Configuration Manager

Safran; Birmingham; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Pension Scheme

Private Medical Cover

Cycle to Work

Job summary

Safran Seats in Wales is seeking a Configuration Manager to lead the CMS, ensure configuration governance, and drive changes across programmes and products. You will coordinate with diverse teams to align processes with group standards and regulatory requirements.

The role requires a degree in engineering or equivalent, CMII Level 6 is preferred, and experience with CATIA V5/PLM systems to support Windchill deployments. A strong emphasis on process improvement is essential.

Qualifications

• Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering, or HNC/HND (or equivalent).
• Strong understanding of configuration management principles and best practices.
• Experience with engineering release, change control, and approvals processes.
• Familiarity with PLM systems and Digital Mock-Up (DMU) environments.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and maintain the CMS, ensuring control, traceability, and governance of configurations across lifecycle.
• Own and optimise the engineering change process with clear responsibilities and effective CCBs.
• Produce and maintain configuration data and reports to support project lifecycle requirements.
• Support Windchill PLM deployment and optimise configuration management practices.

Skills

Mechanical design experience

Configuration management principles

Engineering change control

KPI reporting

Education

Degree in Mechanical, Aerospace or Structural Engineering or HNC/HND

Tools

CATIA V5

SmarTeam

Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems

Job description

Configuration Manager

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. Safran was ranked second in the Aerospace & Defense sector in TIME magazine's "World's Best Companies 2025" ranking. With more than one million seats installed across the fleets of the world's leading airlines, Safran Seats is one of the global leaders in passenger, crew, aircraft and helicopter seating, delivering innovative, high value-added solutions.

Location: Cwmbran, Wales

Salary: Competitive

Company: Safran Seats

Safran Seats is one of the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft seats, for both crew and passengers. One million Safran manufactured aircraft seats are currently in service with air fleets around the world. In the UK, Safran Seats specialises solely in the First Class and Business Class seating markets for wide body aircraft, with industrial and engineering teams in Cwmbran, Wales. 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:

• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Pension Scheme, leading salary sacrifice employer contributions up to 10%
• Private Medical Cover (upgrade to cover family members)
• Salary sacrifice benefits scheme including cycle to work
• 4 x Life Assurance
• Interactive benefits platform (tech, retail benefits & income protection)
• Enhanced family friendly policies & employee assistance programme
• Annual share-save schemes
• Career advancement - Safran University and internal Training and Development Schools
• Corporate Social Responsibility activities

Your Role

The Configuration Manager leads, develops, and maintains the SSGB Configuration Management System (CMS), ensuring effective control, traceability, and governance of product, programme, and business configurations throughout their lifecycle. The role ensures CMS alignment with Group and Branch processes, QMS requirements, Information Systems, and all applicable business and regulatory standards.

Lead and continuously improve the CMS, ensuring compliance with organisational, customer, OEM, and regulatory requirements through governance, monitoring, and KPI reporting. Own and optimise the engineering change control process, maintaining clear responsibilities and effective Change Control Boards (CCBs). Drive standardisation of configuration and engineering change practices, aligned with group processes, procedures, and best practice.

Produce and maintain configuration management data and reports supporting programme and project lifecycle requirements. Assess changes in business, customer, and industry requirements, implementing improvements to configuration management processes. Partner with Change and Programme Management teams to embed configuration control throughout programme delivery and change implementation.

Support Windchill PLM deployment and optimisation, ensuring configuration management principles and controls provide a robust foundation. Analyse CMS performance and implement improvements that increase efficiency, reduce non-value-added engineering change, and strengthen configuration governance.

Desirable Experience

• Degree qualified in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering, or HNC/HND (or equivalent) with significant experience in mechanical design
• CMII Level 6 Certified, with a strong understanding of configuration management principles and best practices
• Proficient in CATIA V5, SmarTeam, and/or other Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems
• Experience working within the Aerospace or Automotive industries, including knowledge of Digital Mock-Up (DMU) environments
• Familiarity with Boeing and Airbus specifications and requirements
• Strong understanding of engineering release, change control, and approval processes
• Proven ability to apply configuration management principles within complex engineering and product development environments