Manufacturing Team Leader

GKN Aerospace; West of England; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 65,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Competitive salary

Up to 15% annual bonus

EV salary sacrifice scheme

Pension scheme

Life assurance

Holidays and bank holidays

Income protection

Cycle to work

Employee assistance programme

Collaborative environment

Job summary

GKN Aerospace at Filton designs and manufactures large wing assemblies and components for civil and military aircraft. We seek a dynamic Team Leader to inspire and develop a 10–15 strong team, driving Lean changes across zones to meet PSQDCC targets.

You will lead with a culture of openness and continuous improvement, align with Great Place to Work values, and manage resources within a 37-hour, four-day week, Monday-Thursday or Tuesday-Friday rota. This role is full-time and permanent.

Qualifications

• Hands-on Kaizen implementation and adherence to standardized work processes.
• Strong leadership and ability to coach and develop team members.
• Experience with Lean Operating Model/Production Systems and Six Sigma principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop a team of 10–15 operators on a 37-hour, 4-day week.
• Deploy Lean Operating Model to achieve PSQDCC targets and customer commitments.
• Model and promote a safety-first culture, ensuring compliance with policies.

Skills

Kaizen implementation

Lean/Production systems

Leadership

Communication

Team development

Education

Engineering degree

Six Sigma certification

Tools

Lean Operating Model

Kaizen

Six Sigma

Job description

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 32 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.6bn in 2025. There are no limits to where you can take your career.

Job Summary

At our GKN Filton site, we specialise in the design and manufacture of large complex structural wing assemblies, detailed metallic components and wing systems for a combination of both civil and military aircraft.

We are seeking a dynamic and motivated Team Leader to foster a culture that aligns with GKN Aerospace's “Great Place to Work” values. In this role, you will lead, inspire, and develop your team, ensuring a culture of openness, continuous learning, and operational excellence. The Team Leader will be accountable for achieving PSQDCC (People, Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cash, and Cost) targets by deploying Lean principles across designated zones, while actively participating in problem-solving and continuous improvement efforts.

The successful applicant will join our Wing Assembly business on a full-time, permanent basis and lead a team of between 10-15 operators, working a 37 hour, 4 day week (Core Day shift, Monday-Thursday or Tuesday - Friday)

How You'll Contribute

• Culture and Leadership:Role model GKN Aerospace’s culture principles, motivating and recognizing contributions of individuals and teams to establish an inclusive, collaborative environment
• Performance Management:Conduct open, honest performance evaluations, provide coaching, and support team members in bridging performance gaps while developing their strengths
• Safety and Compliance:Maintain a “safety first” mindset, ensuring adherence to GKN Aerospace’s Health, Safety, and Environmental policies, and fostering a healthy and safe workplace
• Operational Excellence:Actively lead the deployment of the Lean Operating Model (LOM) to meet PSQDCC targets and customer commitments, engaging in hands‑on management and coaching
• Team Development: Build a pipeline of first‑class Team Members with the potential to advance into leadership or other critical roles within the organization
• Problem‑Solving and Accountability:Promote a “go to Gemba” approach, aiming to resolve 95% of issues at the source and cooperating with other Team Leaders to achieve optimal area performance
• Communication and Engagement:Facilitate effective communication across zones, fostering material flow and accountability among functional support staff, while driving team engagement and following up on engagement actions
• Budget and Resource Management: Manage the zone’s budget in collaboration with the Group Leader, ensuring resources are allocated effectively to meet performance goals
• Compliance:Uphold all legal and regulatory standards, including Equal Employment Opportunity, Diversity & Inclusion policies, Compliance and Ethics Policy, and Export Control Regulations

What You'll Bring

To help us make a difference, you’ll bring your passion and expertise/ talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

• Previous experience in a similar role or demonstrated competence in key tasks within the designated work zone
• Proven track record of Kaizen implementation and adherence to standardized work processes
• Self‑motivated, with a strong drive to meet and exceed PSQDCC performance targets
• Excellent communication and collaboration skills, capable of working effectively with diverse stakeholders
• Proven ability to lead, engage, train, and develop team members
• Degree or certification in Engineering, Science, or a related field
• Experience with Lean Operating Model/Production Systems and Lean or Six Sigma certification
• Background in aerospace supply chain management
• Strong passion for the aerospace industry

What We’ll Offer

Once you're on board you'll get the following perks and benefits:

• A Competitive salary dependent on experience
• Up to 15% annual bonus
• Access to a salary sacrifice EV scheme giving tax and national insurance savings
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = well match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis (GKN Contribution up to 12%)
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 187.5 hours holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment

As well as a competitive package well offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly! Well support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities. That's the beauty of being part of a global business, once you're on board you never know where you career journey may take you!

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 arethe place where human dreams, plus humanendeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.