Managing Director - Isle of Wight

Job Posted: 23 September 2025

• Contract Term: Permanent
• Location: Isle of Wight
• Contract Type: Full time
• Salary: A highly competitive salary in line with national expectations
• Industries: Management & Executive

Isle of Wight Jobs have been instructed by a leading, highly successful and established manufacturing business which exports worldwide to recruit for a Managing Director.

This rare opportunity offers an ambitious leader the initial role of “MD designate” with a clear path to succeed the current Managing Director.  You will play a pivotal role in shadowing and supporting the Managing Director, progressively assuming full strategic and commercial responsibilities over a defined timeline. 

Initially the role will operate across both board and operational levels to support the effective execution of business priorities across all functions. A phased increase in line responsibility will ensure the successful candidate understands all aspects of this well respected and profitable business.

As a key member of the Senior Leadership Team you will work closely with all heads of department to drive alignment, build team capability, and unlock organisational capacity with process improvements whilst developing the perspective and authority required for future MD responsibilities.

This role demands a high degree of initiative, commercial and strategic acumen together with an understanding and experience of the challenges of selling to international markets.

A role such as this rarely becomes available on the Isle of Wight and we welcome expressions of interest of those with proven senior leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or industrial SME environment with international markets.

On offer is a highly supportive management team, an experienced workforce and a modern working environment. This role also offers a highly competitive salary in line with national expectations to ensure we attract the very best talent. Information on the full package and more details of the job role and phasing can be discussed on application.

Essential Experience and Attributes

• Proven senior leadership experience in a manufacturing, engineering, or industrial SME environment with international reach.
• Exposure to Managing Director-level responsibilities, with the strategic judgement and operational acumen to step into a top leadership role.
• Hands-on leadership of cross-disciplinary teams.
• Proven experience delivering manufacturing projects for international customers.
• Strategic thinker with an ability to connect short-term tactical execution to long-term business priorities.
• High levels of emotional intelligence, with strong interpersonal skills and ability to influence at all levels.
• Experience developing individuals and creating a high-performance team culture.
• Comfortable in a customer-facing capacity, with strong communication skills.

Desirable Experience

• Experience working to requirements of ISO9001 and quality management systems.
• Exposure to the design and manufacture of standard equipment as well as contracts designed to customer requirements.

The successful candidate will join a profitable and growing manufacturing firm based on the Isle of Wight. If you’re a commercially minded leader with the vision to shape the future of an ambitious business, we want to hear from you.

For more information and a confidential discussion please call Reuben Loake on 01983 475110.

To apply please submit your CV below and include a cover letter outlining your skills and experience and we’ll arrange a call to discuss the opportunity further at a time to suit you

Isle of Wight Jobs Recruitment Ltd is acting as the sole employment agency and business on behalf of this employer. We will be providing a pre-qualified shortlist of applicants to the management team within this company. We are unable to publicly release further details regarding this employer; however, we will be able to freely discuss the specifics with suitable applicants.