Join to apply for the Principal Engineering Project Lead role at Acro Aircraft Seating Ltd
Acro Aircraft Seating is one of the UK’s leading and fastest growing manufacturers of passenger seats for commercial airlines around the world. We are an agile, innovative business at the forefront of disrupting the aerospace market. Through modern methodologies, lean techniques, inspired innovation, and passion to be the best, Acro is positioning itself to be the world’s leading aircraft seating supplier.
Collaboration is one of Acro’s core values; by working together and applying our skills and expertise across Sales, Engineering, Quality, Supply Chain, and Operations, we find the solutions to our clients’ most complex challenges and how we deliver our promises today and tomorrow.
Job Description
The Principal Engineering Project Lead’s purpose is to lead a team of Engineering Project Leads (EPLs) in the execution of the engineering aspects of our cross-functional Integrated Project Teams (IPT) to deliver fully engineered and certified seating programs to our customers and to internal stakeholders.
The Principal EPL is accountable for the delivery and execution of the engineering programs assigned to the EPL team, On Time In Full and On Budget, producing safe and reliable aircraft seating systems from concept through the full NPI process into production.
Working in a functional matrix structure, you will work closely with a cross-functional team of specialist engineers across Industrial Design, Engineering, electrical integration, CAE, test and certification, ensuring work packages are coordinated and delivered effectively and efficiently to achieve the program objectives, while providing leadership to the overall programs.
Reporting to the Technical Director, you will collaborate effectively across the business, leveraging excellent communication and team‑working skills.
Outside the organisation, you will be skilled in working with our suppliers, customer airlines and aircraft OEMs, leaning into emerging challenges within the program, to achieve success for Acro and our customers.
Key Responsibilities
* Manage the delivery of multiple engineering programs to support business objectives.
* Lead, coordinate, mentor and coach a team of EPLs, ensuring clarity and alignment to meet the technical, commercial and programme requirements.
* Resource planning and tracking to enable efficient and effective use of the functional resource group to deliver all programs, support the Program Management and Finance teams in managing resource within budget constraints.
* Provide leadership and guidance to the EPLs in the definition and maintenance of, and delivery to, timing plans for the engineering elements of the program. Work closely with the Program Management function in development and execution of the cross‑functional programme plans.
* Collaboration and negotiation with the Head of Product Development to achieve the optimum balance between achieving engineering excellence and schedule/budget priorities.
* Provide leadership in finding innovative solutions to overcome barriers to program success, whether technical, schedule, quality or cost related.
* Resolving schedule and resource conflicts and developing technical solutions which deliver to evolving programme plans and unplanned events.
* Drive adherence to the Acro Project Delivery Process, and associated deliverables.
* Managing variation orders across all programs, supporting the EPLs in managing risks and opportunities arising from these.
Skills and experience required
* Strong Mechanical Engineering or related degree.
* Leadership and direct management of a small team, or indirect management of a large team.
* Structured project delivery experience, ensuring adherence to stage gates and effective on time delivery. Strong capability in planning, organising, and prioritising – managing multiple and complex projects and resources efficiently.
* Design Engineering in Catia V5 (or equivalent).
* Strong analytical and decision‑making skills. Ability to operate under pressure and tight deadlines. Flexible and adaptable – willing and able to respond positively to changing priorities. Communicating and influencing – able to create impact by communicating key messages clearly, succinctly and with confidence.
* Customer facing – ability to inspire confidence and present Acro professionally and with credibility to external stakeholders (operators, integrators, OEMs, suppliers).
* Experience, knowledge and understanding of Aircraft Seating integration programs.
* High levels of commercial and technical insight.
Benefits
* 25 Days holiday + Bank Holidays.
* Pension.
* Life assurance.
* Employee Assistance Programme.
* Training opportunities.
* 37.5 hours per week – 1 pm finish on a Friday.
* Hybrid working (1 day per week working from home).
* Enhanced maternity and paternity leave.
We really want to hear from you, so don't miss your opportunity to join us! Once you apply, your CV will be held in our central database. Please let us know if you do not wish for us to retain your details. If your application is successful, you will be contacted in due course.
Acro Aircraft Seating is an equal opportunities employer.
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