Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.
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 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.
Job Summary
The Group Leader is accountable for achieving the People, Safety, Quality, Delivery, Cash and Cost (PSQDCC) targets through the disciplined and rigorous deployment of the Lean Operating Model.
The Group Leader is accountable for attaining Operational Excellence across their designated area of responsibility, in line with the Performance Centre objectives.
The Group Leader is accountable for creating a Great Place To Work through developing and empowering first class Team Leaders and driving a culture of continuous improvement, safe working and open dialogue.
Job Responsibilities
1. Create and sustain a culture that is aligned to the GKN Aerospace A Great Place To Work value drivers and Culture Principles by role-modelling behaviours, motivating, encouraging and recognising the contribution of individuals and teams.
2. Hold Team Members and Team Leaders accountable to embody the GKNA culture principles
3. Be Open and Honest when appraising and managing individuals performance whilst supporting and coaching individuals to close performance gaps
4. Exemplifying a safety-first mindset and ensuring that the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards are applied and that their assigned areas are a model of a world class healthy and safe working environment
5. Developing first-class Team Leaders who embody the GKN culture principles and are readily able to progress to become Group Leaders or take other key roles in the business
6. Leading and developing their teams to understand the context, mechanics and the delivery of PSQDCC targets to meet customer and stakeholder commitments
7. Driving the disciplined and rigorous deployment of the Lean Operating Model (LOM) across their assigned areas
8. Active involvement in problem solving and the management system using a Go to Gemba approach to solve problems with the ambition that 98% of issues can be solved within the area itself
9. Contributing to the Site strategy through the Hoshin Kanri (Strategy Deployment) process and ensuring its execution across their assigned areas
10. Understand the bigger picture and cooperate with other Group Leaders to ensure the best performance outcomes for the entire site
11. Holding the functional support staff accountable for adhering to the Global standards and enabling their area teams to meet their targets
12. Ensuring the disciplined execution of Daily Management and Standardised work through the conscientious adherence to Leader Standard Work
13. Driving and facilitating the Engagement of all team members, ensuring engagement actions are defined, implemented and followed-through
14. Complying with all legal and regulatory requirements and ensuring that staff are aware of the policies and their individual responsibilities and accountabilities:
15. The companys Equal Employment Opportunity and Affirmative Action policies
16. Compliance and Ethics Policy on Contracting with the United States Government in all areas of responsibility involving direct and indirect contracting with the United States Government
17. Export Control regulations
18. Input to Capex projects within their Area
19. Responsibility for managing Area budget as agreed with Direct Manager
20. Taking ownership when having to make difficult decisions linked to their area
Required Qualifications
21. Operations leadership, preferably internally from a Team Leader role
22. Understanding of performance numbers and trends
23. Meeting and exceeding PSQDCC performance targets
24. Using effective communication to build a high performing team
25. Influencing across functional lines
26. The ability to Lead, Coach and Develop direct reports
27. Consistently working to standards as defined in the site Business/Quality Management System (B/QMS)
Preferred Qualifications
28. Qualifications in an Engineering or operations discipline
29. Proficient in English language (written and verbal)
30. Experience working with a Lean Operating Model / Production System
31. Lean or Six Sigma certification by a reputable certifying body or benchmark company
32. Aerospace supply chain experience
33. A passion for the Aerospace industry
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 are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.