, process and team capability.

Cross-Fu