Chief Manufacturing Engineer

Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 15,000 employees across 41 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

A Truly Global Business

Every day, around the world, we help aircrafts fly further, faster and greener. We’re the world’s leading tier one aerospace supplier of systems and components. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries serving over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers with sales of £3.35bn. Together as “one GKN” we’re moving our business and industry forward developing technologies that rapidly decarbonise aircraft, and innovating to help build a new generation of planes that produce zero emissions. We’re putting sustainability at the heart of what we do; driving our objective to becoming a net zero greenhouse gas emissions business before 2050!

Making a Difference

It’s great to know you’re making a difference to the future of aviation! Whatever part you play you’ll be helping us deliver operational excellence to our customers. We have an exciting new position for a Chief Manufacturing Engineer.

As Chief Manufacturing Engineer you will be responsible for leading the Planning, Development, Commissioning and Industrialisation of Manufacturing Systems within GKN’s Civil business. This applies to, but not limited to; New Product Introductions (NPI), Work Transfers, Technology Insertions and addressing Critical Quality issues. The CME directly manages and leads the deployed Manufacturing Engineering (ME) team, to deliver manufacturing systems in compliance with its identified requirements (Produceability, Productivity, Cost, Schedule, Regulatory/Customer/HSE requirements) and adherence to Zero Defect Manufacturing (ZDM) standards.

This position will see your time split across both the Airbus A330 and A350 programmes and across our Bristol Sites in Western Approach and Filton.

How You'll Contribute

• New Product Introductions (NPI) - Responsible for Planning, Development, Commissioning of Manufacturing System for New Product Introductions [LG3->LG7]. Working with the Design Chief Engineers (for Design and Build contracts) and Industrial Architects they are accountable for delivering a manufacturing system that fulfils all stakeholder requirements (Safety, Logistics, Quality, Produceability & Business case metrics), including development and maturity of Manufacturing processes and documentation.
• Sustaining - Responsible for Oversight of the portfolio of Manufacturing Systems through regular review of system KPIs and Lifecycle (Industrial review) Gate assessments and their evolution (as required) to ensure productivity & quality targets are continually evolving. This includes Identification of new technologies and their development & exploitation, and benchmarking of processes across the GKN portfolio of products.
• Leadership of Projects- Responsible for technical leadership of ME activities including Program Management, Planning, Resource provisioning, budgeting, & Project EV reporting within functional and Enterprise standards.
• Leadership of Teams – Accountable to the Program Manager/Director for delivering ME content of tasks through direct Operational Management and Leadership of deployed manufacturing engineering team.
• Quality – Responsible for Product quality within the NPI ME function. Expected to drive a quality mind-set within the deployed engineering team and ensure compliance to agreed Customer, Regulatory, Business and functional standards including AS9145 (ZDM).
• Bids – Working closely with the Programme team and Industrial Architects, be responsible for the technical ME content of bid work including Technical risk management, ME work content and NRC budgeting.
• Relationships - Maintain positive, team relationships with internal and external customers, key stakeholders within the business. Foster and champion 5 principles within sphere of influence.
  
  

What You'll Bring

Essential

To help us make a difference, you’ll bring your passion and expertise/ talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

• Degree qualified in technical subject
• Experience of managing Manufacturing Systems and their industrialisation (Principal, Manager, Lead positions)
• Experience in liaising & Reporting to customers and managing business relationships
• Fluent in English language, both written and spoken
  
  

Desirable

• Experience working with composites and metallics
• Experience managing substantial projects improving productivity &/or Industrialisation in an aerospace/automotive environment
• Project / Program Management Professional Qualification
• Familiarity with AS9145 APQP process or equivalent
• Familiarity with appropriate digital systems for manufacturing systems
  
  

We are seeking someone self-motivated, with the ability to identify and apply lean method improvements to the ME process for composites and metallics. The successful candidate will drive and inspire change and continuous improvement while building multifunctional relationships across the business at all levels.

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Flexible working hours including the ability to finish at 12noon on a Friday
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment
  
  

As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly! We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where you career journey may take you!

Why Join Us

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’ last year. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?

A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working

Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.

We’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.

We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.