Inspection and Assembly Methods Manager

Safran S.A.; Gloucester; On-site; GBP 70,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran Gloucester site seeks a senior leader to head Inspection and Assembly Methods, driving operational excellence and robust manufacturing processes for aerospace products. You will oversee industrialisation, PPAP validation, and cost-efficient production systems while aligning with safety and quality goals.

You will manage CAPEX projects, mentor teams, and collaborate with cross-functional stakeholders to enhance manufacturability and product robustness, ensuring regulatory and customer

Qualifications

• Proven leadership experience managing inspection/quality/manufacturing engineering/assembly methods teams.
• Strong knowledge of aerospace regulatory requirements, inspection, assembly, and industrialisation processes.
• Experience managing industrialisation, APQP, PPAP validation, and production chain optimisation.
• Strong project management skills and experience leading transformation and CAPEX projects.

Responsibilities

• Ensure HSE compliance through risk assessments.
• Ensure regulatory compliance and prepare teams for internal and external audits.
• Prioritise and manage Inspection & Assembly Methods workload in alignment with customer and internal stakeholder expectations.
• Drive inspection performance, monitor KPIs, and hold teams accountable to goals while addressing risks proactively.
• Manage the development of the Assembly and Inspection Methods and the industrialisation process.
• Prepare and justify CAPEX investments for transformation initiatives.

Skills

Leadership experience

Aerospace regulations

Industrialisation

Project management

Cross-functional communication

CAPEX projects

PPAP/APQP

MES knowledge

Education

Engineering degree

Job description

Safran – Here, we craft excellence together.

At Safran, excellence is a journey – and we'd love you to be a part of it. As a trusted global leader in aerospace, defence, and space, we are proud to be a company where diversity, innovation, and opportunity come together to shape a sustainable future where we can all succeed together through a shared vision.

Safran Landing Systems are a global leader inaircraftlanding and braking systems, from commercial and business travel to military and defence fleets.

Ourexpertisecoversthe entire life cycle of our products from end-to-end; Design, Engineering & Manufacturing, through to Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MRO). The Gloucester site has been at the forefront of landing gear technology for over 85 years, dating from the innovative designs of Sir George Dowty to advanced landing gears for the world's most modern aircraft today.

Reporting to the Head of Assembly, you will lead and manage both the Inspection and Assembly Methods functions. You will be responsible for driving operational excellence, managing industrialisation processes, and leading continuous improvement and transformation projects to ensure robust, safe, cost-effective, and high-quality assembly operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Ensure HSE compliance through risk assessments
• Ensure regulatory compliance and prepare teams for internal and external audits
• Prioritise and manage Inspection & Assembly Methods workload in alignment with customer and internal stakeholder expectations.
• Drive inspection performance, monitor KPIs, and hold teams accountable to goals while addressing risks proactively
• Manage the development of the Assembly and Inspection Methods
• Manage the industrialisation process, ensuring manufacturability and product robustness in compliance with safety, cost, quality, deadline, and HSE objective
• Manage the realisation, implementation, and validation of all production systems, including Production Part Approval Process (PPAP)
• Serve as the Assembly focal point for test equipment, managing supplier relationships and resolving issues
• Manage the budget for Inspection and Assembly Methods teams
• Prepare and justify CAPEX investments for transformation initiatives

What you'll bring:

• Proven leadership experience managing inspection/quality/manufacturing engineering/assembly methods teams
• Strong knowledge of aerospace regulatory requirements, inspection, assembly, and industrialisation processes
• Experience managing industrialisation, APQP, PPAP validation, and production chain optimisation
• Strong project management skills and experience leading transformation and CAPEX projects
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and conflict resolution skills
• Ability to drive continuous improvement, change management, and operational efficiency
• Business acumen with a strategic mindset balanced with operational execution
• Proactive, analytical, and autonomous problem solver with high integrity
• Strong understanding and ability to present to cross function stakeholders in and outside of the business
• Experience with coaching and mentoring with a focus particularly on building technical capability
• Strong functional knowledge and working of MES

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.

Get involved:

We also have a number of groups and forums across our sites that you can get involved with, including Women at Safran, Diversity at Safran, Sports Clubs, STEM ambassadors, Employee Forum, Charity Partnerships and Wellbeing Programs.