Date Posted:
2026-06-15Country:
United KingdomLocation:
Havant, HampshirePosition Role Type:
OnsiteDesign Office Manager
Location: Havant, UK
Business: Collins Aerospace, an RTX business
Department: Engineering
Hours: 37.5 per week
Lead the engine room behind aerospace design delivery
At Collins Aerospace, we don’t just design components. We help shape the systems that make flight safer, smarter and more connected.
Our WASP Switches site in Havant plays a key role in the design and delivery of advanced aircraft interior lighting and switching products used across the aerospace industry. We are now looking for a Design Office Manager to provide the operational leadership, structure and coordination that keeps design engineering moving with purpose, pace and precision.
This is a brilliant opportunity for an experienced Design Engineering leader who enjoys bringing order to complexity, supporting talented engineers, and ensuring design activity is planned, visible, controlled and delivered across multiple programmes.
What you will be doing
As Design Office Manager, you will lead the day-to-day coordination and delivery of design engineering activity across a portfolio of development, production support and aftermarket programmes.
You will work closely with the Chief Design Engineer, Senior Product Engineers and the Programme Management Office, helping ensure engineering priorities are clear, resources are aligned, risks are visible, and deliverables remain on track.
While technical authority and design approval will remain with the Chief Design Engineer and Senior Product Engineers, you will be the person ensuring the design office runs effectively, efficiently and with strong governance.
Key responsibilities
You will:
Lead and develop a team of Senior Design Engineers and Product Support Engineers
Coordinate engineering workload across multiple concurrent programmes
Manage engineering capacity, resource allocation and delivery priorities
Monitor progress against programme schedules, budgets and milestones
Identify resource conflicts, delivery risks and schedule pressures early
Support development, production and aftermarket design change activity
Promote a collaborative, accountable and high-performing engineering culture
Ensure adherence to design processes, standards and engineering governance
Support configuration management and control of engineering data within PLM/PDM systems
Monitor KPIs relating to process adherence, design milestones and change control
Build better data capture and reporting methods to improve visibility
Drive continuous improvement across engineering coordination, standards and delivery efficiency
What you will bring
We are looking for someone who understands the rhythm of a busy design engineering environment. You will know how to balance technical complexity, programme pressure, governance, people leadership and delivery expectations without losing sight of the bigger picture.
You will bring:
Significant experience within Design Engineering, ideally within aerospace or another regulated engineering environment
Experience leading or managing engineering teams
Strong experience delivering product development programmes
Confidence coordinating engineering activities across multiple projects at once
A strong understanding of design processes, governance and configuration management
Experience managing engineering deliverables within a structured product development lifecycle
Strong planning, workload management and resource allocation skills
The ability to identify risks, manage competing priorities and resolve resource conflicts
Excellent stakeholder management, communication and organisational skills
A structured, process-led approach to engineering delivery
Awareness of how engineering decisions affect cost, schedule, certification and programme performance
It would be great if you also have experience in
Aircraft interiors, cabin systems or aerospace electrical/electronic products
Aerospace certification and design assurance environments
Engineering process improvement or organisational development
Multidisciplinary engineering teams across mechanical, electrical, electronics or software disciplines
Production support, aftermarket engineering or product lifecycle support
APQP or equivalent design assurance and development systems
Qualifications and experience
You will typically have:
A degree in Engineering, Management or a related technical discipline, or equivalent industry experience
Strong experience within a Design Engineering environment
Previous experience in engineering leadership, management or operational delivery roles
For technical engineering positions, a STEM-related background is typically expected, unless prohibited by local laws or regulations
Why Collins Aerospace?
Collins Aerospace, an RTX business, is a global leader in technologically advanced and intelligent aerospace solutions. Across RTX, 185,000 people are united by a shared purpose: solving complex problems and helping connect and protect the world.
In this role, you will sit at the heart of design engineering delivery. You will help talented engineers do their best work, strengthen how programmes are executed, and support products that contribute to the future of aerospace.
If you are an engineering leader who thrives on structure, collaboration and making complex design environments run smoothly, this is your opportunity to make a real impact.
Apply now
Join Collins Aerospace in Havant and help lead the design office behind advanced aircraft interior lighting and switching technology.