Kane Hatchard

My experience extending across 15 years leading cross-functional project and product development teams across regulated industries—including medical devices, automotive, and nuclear. I am a focused professional driven to both identify and execute on organisations strategic objectives, delivering impactful and meaningful results. 

I have been able to lead significant change in operational excellence, lean transformation, and cross-functional team performance across global environments. Impacting the defects PPM off the SMT line significantly, driving OEE improvements, understanding and use of metrics across the site. 

I am passionate about developing and empowering high-performing teams, and aligning manufacturing strategy with business growth objectives. 

In my current role as Engineering Manager at MSA Safety, I lead a multidisciplinary team driving and have delivered significant CI savings through strategic process improvements, transformed SMT productivity by 375%, and directed capital investments aligned with long-term growth. My leadership in NPDP launches and product transfers has added thousands of production hours while sustaining critical roles across the organization. I have developed and delivered on a strategic program of works covering people development, Projects and Product Development, Continuous Improvement Initiatives, complete layout revision and improving hidden factory work streams and supporting processes. 

Throughout my career, I’ve consistently demonstrated mastery in project execution, resource planning, and risk management. At Modular Automation, I managed up to 18 concurrent automation projects, including direct responsibility for €3.9M integration of equipment, within a €12M project for DePuy Synthes. My experience spans LEAN, Agile, and Waterfall methodologies. I’ve led Phase Gate Reviews, implemented lifecycle tools, and coached junior associates and team members in their roles.

I thrive in matrixed environments and global settings, having collaborated with multinational stakeholders and customers across Europe and the UK. My technical acumen, regulatory knowledge (including IATF16949, ISO14001, and medical device familiarity), and hands-on leadership style make me well-suited to drive high-risk, high-impact programs.

15 years Experience spanning several heavily regulated industries 

Product development, project management, Engineering and Quality Management including direct reports and working with cross functional teams. 

Driving manufacturing excellence, a continuous improvement mindset using lean principles, 6 sigma methodologies to deliver results and turn around process performance. 

Collaborative team player, setting local strategic initiatives as well as contributing to global standardisation initiatives, for both equipment and engineering roles. 

People orientated manager focused on the development and progression not only of immediate team but also wider teams, engaged with the IDA to establish strategic training requirements for the site I am currently operating within.  

Master degree in Mechanical Engineering, achieving distinction

Have completed APMP training course, not sat the exam,