Manufacturing Operations Manager

As part of MBDA’s continual volume growth and operational expansion, you could join our highly technical manufacturing environment as a Manufacturing Operations Manager with a pivotal role in shaping operational performance ensuring the delivery of complex, critical defence programmes. Additionally, having the knowledge, skills and personal drive to lead multi-functional groups to evolve our ways of operating towards a future state of manufacturing excellence.

Salary: Circa £70,000 depending on experience

Dynamic (hybrid) working: 5 days per week on-site due to workload classification

Security Clearance: British Citizen or a Dual UK national with British citizenship

Restrictions and/or limitations relating to nationality and/or rights to work may apply. As a minimum and after offer stage, all successful candidates will need to undergo HMG Basic Personnel Security Standard checks (BPSS), which are managed by the MBDA Personnel Security Team.

What we can offer you:

• Company Bonus: Bonus of up to 21% of base salary
• Pension: maximum total (employer and employee) contribution of up to 14%
• Flexible working: We welcome applicants who are looking for flexible working arrangements
• Enhanced parental leave: offers up to 26 weeks for maternity, adoption and shared parental leave -enhancements are available for paternity leave, neonatal leave and fertility testing and treatments
• Facilities: Fantastic site facilities including subsidised meals, free car parking and much more…

The Opportunity

This role is ideally suited to a proven manufacturing leader ready to take on the broader challenge of delivering our prototyping/development activities across critical defence programmes. You will lead and shape multi-functional teams, evolving our ways of operating and embedding best practices across manufacturing operations. A key focus will be fostering a strong continuous improvement culture that drives performance, builds capability and ensures the achievement and sustainment of manufacturing excellence.

You could find yourself leading a prototyping/development team or or leading the transition of complex systems into stable, repeatable manufacturing, whilst continuing to mature production operations by influencing the team and help shape the future.

What’s in it for you?

• Lead and shape the manufacture, assembly, integration, and test of complex aerospace and defence systems.
• Operate at the forefront of manufacturing excellence, quality transformation, and operational improvement.
• Influence decision-making and outcomes at senior leadership level.
• Develop your leadership capability within a business committed to continuous improvement and developing its people.
• Identify improvements to our existing manufacturing and lead multi-functional groups and evolve our ways of operating.
• Gain exposure to major operational challenges, including ramp-up of new programmes, stabilising transitioning production lines, industrialisation of new systems, and improving established manufacturing flows.
• Benefit from clear progression opportunities into Head of Manufacturing or wider senior leadership roles for high performers.

This is a rare opportunity to build both a legacy of operational impact and a long-term leadership career within one of the UK's foremost advanced manufacturing organisations.

What we’re looking for from you

You will bring:

• Proven experience as an Operations, Production or Manufacturing Manager within a complex, regulated manufacturing environment (aerospace, defence, automotive or similar)
• Demonstrated leadership of multidisciplinary teams with a strong track record of delivery against safety, quality, cost and schedule objectives.
• Experience leading production ramp-up, industrialisation, of new products t or stabilisation of transitioning manufacturing lines.
• Capability to drive continuous improvement, whilst utilising and implementing a variety of lean tools ensuring successful implementation and change management.
• Strong leadership skills that ensure accountability and ownership at all levels. Being forthcoming with new ideas and better ways of working that means we challenge the norm in a proactive and inclusive manner.
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, operating confidently across engineering, quality and project teams.

Qualifications – desirable

• Degree or equivalent qualification in Manufacturing, Engineering, or a related discipline
• Lean / Continuous Improvement certification (e.g. green Belt / Black Belt)
• IOSH or relevant health and safety qualification
• Experience operating within aerospace or defence quality framework (e.g. EN9100)

Our company: Peace is not a given, Freedom is not a given, Sovereignty is not a given

MBDA is a leading defence organisation. We are proud of the role we play in supporting the Armed Forces who protect our nations. We partner with governments to work together towards a common goal, defending our freedom.

We are proud of our employee-led networks, examples include: Gender Equality, Pride, Menopause Matters, Parents and Carers, Armed Forces, Ethnic Diversity, Neurodiversity, Disability and more…

We recognise that everyone is unique, and we encourage you to speak to us should you require any advice, support or adjustments throughout our recruitment process.

Follow us on LinkedIn (MBDA), X (@MBDA_UK), Instagram (MBDA_UK) and Glassdoor or visit our MBDA Careers website for more information.