Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling

GKN; Luton; On-site; GBP 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Up to 15% bonus

Pension scheme

Life Assurance 8x

185 hours holiday + bank holidays

Cycle To Work

Employee Assistance Programme

Free onsite parking

Job summary

GKN Aerospace in Luton is seeking a Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling to lead a small Tooling Engineering team across Defence and Civil lines. You will drive tool design and production support, oversee 4 large 5-axis CNC machines, and maintain master tooling registers to ensure robust process technology for materials, tooling, and assembly.

You will manage workload and capacity, mentor engineers, coordinate with suppliers, and ensure compliance with EHS standards as part of a

Qualifications

• Proven leadership of tooling/engineering teams and manufacturing support.
• Experience with SAP for configuration control and documentation.
• Strong background in design for manufacture and GD&T principles.
• Excellent written and spoken English with safety-focused mindset.

Responsibilities

• Lead a Tooling Engineering team on the Luton site across Defence and Civil streams.
• Direct tool design, manufacture and maintenance; ensure robust tooling solutions.
• Oversee CNC operations and calibration for large 5-axis machines.
• Manage workload, capacity and KPI reporting to ME leadership.
• Coordinate with suppliers and internal customers (Program/Engineering Managers).
• Maintain tooling master registers and configuration control in SAP.

Skills

Leadership

Coaching & mentoring

Team management

Root cause analysis

Communication

Safety mindset

English proficiency

Education

Engineering degree or aerospace/mechanical/automotive background

Tools

Catia V5

SAP

Job description

Based at our Luton Manufacturing site as the Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling you'll be working across both our Defence and Civil business lines. You will provide and lead a team of Tooling and Cad Engineers in the design, manufacture and maintenance and control of all Site Tools. This will involve the technical capability to create and design tools as solutions to support the manufacturing operations. You'll be accountable for delivering robust, capable manufacturing process technology as it applies to materials, tooling, part fabrication and assembly. The role involves the creation of significant tooling designs from initial concept through to production for the production of aircraft transparencies and Ice Protection Tooling, jigs and fixtures. Among other activities, this will include responsibilities for 4 large CNC machines on site and calibration of current and the development of new or existing tooling. Supporting Manufacturing Engineering teams may also be required. The successful candidate will be experienced in a relevant engineering discipline and have a "hands on" approach, be able to prioritise jobs, be comfortable liaising with suppliers and other departments. Furthermore responsibilities for Manufacturing Engineering Configuration control, using SAP and more traditional documentation such as Specifications and Routings. The role will also provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to a small team of Tooling Engineers on the Luton site, supporting the Manufacturing Engineering Managers in matters of staff performance and development. The role will also be responsible for the overall load and capacity management of the tooling team members and provide reports and updates on tooling work plans as required by the Manufacturing Engineering Managers and/or Site Head of ME. Core operational hours at our Luton site are: 07:30 - 16:30 Monday to Thursday & 07:30 - 12:30 Friday. There is the requirement for flexibility for occasional travel in the UK.

• Exemplifying a safety-first mind-set and ensuring compliance with the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.
• Responsible for the development and support with technical solutions to complex problems within GKN Aerospace environment, our customers and suppliers by utilizing root cause analysis, preventative and corrective action to reduce and support to eliminate non-conformances.
• Maintain positive, team relationships with internal and external customers, as well as co-workers
• Responsible for tool fabrication quotes, tooling design and input for new product quotes, tooling configuration changes that involve cost estimation and schedule coordination and New Projects Introduction support.
• Act as key interface between external tooling suppliers and internal customers such as Program Managers and Engineering Managers
• Manage and maintain Tooling Engineers workload, skill and development, EHS and welfare to ensure tooling work is sufficiently resourced by the business with appropriate metrics and KPI's.
• Leadership of CNC Engineers and technicians to support production processes on large 5 axis CNC machines
• Configuration control of Manufacturing documentation to support operations, costings, BOMs routings and specifications.
• Creation, control and maintenance of master tooling registers for both customer and domestically owned tooling suites
  Technical expertise in Tooling solutions (Engineering), with a professional qualification (BEng, BSc, HNC) or strong background in engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or Automotive).
• Working knowledge of design for manufacture principles and tool/component manufacturing methods and able to provide technical input at all levels of work.
• Ability to create engineering drawings with an understanding of geometric tolerances and datum features.
• Organised and structured approach to tasks.
• Experience in tooling for composites and/or transparencies.
• Experienced in CAD 3D modelling and drafting (Catia V5).
• Understanding of inspection/calibration methods and interrogation of results.
• Be compliant with the Company's Environmental, Health & Safety and Energy procedures.
• Be proficient in English language, both written and spoken.

Desirable

• Project Management experience.
• Understanding of export control and compliance and security marking requirements.
• Working knowledge of quality system models such as ISO9000, AS9100, or D1-9000.
• Experience of New Product/process Introduction (Industrialisation) & existing production process improvements.

We are looking for people who want to make a difference, talented members with the skills and passions to become the best of the future in what they do. The Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling will have the ability to be agile and shift focus on competing priorities. The successful person will be a self-starter, able to manage own workload with excellent communication skills.

GKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we're inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We're proud to play a part in protecting the world's democracies. And we're committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world's aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Established in 1993, GKN Aerospace in Luton is a world leader in commercial and military ice protection systems and transparencies. Offering a full range of capabilities; design, analysis, testing, certification and manufacture of electro-thermal ice protection, military fast jet canopies and flight deck windows to over 20 programmes including: Boeing 787, Dreamliner, Airbus A320, AgustaWestland, AW101, Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed, Martin F-22 Raptor. Our customers include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopters, Textron, BAE Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Leonardo. Our Luton site is home to 370+ employees and onsite facilities including onsite parking, food hub and vending machines.

We'll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go? A Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working Everyone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we've created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It's a culture that won us 'The Best Workplace Culture Award'. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work. We're also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know. We are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.

• Competitive salary dependent on experience
• The opportunity to earn up to 15% bonus
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we'll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 185 hours holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• Virtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family
• Free onsite parking
• Local gym discount
• Free airport parking
• Discount with local nursery and preschool childcare setting
• Enhanced family friendly leave
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment