Associate Director - Manufacturing Engineering

Profils; Wolverhampton; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Company performance bonus scheme

Pension scheme - up to 10% employer

Private medical insurance

Comprehensive health cash plan

25 days annual leave + bank holidays

Flexible benefits programme

Training and mobility opportunities

Job summary

Safran is seeking an Associate Director - Manufacturing Engineering to lead the ME function across all Actuation Systems plants, developing the long‑term ME vision and aligning with senior leadership and customer expectations.

You will drive operational excellence, sustainability, and innovation by building a high‑performing global ME team, standardizing processes, and adopting Industry 4.0 tools to improve productivity and quality.

Qualifications

• Excellent leadership behaviours.
• Strong strategic and critical thinking capabilities.
• Experience managing change and transformation in manufacturing.
• Proven ability to apply APQP, PPAP, FMEA and continuous improvement methodologies to ensure manufacturing readiness at product launch.
• Comfortable operating in a matrix organization with cross‑functional responsibilities.
• Track record of transformational accomplishments in a manufacturing setting.
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Executive presence with ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent), with a Master's Degree Preferred, in a manufacturing engineering discipline.

Responsibilities

• Develop and execute the global Manufacturing Engineering strategy aligned with overall business objectives and emerging technologies (e.g., Industry 4.0).
• Lead innovation initiatives and continuous improvement efforts to enhance manufacturing capabilities and competitive advantage.
• Ensure Manufacturing Engineering drives measurable business outcomes, including cost efficiency, product quality, and successful product industrialisation from concept to mass production.
• Champion sustainability and compliance with industry regulations and environmental standards.
• Build, lead, and inspire a diverse, high‑performing global ME leadership team and workforce.
• Define and implement talent development, succession planning, and capability-building programs to meet current and future organizational needs.
• Foster an inclusive culture that promotes engagement, accountability, and professional growth across all ME teams worldwide.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional leaders to ensure alignment and integration of ME talent strategies with broader organizational goals.
• Establish, standardize, and continuously improve ME processes, best practices, and policies globally.
• Oversee industrialization programs, manufacturing readiness, and product quality assurance processes (e.g., MRL, APQP, PPAP).
• Drive adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and digital tools to optimize operations.
• Monitor global ME performance metrics, manage budgets, and ensure resource allocation supports strategic priorities.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, regulatory, and environmental standards across all manufacturing sites.

Skills

Leadership

Strategic thinking

Change management

APQP/PPAP/FMEA

Lean Six Sigma

Cross-functional collaboration

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in Manufacturing Engineering

Master's degree preferred

Tools

APQP

PPAP

FMEA

Job description

Associate Director - Manufacturing Engineering

Domain

Production

Job field / Job profile

General managers - General manager

Job title

Associate Director - Manufacturing Engineering

Employment type

Permanent

Professional category

Full-time

Safran – Here, we craft excellence together.

Safran Actuation Systems is a world‑class center for the design, manufacture and support of actuation and flight‑control solutions used across commercial, military and rotary platforms.

Our Actuation business brings together engineering excellence, advanced manufacturing capability, and a proud heritage within the aerospace sector. Whether supporting major global programmes or developing the next generation of actuation technologies, our people are at the heart of everything we do.

Your role:

As Associate Director - Manufacturing Engineering, you'll hold global accountability for the strategic leadership and overall performance of the ME function across all Actuation Systems manufacturing plants.

You will develop and execute the long‑term ME vision and strategy in partnership with senior leadership, ensuring alignment with corporate objectives, technological advancements, and customer expectations.

This role is critical in driving operational excellence, innovation, and sustainable growth by fostering collaboration across global teams and stakeholders.

Key responsibilities:

Purpose:

• Develop and execute the global Manufacturing Engineering strategy aligned with overall business objectives and emerging technologies (e.g., Industry 4.0)
• Lead innovation initiatives and continuous improvement efforts to enhance manufacturing capabilities and competitive advantage
• Ensure Manufacturing Engineering drives measurable business outcomes, including cost efficiency, product quality, and successful product industrialisation from concept to mass production.
• Champion sustainability and compliance with industry regulations and environmental standards.

People

• Build, lead, and inspire a diverse, high‑performing global ME leadership team and workforce.
• Define and implement talent development, succession planning, and capability‑building programs to meet current and future organizational needs.
• Foster an inclusive culture that promotes engagement, accountability, and professional growth across all ME teams worldwide.
• Collaborate with cross‑functional leaders to ensure alignment and integration of ME talent strategies with broader organizational goals.

Process

• Establish, standardize, and continuously improve Manufacturing Engineering processes, best practices, and policies globally.
• Oversee industrialization programs, manufacturing readiness, and product quality assurance processes (e.g., MRL, APQP, PPAP).
• Drive adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and digital tools to optimize operations.
• Monitor global ME performance metrics, manage budgets, and ensure resource allocation supports strategic priorities.
• Ensure compliance with safety, quality, regulatory, and environmental standards across all manufacturing sites.

But what else? (benefits, specificities, etc.)

Looking after the people who make Safran great is our priority. We offer a range of flexible benefits designed to support you, both in and out of work, including:

• Competitive salary
• Company performance bonus scheme
• Pension scheme - up to 10% employer contribution
• Private medical insurance
• Comprehensive health cash plan
• 25 days annual leave + bank holidays
• Flexible benefits programme
• We support your ambitions with training, development, a personalised career plan and mobility opportunities.

What you'll bring:

What you'll bring:

• Demonstrated excellent leadership behaviours.
• Proven strategic and critical thinking capabilities.
• Experience managing change and transformation in manufacturing.
• Proven ability to apply advanced quality planning tools (e.g., APQP, PPAP, FMEA) and continuous improvement methodologies (Lean, Six Sigma, etc.) to ensure manufacturing readiness at product launch.
• Comfortable operating in a matrix organization with cross‑functional responsibilities.
• Track record of transformational accomplishments in a manufacturing setting (e.g., process innovation, productivity gains, cultural change).
• Excellent communication and presentation skills.
• Strong problem‑solving and analytical thinking.
• Executive presence with the ability to influence at all levels of the organization.
• Bachelor's Degree (or equivalent), with a Master's Degree Preferred, in a relevant Manufacturing Engineering discipline

We know that some candidates may be put off applying for jobs where they don't meet 100% of the criteria outlined in the advert. We encourage anybody to apply if you can demonstrate a variety of skills and experience relevant to the requirements of this role.

Please let us know if you would like to discuss any reasonable adjustments to the hiring process that may better facilitate your participation.

We celebrate our differences and believe they make us stronger. We know that a fulfilling work environment is a key driver for innovative ideas and team success.

Job location

Europe, UK, England

Entity

Safran is an international high-technology group operating in the fields of aerospace (propulsion, equipment and interiors), space and defense. Its mission is to contribute sustainably to a safer world, where air transport becomes ever more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Present on every continent, the Group employs 110,000 people and generated €31.3 billion in revenue in 2025. Safran holds, either independently or through partnerships, leading global or European positions in its markets.

Entity

Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's ""World's Best Companies 2025"" ranking.

Safran Electronics & Defense is an international company with more than 19,000 employees who bring together expertise and team spirit to design high-technology solutions for the aerospace, defense and space sectors. By combining human and technological intelligence, the company develops products and services for both civil and military customers, operating on land, at sea, in the air and in space.