Engineering Director (Hydrogen Systems)

Job Summary

As a key part of its sustainability agenda GKN Aerospace is making significant investments in the design and development of hydrogen based electrical propulsion systems. In delivering an important element of that agenda, GKN has secured several high value multinational programmes and partnerships, we are now seeking to recruit an experienced Engineering Director to position and deliver the Systems Engineering capability required.

Reporting to the VP Engineering & Technology, the role will lead a multi-disciplinary team, primarily across the UK and the Netherlands, in delivering the engineering capability required to develop and certify hydrogen based fuel cell electrical propulsion systems for flight. 

The role would expect the desired candidate to primarily operate out of the GKN‘s Global Technology Centre Bristol, but frequent travel to other GKN/Customer sites should also be expected. 
 

Job Responsibilities

• Define strategic capability required to support an airworthy systems engineering capability including, the securing of any required quality or airworthiness approvals (ie DoA)
• Best position GKN to access the required capabilities  (equipment, resources, facilities, etc ) internally or externally, to support meeting the programmes flight based requirements (Both technology and New Product Introduction (NPI) based)
• Develop and deploy the systems engineering functional capability, to include; people, methods, processes, tools, signatory capability
• Leadership of product based engineering through the chief engineering function, in development and assurance of technical maturity
• Establish systems to monitor engineering performance of all internal functional systems, with a view to continual improvement
• Lead he development and management of required engineering test, verification and validation capabilities, both internally within GKN and externally within the ecosystem
• Legal compliance - ensure systems are in place to comply with all export control, safety and security regulations
• Establish software capability plan and manage all software development projects by setting requirements, goals and timelines, including coordination with internal and external stakeholders for integration of new applications and tools
• Prepare and manage engineering departments functional in year budget, also supporting strategic financial planning for outer years 
• Manage functions people planning processes, through processes such as;

       Technical excellence mapping/frameworks
       Organisational people planning
       Performance appraisals 
       Performance management processes (HR)

• Manage all engineering recruitment and resource planning
• Derive  systems engineering training and development package, alining with the strategic capability mapping process
• Review and update policies and procedures relevant to internal systems and equipment
• Lead and support the technical team developing and progressing partner level collaboration opportunities, integrating across GKN R&D centres and business lines where applicable
• Develop appropriate partnerships to establish, develop and exploit the eco-system globally and regionally
• Where required, secure the required level of government, regional or customer funding to adequately leverage the portfolio financially
   

How You'll Contribute

To help us make a difference, you’ll bring your passion and talent for what you do along with the following skills, experience, qualifications and attributes:

Essential:

• Degree or higher qualification in Engineering or Science based subjects
• Proven experience of functionally leading Engineering Systems based organisations in an aerospace environment 
• Experience of engineering management and governance processes
• Product based engineering experience
• Demonstrated leadership experience across multi-disciplined technical teams as part of an engineering leadership team
• Propulsion systems engineering experience
• Direct experience of the Aerospace development and certification process for new product introduction

Desirable:

• Direct experience of electrical propulsion systems development and certification process for new product introduction

We are looking for people who want to make a difference, talented members with the skills and passions to become the best of the future in what they do. To be successful in this role you must have a strategic outlook with the ability to describing the future state of GKN’s required engineering capability in this sector. You will must be capable of influencing key stakeholders at all levels (up to Board level) with the aptitude to constructively challenge and thus shape the business.
 

What We'll Offer

Once you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:

• Competitive salary dependant on experience
• £5,500 car allowance per annum
• Opportunity to earn up to 22.5% bonus 
• Hybrid working – giving you the opportunity to balance home and office working
• Industry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis
• Life Assurance 8 x salary
• 25 days holiday + bank holidays
• Income protection
• Shopping discounts
• Cycle To Work Scheme
• Employee Assistance Programme
• A collaborative, dynamic working environment 

As well as a competitive package we’ll offer you a world of opportunity. We want to see your career fly!  We’ll support your career progression by providing you with learning and development opportunities.  That’s the beauty of being part of a global business, once you’re on board you never know where you career journey may take you!