Inspection and Assembly Methods Manager

Safran; Warmley; On-site; GBP 60,000 - 85,000; Full time

Job summary

Safran Gloucester is seeking an Inspection and Assembly Methods Manager to lead the Inspection and Assembly Methods functions, driving operational excellence, regulatory compliance, and continuous improvement across manufacturing operations.

Reporting to the Head of Assembly, you will manage KPI performance, CAPEX planning, risk management and cross-functional collaboration to deliver robust, safe and cost-effective processes in a high‑precision aerospace environment.

Qualifications

• Requires leadership experience across inspection, quality, manufacturing engineering and assembly methods.
• A deep knowledge of aerospace regulatory requirements and related processes.
• Proven track record in industrialisation, APQP and PPAP validation, and production chain optimisation.
• Strong project management skills with transformation and CAPEX experience.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management capabilities.

Responsibilities

• Ensure HSE compliance through risk assessments
• Ensure regulatory compliance and prepare teams for audits
• Prioritise and manage Inspection & Assembly Methods workload
• Drive inspection performance, monitor KPIs and address risks
• Develop Assembly and Inspection Methods
• Manage the industrialisation process, ensuring manufacturability and robustness
• Oversee PPAP production system validation
• Serve as assembly focal point for test equipment and supplier relations
• Manage budgets for Inspection and Assembly Methods teams
• Prepare and justify CAPEX investments for transformation

Skills

Leadership (Inspection)

Aerospace Regulations

Industrialisation APQP PPAP

Production Optimisation

Project Management

Stakeholder Management

Continuous Improvement

Strategic & Execution

Coaching & Mentoring

Job description

Inspection and Assembly Methods Manager

Gloucester

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 in aircraft landing and braking systems, from commercial and business travel to military and defence fleets
Our expertise covers the 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:

• 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
• 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