Head Of Engineering

Lead Engineering in a Growing Aerospace Manufacturing Business! Beagle Aircraft is looking for an experienced Head of Engineering to lead our multidisciplinary Engineering function at our Christchurch site. Reporting to the Site Director / Managing Director, you'll provide leadership across Manufacturing Engineering, NPI & Programmes, CNC Programming, Estimating and Design/Technical Authority, ensuring Engineering delivers the capability, processes and technical direction needed to support our customers and future growth. This is a senior, hands-on leadership opportunity for someone who understands complex aerospace manufacturing and enjoys being close to the operation—not managing Engineering purely from behind a desk.

• Lead the Engineering function across Manufacturing Engineering, NPI, CNC Programming, Estimating and Technical Authority.
• Develop Engineering priorities, capability plans and technology improvements aligned with business requirements.
• Lead Engineering activity from RFQ and NPI through First Article, industrialisation and rate production.
• Drive improvements in manufacturing methods, cycle times, cost, scrap, rework and process capability.
• Provide senior technical leadership to resolve Engineering issues affecting production, quality and customer delivery.
• Support compliance with AS9100, AS9102 and customer-specific requirements.
• Provide technical input into RFQs, estimates, quotations and major customer programmes.
• Develop Engineering managers and technical teams, strengthening capability and succession across the function.

• We're looking for an established Engineering leader with experience in aerospace, defence or another complex regulated manufacturing environment.
• You'll ideally bring:
• Significant Engineering leadership experience within a manufacturing environment.
• Experience at Head of Engineering, Engineering Manager or equivalent senior leadership level.
• Experience leading multidisciplinary Engineering teams.
• Strong knowledge of Manufacturing Engineering, NPI and industrialisation.
• A track record of taking new products or programmes into stable production.
• Strong understanding of complex precision manufacturing processes.
• Experience developing manufacturing capability and supporting CAPEX investment.
• Strong commercial awareness and the ability to work effectively with customers and senior stakeholders.
• An Engineering degree, HND or equivalent depth of practical Engineering experience.
• Knowledge across areas such as metallics, sheet metal, welding, aerospace assembly, CNC machining, multi-axis programming, composites, GD&T and ERP/MRP would be highly advantageous.

• Competitive senior-level salary
• Competitive annual leave days plus Bank Holidays
• Company pension
• Private Healthcare benefits
• Employee Assistance Programme (EAP)
• Holiday Purchase Scheme
• Birthday Leave
• Long service awards
• Free onsite parking
• Career development opportunities

- Remember: You should never send money to a prospective employer or disclose any financial information. Should you encounter any job listings requesting payments or financial details, please reach out to us immediately. For further guidance, visit jobsaware.co.uk. - This is an opportunity to take ownership of a broad Engineering function and make a visible impact on how we deliver complex aerospace manufacturing programmes. - You'll have the opportunity to shape Engineering capability, develop people, improve manufacturing performance and work directly with senior leadership and customers as the business continues to develop. - We're particularly interested in Engineering leaders who combine strong technical knowledge with practical shop-floor understanding, commercial awareness and the ability to build and develop high-performing teams. - If you're currently a Head of Engineering, Engineering Manager, Manufacturing Engineering Manager or senior aerospace Engineering leader ready for your next challenge, we'd like to hear from you.