Business Transformation Director

GKN Aerospace; Luton; On-site; GBP 120,000 - 180,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Salary & benefits

Annual bonus

Car allowance

Fuel allowance

Private medical cover

Pension 8% match

Life assurance

Holiday allowance

Cycle to work

EAP

Onsite parking

Gym discounts

Airport parking

Family friendly leave

Collaborative culture

Job summary

GKN Aerospace is recruiting a Business Transformation Director for its Luton site. The role leads the site’s strategic transformation, including development, NPI programs, and breakthrough initiatives, reporting to the Site Director.

The position demands a proven leadership track record in manufacturing and capability to drive cross-functional change. You will work with senior leaders to define the vision, manage complex program delivery, and ensure alignment with growth objectives,

Qualifications

• Extensive leadership experience in manufacturing or heavy industry.
• Proven ability to deliver large transformation programs and capital projects.
• Strong stakeholder engagement across functions and levels.

Responsibilities

• Lead the site transformation agenda at the Luton facility, including site development and NPI management.
• Drive Breakthrough Initiatives with monthly improvement planning and risk management.
• Oversee business process improvements across Sales, Inventory, and operations.
• Partner with Site Director and Finance to set strategic vision and budget.

Skills

Executive leadership

Manufacturing experience

Influence across functions

Leadership and coaching

Strong communication

Stakeholder management

Education

MBA

Job description

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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 16,000 employees across 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

We're looking for a Business Transformation Director to join our team at GKN Aerospace's Luton manufacturing facility.

In this high-impact leadership role, you will be responsible for driving the delivery of the site's strategic transformation agenda, including Site Development, Programme Growth, New Product Introduction (NPI) management, breakthrough initiatives, and business process improvement activities. You will also lead a range of strategic projects aligned to the Luton site's long-term growth and transformation plans.

GKN Luton is a stable, high-performing facility with ambitious plans for growth and development in the months and years ahead. This is a unique opportunity to work closely with the Site Director and play a pivotal role in shaping the future of the site.

Our Luton facility is where innovation meets heritage. Since 1993, the site has been at the forefront of aerospace technology, specialising in commercial and military ice protection systems and transparencies. With a strong reputation for engineering excellence and a proud legacy of innovation, we are now entering an exciting new phase of transformation.

Significant investment is being made across the site, including modernising our facilities, upgrading equipment, enhancing operational capability, and creating the foundations for future growth. As Business Transformation Director, you will be instrumental in leading this journey, helping to deliver strategic change, improve business performance, and ensure the site is well-positioned to meet increasing customer demand and seize new opportunities.

Site Development

• Accountable for the full development of the Canopies Advanced Coating Facility Upgrade program. Delivered in compliance with the business case and customer agreement throughout the complete life cycle. Inclusive of all construction, equipment, and broader enabling activities.
• Lead the delivery of large, multifaceted, capital projects that significantly impact the operation of the site.
• Deliver a path to external funding and plan to expand the Luton site with an additional facility for future programmes. Interface with internal/external stakeholders for all aspects of the initiatives.
• Support business development to host strategic business opportunities for new customers, highlighting the technical and commercial opportunities that collaborating with Luton site can achieve.
• Deliver new product introduction projects, leading integrated project teams to design, develop and certify new products at Luton

Breakthrough Initiatives

• Lead the definition and monthly reporting of Annual Improvement Plans (AIP)
• Ensure action closure of all items generated on the AIP, supporting the transformation of Luton business.
• 2026 Priorities are to eliminate arrears and improve productivity

Business Process Improvement

Accountable for the development and deployment of Sales, Inventory and Operational planning. Including the:

• Demonstration of available/forecast orders for existing and new business
• Analysis of capacity availability, for equipment and headcount, and actions necessary to achieve constrained and unconstrained demand
• Calculation of Inventory entitlement dependent upon rate
• Identification of indirect resource needs for sustaining and NPI
• Financial reconciliation of proposed plans
• Publication of identified actions, and holding all functions accountable for respective closure
• Accountable for the integration of all variables that impact available capacity, and determination of a reporting methodology to monitor progress of actions. Focus on Cost of Poor Quality and Productivity.

Strategic Planning

• Partner with the Site Director, Operations Director and Finance Director to define the vision, strategy, objectives, operational plan and budget for the future of the Luton site

Chronic Issue Resolution

• Where necessary, engage with local project and operations teams to resolve specific challenges impacting external stakeholders or achievement of budgeted financial targets.
• Actively manage risk and opportunities to mitigate risk exposure and understand opportunities
• Responsible for creating a Great Place to Work and for championing the GKN Aerospace 5 culture principles

What You’ll Bring

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

Essential

• Significant relevant business experience, with a strong record of performance
• Demonstrated experience in roles with executive accountability
• Significant experience within the manufacturing industry, ideally in complex operational environments
• Proven ability to influence across functional boundaries, both internally and within supplier organisations
• Capability to lead, coach, and mentor highly skilled and experienced direct reports
• A strong track record of providing leadership and direction through effective communication and the development of high-performing teams
• Be able to demonstrate interpersonal, negotiation, organisational and communication skills

Desirable

• A degree or advanced degree in Business, such as an MBA
• Experience operating within a Lean-based Production System
• Broad understanding of the Aerospace industry

We are seeking a driven and highly organised transformation leader who is passionate about delivering meaningful change and shaping the future. You will be resilient, solutions-focused, and able to inspire others, bringing teams together to achieve ambitious goals. With the ability to influence at all levels, you will lead the site on its transformation journey with a strong focus on growth, innovation, and continuous improvement.

Note: Some GKN programmes are subject to regulatory restrictions which may impact certain nationalities. As part of the application process you will be asked to declare when applying for this role. The position requires UK National Security Vetting (UKNSV) Security clearance (SC) due to the nature and responsibilities of the work carried out. In order for us to obtain an SC you usually need to have been resident in the UK for a minimum of 5 years to current date (but we do assess each case individually).

Core operational hours at our Luton site are: 07:30 - 16:30 Monday to Thursday & 07:30 - 12:30 Friday.

What We’ll Offer

• Comprehensive salary and benefits package
• Benefits package including annual bonus, car allowance, fuel allowance, private medical cover
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 185 hours holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
• Electric Vehicle (EV) salary sacrifice scheme (Insurance, servicing, maintenance, roadside assistance and more included)
• Free onsite parking
• Local gym discount
• Free airport parking
• Enhanced family friendly leave
• 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!

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 arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.

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