Business Unit Engineering Manager - Farnborough

Business Unit Engineering Manager - Farnborough

Who are we:

Auxitrol Weston Operating Unit (OU) consists of 3 manufacturing plants, Auxitrol SA (France), Weston Aerospace Ltd (UK), Auxitrol Weston (Mexico), with 3 R&D departments in France, UK and Norwich Aero Products Inc (US) along with 3 repair capabilities in France, UK & Singapore.

Our world-renowned expertise, places us at the forefront of suppliers.

Weston Aerospace Ltd has approximately 170 employees in Farnborough whose responsibilities are to design and manufacture temperature, speed and pressure sensors for gas turbine and airframe applications.

We also have extensive environmental test facilities to verify our products' performance, replicating and exceeding hostile operating conditions.

Norwich Aero Products Inc has a R&D team of 6 whose responsibilities are to design temperature, speed and torque sensors for gas turbine and airframe applications.

We have another smaller manufacturing dedicated analogue indicator site based at Waltham Cross, Hertfordshire with around 12 employees.

Role & Job Summary:

Location: Farnborough

Role Type: Permanent, Full Time

Primary Responsibilities

The BU Engineering Manager is a key member of the Business Unit team. Responsible for representing the BU design activities including Innovation, NPI, Sustaining Engineering, PMO and Test & Qualification. This position requires a combination of direct BU specific activities and project management (lifecycle responsibility of all product local development/NPI) and management of design activities relating to agreed OU projects. The BU Engineering Manager is required to work with BU Managers and the VP Engineering to propose initiatives for the BUs and OU and define, implement and execute developments that support the BU budgets and strategy defined by the BU Manager. The BU Engineering Manager is responsible to provide support to the BU and OU as required and defined within the BU budget and the strategy of the BU and/or OU.

Key Responsibilities

- Responsible for representing the design and project management activities including Bids, Innovation, NPI, Sustaining Engineering, PMO and Test & Qualification at the BU level.
- The BU Engineering Manager is required to work with BU Manager to propose initiatives for the BU and OU, define, implement and execute BU developments that support the BU budget and strategy defined by the BU and OU.
- Support the BU Manager to ensure that the BU delivers according to its budgets.
- Work with the BU functions to propose and define the means and works necessary to deliver the Product Strategy, encompassing but not limited to the test & qualification tasks.
- Be the focal point for technical discussions with
i) customers under the BU Sales and/or the Business Development coordination either to solve BU issues or contribute to BU/OU technology roadmapping, and
ii) with suppliers at procurement/purchasing and/or logistic requests to understand supplier's technology roadmaps in order to create an environment capable of adding to the BU design capabilities using outside skills and data collection.
- Be responsible for the Innovation team and projects that have been selected by the BU. Evaluate test results of Innovation projects to assure accomplishment of technical objectives and make recommendations for the actions necessary to achieve desired results. In case of resource constraints propose mitigation activities and/or relevant solutions, including arbitration between projects, support by subcontractors and/or other BUs
- Contribute to the definition of the BU product strategy and to the set-up of its roadmap, becoming fully responsible for the agreed expected deliveries project gates successfully passed on time.
- To grant access to the BU to the developed (or in the course of development of) technologies, efficiently manage at BU level the IP and patents in accordance with OU directives and applicable laws, taking into account external elements such as TIDC etc. In case of doubt, if a major issue occurs or is foreseen, immediately escalate the subject to the VP Engineering and the BU Manager.
- Take ownership of the design, development, modification and evaluation of product.
- Comprehensive awareness of regulatory procedures and ownership of their dissemination to the relevant parties.
- Prepare and deliver technical presentations to other employees, customer and suppliers including communication on our technology advancements.
- Proactively seek outside the BU (or the OU) solutions and resources necessary to improve either the BU and/or OU performances.
- Network with peer group (Engineering Leadership, Innovation and including cross BU communication to ensure that the activities are handled in such manner to deliver according to targets and plans.
- Responsible for the creation, maintenance and improvement to the Engineering BMS Procedures and for ensuring that people throughout the business working with all BU Engineering Managers.
- Select, develop and regularly evaluate team to ensure competencies meet the business needs, address openly performance issues in a timely manner and in full in order to achieve department objectives.
- Drive succession planning within the department
Qualifications/Skills/Experience

Essential

Achieved a 1st or 2nd class honours degree or equivalent in an engineering discipline with previous proven experience. A physics degree would also be acceptable in some instances in place of an engineering degree.

Desirable

Ideally hold a Masters Qualification, MBA, MSc or equivalent.
TOEIC score of 800 minimum or equivalent from other recognised professional body. Ideally a member of a professional body with Chartered Engineer status (or equivalent from other professional bodies).

Competencies

- Customer Focus: knows how and understand the needs of internal and external customers. Is result oriented and works hard to consistently provide exceptional service.
- Ethics and Values: adheres to an effective set of core values and beliefs and acts in accordance.
- Integrity and Trust: widely trusted and seen as direct and truthful.
- Values Diversity: supports fair and equal treatment of all.
- Problem Solving: Looks beyond the obvious to find effective solutions.
- Functional technical skills: possesses the skills to be effective in the job and has the skills to perform the job at a high level of accomplishment.
- Listening: practices active and attentive listening, able to hear others.
- Action orientated: Proactive, decisive and agile.
- Composure: cool under pressure, not knocked off balance by the unexpected is a settling influence