Configuration Manager

Safran; Cheltenham; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 100,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

33 days holiday

Pension scheme, up to 10%

Private medical cover

Cycle to work

4 x Life Assurance

Annual share-save schemes

Career development - Safran University

Job summary

Safran Seats in Cheltenham seeks a Configuration Manager to lead and maintain the CMS across programme and product lifecycles. You will ensure governance, traceability, and alignment with group processes, QMS, and regulatory requirements.

You will own the engineering change process, chair CCBs, drive standardisation, and collaborate with Change and Programme teams while supporting Windchill PLM deployment and CMS performance improvements.

Qualifications

• Lead and maintain CMS alignment with group processes and regulatory standards.
• Strong change control governance with clear responsibilities and CCBs.
• Experience with PLM systems (CATIA V5/SmarTeam) and DMU environments.
• Familiar with Boeing and Airbus specifications and release processes.

Responsibilities

• Lead, develop, and sustain the CMS for programme and product configurations.
• Drive standardisation of configuration and change practices.
• Analyse CMS performance and implement efficiency improvements.

Skills

Aviation industry experience

Engineering change control knowledge

Education

Degree qualified in Mechanical, Aerospace, or Structural Engineering, or HNC/HND (or equivalent)

CMII Level 6 Certified

Tools

CATIA V5

SmarTeam

Job description

Configuration Manager

Date: 2026-09-10T00:00:00

Location: Cheltenham, Gloucestershire, GB, GL50 3

Application Deadline: 2026-12-09T21:09:04.77

Company Overview

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.

About Safran Seats

Safran Seats is one of the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft seats, for both crew and passengers. 1 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.

Benefits

• 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

We are looking for a safety professional with a strong aviation background and a passion for driving safety excellence across a global organisation. You will bring:

• 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.

£ Competitive