Configuration Manager

Quick Release (Automotive) Limited; West of England; On-site; GBP 55,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Extensive induction training and on‑go

Travel opportunities

Career progression

People-first culture

Team events and wellbeing initiatives

Job summary

Quick Release (Automotive) Limited is seeking an experienced Senior Configuration Manager to lead CM activities for defence and aerospace client programmes. The role offers progression towards a Service Manager position and requires strong technical depth, leadership, and UK-wide travel to client sites.

You will establish, maintain and optimise CM processes, ensuring alignment with client requirements and industry standards, while working in high-integrity environments across the product

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in configuration management, ideally defence/aerospace.
• Knowledge of CM standards and PLM tools incl. Teamcenter/Windchill.
• Proven leadership of CM teams and client-facing delivery.
• Eligible for Security Check clearance (SC) is mandatory.
• Willing to travel across UK client locations.

Responsibilities

• Lead CM activities across high-profile client programmes, ensuring effective control of product data and change.
• Develop and implement CM strategies and plans aligned with client needs and industry standards.
• Manage CM identification, control, status accounting, and audits across the lifecycle.
• Serve as a senior client contact, maintaining strong relationships and delivering high-quality service.
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior CM staff.
• Support proposals, capability development and service evolution.
• Ensure integration with engineering, quality, manufacturing and project management.

Skills

5+ years’ experience in CM

CM standards knowledge

CM team leadership

Excellent communication

Security Check (SC) clearance eligible

UK travel flexibility

Tools

Teamcenter

Windchill

Job description

Quick Release is seeking an experienced and motivated Senior Configuration Manager to support and lead key client engagements within the defence and aerospace sectors. This is a pivotal role requiring both technical depth and leadership capability, with the potential to evolve into a Service Manager position for the right candidate.
The successful applicant will be responsible for establishing, maintaining, and optimising configuration management processes and systems, ensuring alignment with client requirements and industry standards. This position offers the opportunity to work in complex and high-integrity environments, delivering measurable value across the product lifecycle.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead configuration management activities across high-profile client programmes, ensuring the effective control of product data and change
• Develop and implement CM strategies and plans in line with client needs, industry standards, and regulatory frameworks
• Manage configuration identification, control, status accounting, and audits across the full product lifecycle
• Act as a senior point of contact for clients, maintaining strong relationships and delivering high-quality service
• Provide technical leadership and mentorship to junior configuration professionals within the team
• Support the development and delivery of proposals, capability development, and internal service evolution
• Ensure integration with adjacent functions such as engineering, quality, manufacturing, and project management

• Minimum of 5 years’ experience in configuration management, ideally within defence or aerospace industries
• Strong working knowledge of industry CM standards and frameworks (e.g. ISO 10007, DEF STAN 05-57, EIA-649)
• Demonstrated experience in leading or managing CM teams or initiatives
• Familiarity with common CM tools and PLM systems (e.g. Teamcenter, Windchill, or equivalent)
• Excellent communication, stakeholder engagement, and reporting skills
• Eligible for Security Check (SC) clearance is mandatory due to the nature of the projects
• Ability to work flexibly across different client locations in the UK

Desirable Attributes

• Proven track record of delivering in a consultancy or client-facing role
• An aptitude for service development and continuous improvement
• Ambition to grow into a broader Service Manager or capability leadership role

• Comfortable operating in both structured and evolving project environments

• £55,000-£65,000 starting salary plus other rewards and benefits.
• A highly motivated, diverse, talented and supportive team with a positive "people-focussed" company culture.
• Extensive induction training and ongoing learning and development.
• Projects with a variety of clients, locations and workplaces, all with real-world impact.
• UK, European and World travel opportunities.
• Career progression based on merit and a choice of pathways.
• Lots of team events, sports clubs, CSR, mental health, diversity and wellbeing initiates and a direct line to management and leadership for your ideas.
• The knowledge, skills and experience to ensure you’ll always be in demand, wherever your career may take you…

QR_Values

Being the best at what we do is important to us (we’ve just been named amongst the FT's leading management consultancies for the third year running) but Quick Release has always been about more than project delivery. We can only be the best by looking after our team and we are very much a "people-first" business. We offer an environment of support, inclusion and encouragement, where our people can be authentic, be heard, enjoy their work and thrive. Team-building, learning, development and career progression are at the core of what we do, and we take great pride in our positive company culture.

We also take pride in our diversity and we respect and value multiple approaches and points of view. We challenge inequality in all its forms, in others, and especially in ourselves. We're not perfect, but we want to be better and do better, and we are fully committed to this in our actions as well as words.

As an equal opportunities employer, Quick Release will never discriminate on the basis of gender, race, religion, ethnicity, sexual orientation, age, socio-economic background, marital status, or disability status.

Quick Release (Automotive) Limited are an Armed Forces friendly employer. We welcome applications from reservists, former or existing Armed Forces personnel who are interested in a career in Product Data Management.

This role will require you to have or be willing to go through National Security Vetting. As part of the onboarding process candidates will be asked to complete a Baseline Personnel Security Standard; details of the evidence required to apply may be found on the government website Gov.UK. If you are unable to meet this and any associated criteria, then your employment may be delayed, or rejected . Details of this will be discussed with you at interview.

Connect With Quick Release Online_

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/quick-release

Glassdoor: https://bit.ly/GlassdoorQR