Manufacturing Engineering Manager – Change Management
About the Opportunity
A leading global aerospace manufacturer is seeking an experienced Manufacturing Engineering Manager to lead its Change Management Engineering function. This strategic leadership role combines manufacturing engineering, business transformation, configuration management, and digitalisation, supporting both operational delivery and major enterprise change programmes. Operating within a highly regulated aerospace manufacturing environment, the organisation designs and manufactures complex structural assemblies and systems for commercial and defence applications. The business is undergoing significant digital transformation, including the deployment of new Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) and Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) platforms, creating an exciting opportunity to shape future manufacturing operations.
The Role
The Manufacturing Engineering Manager – Change Management will lead a multidisciplinary engineering team of approximately 15 professionals responsible for managing internal and customer-driven changes across manufacturing operations. The role is accountable for ensuring engineering changes are effectively governed, assessed, communicated, and implemented while supporting business transformation initiatives, including PLM and ERP deployment. The successful candidate will drive process standardisation, configuration control, digital integration, and manufacturing readiness across the organisation.
Key Responsibilities
- Promote and maintain a strong safety culture, ensuring compliance with all health, safety, environmental, and regulatory requirements.
- Develop and maintain robust manufacturing engineering processes aligned with customer, regulatory, and business standards.
- Lead end-to-end change management activities, ensuring structured governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and successful implementation.
- Oversee engineering change and configuration management processes, ensuring full visibility of impacts on cost, quality, schedule, and operational performance.
- Lead engineering teams to deliver measurable outcomes aligned with business objectives and operational priorities.
- Serve as a key interface between customers, engineering, operations, quality, and supply chain functions.
- Drive cross-functional collaboration to ensure seamless implementation of engineering and manufacturing changes.
- Lead the development and deployment of Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) capabilities, improving data integrity, traceability, and configuration control.
- Support Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) transformation activities, ensuring engineering processes, master data, and operational workflows are aligned for successful implementation.
- Define and execute manufacturing engineering capability strategies, including workforce planning, training, and skills development.
- Build, mentor, and develop a high-performing engineering team while fostering a culture of accountability and continuous improvement.
- Deliver productivity, quality, and cost improvements through Lean methodologies, digital technologies, and process optimisation initiatives.
Candidate Profile
Essential Experience & Qualifications
- Degree-qualified in Aerospace, Mechanical, Industrial, Manufacturing Engineering, or a related discipline.
- Significant experience in Manufacturing Engineering within a complex industrial or regulated environment.
- Proven leadership experience managing engineering teams across both operational support and business transformation programmes.
- Demonstrated success delivering complex organisational and manufacturing change initiatives.
- Strong understanding of industrialisation, new product introduction (NPI), engineering change management, and configuration control processes.
- Experience implementing or managing Product Lifecycle Management (PLM) systems and engineering data governance.
- Experience supporting ERP transformation programmes and aligning engineering and operational master data structures.
- Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence at all organisational levels.
- Practical knowledge of Lean manufacturing and continuous improvement methodologies.
- Strong understanding of quality management systems such as AS9100, ISO 9001, or equivalent industry standards.
Desirable Experience
- Experience leading digital transformation initiatives within manufacturing environments.
- Knowledge of APQP, AS9145, or equivalent structured industrialisation frameworks.
- Project management qualification such as PRINCE2 Practitioner or equivalent.
- Configuration management certification or methodology experience (e.g. CM2).
- Experience with leading PLM platforms such as Windchill or equivalent.
- Experience with ERP platforms such as SAP or equivalent enterprise systems.
What's on Offer
- Competitive salary with performance-related bonus opportunities.
- Enhanced pension contributions and comprehensive benefits package.
- Life assurance and income protection schemes.
- Flexible working arrangements, including early-finish Fridays.
- Electric vehicle salary sacrifice scheme.
- Employee wellbeing and assistance programmes.
- Virtual healthcare services for employees and eligible family members.
- Cycle-to-work and employee discount schemes.
- Significant opportunities for professional development, leadership growth, and career progression within a global organisation.
Working Environment
This organisation promotes a collaborative, inclusive, and innovative culture where employees are encouraged to contribute ideas, drive improvement, and support transformational change. The business is committed to diversity, professional development, and creating an environment where individuals can build long-term careers while contributing to the future of advanced aerospace manufacturing.
