Team Leader - Aviation Stores

Kühne + Nagel (AG & Co.) KG; Farnborough; On-site; GBP 42,000 - 55,000; Full time

Job summary

Kühne + Nagel (AG & Co.) KG in Farnborough seeks a Team Leader - Aviation Stores to head a four-person team within a regulated aviation logistics setting. You will supervise day-to-day activities, ensure safe handling, and oversee receipt, storage, and despatch of aviation materials.

The role combines hands-on leadership with a focus on quality and performance targets, in a fixed 4-on/4-off, 12-hour shift within a customer maintenance hangar.

Qualifications

• Experience leading a small operational team in aviation stores or similar.
• Knowledge of warehouse operations: receiving, storage, picking, packing and despatch.
• Understanding of quality standards and regulatory requirements (e.g., aviation) and Part 145.
• Excellent English communication, written and spoken.

Responsibilities

• Lead a team of four operatives, planning workloads and resources.
• Manage team KPIs and contractual requirements; drive performance and quality.
• Oversee DG packing/despatch and accurate asset receipt, storage and despatch.
• Provide hands-on support and training to new starters and colleagues.
• Maintain safety, housekeeping and regulatory compliance; report challenges to management.

Skills

Team leadership

Aviation stores knowledge

Warehouse operations

DG shipping knowledge

Fluent English communication

Tools

Aviation ERP systems

Job description

Are you an experienced team leader with a background in aviation stores, engineering, or another highly regulated and quality-focused environment? We are looking for a Team Leader - Aviation Stores to join our Contract Logistics operation in Farnborough, leading a team of four operatives based within our customer's aviation maintenance facility.

This is a hands‑on leadership role where you will work alongside your team to ensure daily operational activities are completed safely, efficiently and to the required quality standards. You will oversee the receipt, handling, storage, inspection, packing and despatch of aviation materials, while supporting your team in achieving operational and performance targets.

The position operates on a fixed 4-on/4-off, 12‑hour shift pattern and is based within a customer maintenance hangar. Due to the nature of the working environment, the successful candidate must be able to meet the necessary vetting requirements.

With the potential for the operation to grow in the future, this is an excellent opportunity for someone who is keen to develop their leadership capabilities, make a positive impact on team performance and contribute to the continued development of the operation.

How you create impact

• Lead and coordinate the day-to-day activities of a team of four operatives, ensuring workloads and resources are effectively planned.
• Manage team performance against agreed KPIs and contractual requirements, identifying opportunities to improve performance, quality and processes.
• Oversee the accurate receipt, handling, storage, inspection, packing and despatch of customer assets, providing hands‑on operational support when required.
• Ensure receiving inspections are carried out in accordance with Part 145 and customer quality requirements, supporting receiving activities as required.
• Oversee Dangerous Goods (DG) packing and despatch activities, ensuring compliance with applicable regulations and standards.
• Lead, motivate and develop your team, ensuring new starters are fully trained and colleagues receive the ongoing support required to perform effectively.
• Promote high standards of health and safety, quality, housekeeping and operational compliance, while continually identifying opportunities for improvement.
• Maintain strong relationships with the customer, colleagues and management, providing clear communication on performance, resources, workload and operational challenges.

What we would like you to bring

• Previous experience leading a small operational team, ideally within aviation stores, MRO, engineering materials or tooling.
• Experience within aviation or aerospace would be highly desirable; however, candidates with relevant transferable experience from other highly regulated and quality-focused environments, such as pharmaceutical or engineering operations, are also encouraged to apply.
• Good knowledge of warehouse or stores operations, including receiving, picking, packing, stock management and despatch.
• A hands‑on leadership style, with the willingness and ability to support your team directly with day-to-day operational activities.
• Strong people management skills, with experience motivating, developing and supporting teams to achieve quality and performance targets.
• A good understanding of operational KPIs, continuous improvement and working within clearly defined processes and quality standards.
• Excellent communication and customer relationship management skills, with fluent written and spoken English.
• Experience with forklift operations, Dangerous Goods shipping, aviation parts inspection and/or aviation ERP systems would be advantageous, alongside the ability to achieve the required standards and qualifications for the role.

What's in it for you

This is an opportunity to take on a key, hands‑on leadership position within a highly regulated and quality-focused aviation logistics environment. You will have the chance to make a visible impact on the day-to-day performance of the operation, support and develop a small team, strengthen customer relationships and contribute to continuous improvement.

As the operation has the potential to expand its scope in the future, the role also offers an exciting opportunity for someone with the ambition and potential to grow alongside the business. You will be able to further develop your leadership and operational expertise while gaining valuable experience within specialist aviation logistics and an international organisation.