Head of Production Engineering
Full TimeJob Overview
- Employment type: Permanent
- Salary: £55,000 - £70,000
- Standard Hours: Flexible start / 40 hours per week
- Location: Bembridge, Isle of Wight
The Head of Production Engineering is responsible for leading production engineering and manufacturing engineering activities in support of Britten-Norman’s aircraft manufacturing and modification operations.
The role ensures safe, compliant, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing processes across aircraft assembly, structures, systems installation, and component manufacture. It combines hands-on engineering leadership with team management to support production delivery, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance within a low-volume, high-complexity aerospace environment.
The role ensures safe, compliant, efficient, and high-quality manufacturing processes across aircraft assembly, structures, systems installation, and component manufacture. It combines hands-on engineering leadership with team management to support production delivery, continuous improvement, and regulatory compliance within a low-volume, high-complexity aerospace environment.
Key Responsibilities
Leadership & Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop Production Engineering teams
- Set engineering priorities aligned with production schedules, aircraft delivery milestones, and business objectives.
- Allocate engineering resources to support assembly lines, modification programmes, and NPI activity.
- Promote a culture of safety, compliance, accountability, and continuous improvement.
Production & Operations Support
- Provide day-to-day engineering support to aircraft assembly, systems installation, and modification activities.
- Resolve production issues impacting safety, quality, cost, or delivery, ensuring robust root cause analysis and corrective action.
- Support production planning by improving workflow, line balance, and capacity utilisation.
- Monitor and improve key metrics such as delivery performance, labour efficiency, and schedule adherence..
Manufacturing & Production Engineering
- Develop, maintain, and optimise manufacturing processes, routings, tooling, and work instructions for aircraft and components.
- Support New Product Introduction (NPI), aircraft variants, design changes, and industrialisation activities.
- Ensure manufacturing documentation is compliant with Part 21, Part 145 (where applicable), and internal procedures.
- Drive standardisation and best practice across production and engineering functions.
Continuous Improvement & Cost Control
- Lead continuous improvement initiatives appropriate to low-volume aerospace manufacturing (Lean, Kaizen, problem-solving)
- Reduce rework, non-conformances, and manufacturing waste while maintaining airworthiness and quality standards
- Identify opportunities to improve build efficiency, flow, and cost without compromising compliance or safety
- Support capital investment cases for tooling, fixtures, and equipment
Tooling, Equipment & Automation
- Oversee the specification, design, and introduction of jigs, fixtures, and manufacturing aids for aircraft production
- Work closely with Maintenance and Facilities to ensure equipment availability and safe operation
- Support selective automation and digital manufacturing solutions where they add value in a high-mix environment
Quality, Safety & Regulatory Compliance
- Ensure manufacturing processes meet Britten-Norman quality standards and regulatory requirements
- Work closely with Quality and Compliance to support audits, investigations, and corrective actions
- Support root cause analysis for non-conformances, concessions, and production escapes
- Promote a strong safety culture across all manufacturing and engineering activities
Cross-Functional Collaboration
- Work closely with Design Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, Production, and Planning teams
- Support supplier technical issues and manufacturing readiness where required
- Provide engineering input to programme reviews, delivery planning, and operational risk assessments
Skills, Knowledge and Expertise
- Experience in Production Engineering or Manufacturing Engineering within an aerospace manufacturing environment
- Strong understanding of aircraft manufacturing, assembly, structures, or systems installation
- Experience working in a regulated environment (EASA / CAA / Part 21 / Part 145)
- Proven ability to lead engineering teams and support live production
- Strong problem-solving skills and attention to detail
Desirable
- Experience in low-volume, high-mix aerospace manufacturing
- Knowledge of airworthiness, configuration control, and change management
- Experience with Lean principles applied to aerospace environments
- Familiarity with digital work instructions, MRP/ERP systems, and manufacturing KPIs