Industrial Process Engineering Team Lead

Location: Belfast, United Kingdom
Thales people architect solutions that are relied upon to deliver operational advantage at every decisive moment throughout the mission. Defence and armed forces customers rely on us to deliver the full range of defensive systems for land, sea, and air. From early warning, to threat neutralisation, our platforms cover all levels from very short-range systems, to extended protection across the entire battle-space including Airspace Mobility Solutions, Vehicles and Tactical Systems and Missile Defence, Optronics, and Radar.
Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries; Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer you the flexibility to do what's important to you; whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.
PURPOSE OF JOB
To manage and lead the Mechanical Assembly function within IPE Engineering, ensuring the effective application of assembly techniques from concept through to contract close out, in support of the Strategic and Business Plans and costing development.
JOB FACTS & FIGURES

• Responsible for leading a team of Assembly Planning Engineers (Mechanical).
• Staff reporting could be circa 4+ engineers.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

• To prepare, commit and hold the Assembly Planning Team to schedule and budget.
• To conduct regular Check-In's and reviews for your team that include development, training and 1-2-1 interviews in line with organization objectives.
• Responsible for the management of employee relations issues, discipline, absence, overtime and holidays.
• Empower & motivate staff (via coaching and mentoring) in order to create a participant environment promoting world class performance levels.
• To create, develop and maintain effective methodologies for MAIT, utilizing appropriate CAD/CAM technologies and techniques to achieve best cost and quality with short lead times, in accordance with appropriate health and safety legislation.
• To approve design concepts and drawings for production.
• To approve and ensure the provision of complete and precise manufacturing instructions detailing how the product is to be manufactured while taking into account cost, quality, method repeatability and adherence to First Article Schedule, ensuring teams completion of MRL and PRR/MRR, APQP.
• To ensure the provision of accurate Production Bills of Material and formal reconciliations with appropriate lead times which reflect the sequence of manufacture on the organizations MRP system.
• To manage and co-ordinate departmental resources and project activities to ensure that contract EAC is achieved.
• Provide shop support services to Operations to resolve assembly and cost related issues for first article and serial production.
• Ensure good communication exists between IPE, Design, Work and Material Planning, Supplier Management, Programme Management, Quality and other engineering functions.
• Provide input to the creation of Manufacturing Plan's pre and post contract award, detailing the facilities and plant equipment, Process plans, Training Plan, Tooling plan and Make Vs Buy strategy for the product or programme.
• Coordinate bid and estimating from Kick off through to CCR & gates to joint approval between Thales ICC & TASUK.

JOB CONTEXT AND CONTENT

• The jobholder is responsible for managing the IPE Function to ensure timely completion of activities within agreed budgets.
• The jobholder is responsible for the creation, development and maintenance of departmental procedures.
• The jobholder is responsible for all aspects of the assessment / approval of pre / post freeze design activities and Manufacturing processes, both internal and external within his area of responsibility to ensure the efficient manufacture of conforming product in support of project deliverables.
• The jobholder is responsible for providing training to personnel on process/project matters and to ensure that his/her own skills are consistent with the demands of the job.
• In support of new projects, the job holder is responsible for the technical quality of the team particularly with regard to product manufacturability and test, and manufacturing cost.
• The jobholder is responsible for the timely scheduling of engineering, facilities, tooling and related activities within the project, thus ensuring project milestones are achieved.

PROBLEMS FACED

• Continuous changing customer (both internal and external) requirements to improve quality and reduce costs.
• Interpreting customer's drawings and manufacturing information and translating these to Thales's documentation taking account of changes in legislation and processes on project costs and schedule.
• When solving manufacturing problems the jobholder must manage the constant conflict between "short term" shop-floor demands to ensure production schedules are maintained and "long Term Fixes" ensuring the root cause is established and corrective action taken whilst managing the customer and mitigating any Industrial risks through NPI process.
• The ability to manage change and obtain buy-in of customers and suppliers to processes/cost improvements and changes in working procedures.
• Prioritizing your own and others work schedules to meet changing demands.
• The job holder must agree levels of resource to complete project tasks and assist Team Managers in balancing conflicting resource demands without impacting project schedule.

PLANNING AND ORGANISING

• The jobholder is responsible for the planning of his/her departmental activities.
• The jobholder is responsible for managing projects/programs and departmental workload.
• The jobholder in conjunction with the IPE Engineering Manager plans the team budget and staffing levels to meet the business plan.

DIRECTION RECEIVED

• The jobholder is expected to have the competence and confidence to act with limited guidance/advice.
• Support and guidance of external agencies in relationship to new and un-tried technologies.

WORKING CONTACTS

• The jobholder has daily contact with reporting staff.
• Daily contact with peers within the IPE function is essential to perform the role.
• Daily contact with Senior Operations/Quality/Programme and Engineering management is necessary to provide the correct level of service.
• Regular contact with external agencies and customers pre- and/or post-bid/cost submission.

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND BEHAVIOURS
Qualifications:
The jobholder will be educated to degree level or equivalent in a relative engineering/manufacturing engineering discipline.
Experience:
Typically the jobholder's experience will have been in a Senior Manufacturing Engineering role.
Knowledge and Experience:
The jobholder shall have a high level of knowledge of the following:-

• Product life cycle phases i.e., feasibility, development/design, manufacture and customer support
• Industrial engineering including process/material flow and factory layout
• Costing & estimating development and governance
• NPI /APQP experience
• Mechanical assembly processes
• Awareness of Machine shop processes
• Manufacturing Work-package Management
• Financial Awareness and budgetary control
• Process control
• Design for Manufacture and Assembly
• Problem Solving
• Presentation skills
• Microsoft Office suite

Behaviors:

• Achieving results
• Demonstrating excellence
• Finding innovative solutions
• Embracing and enabling change
• Developing self and others
• Working together/team player
• Positive can-do attitude
• Excellent work ethic values

The job holder shall have a comprehensive knowledge of manufacturing and/or test processes and may specialize in a specific Manufacturing technology of importance to the company.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

• The jobholder is required to keep abreast of new technology and emerging processes especially in relation to Industry 4, with a view to analyze the potential Benefit's to current and future projects in support of the company's Industrial strategy.
• The jobholder must be a good communicator and demonstrate a high level of leadership, interpersonal and communication skills with a mature and professional approach.
• The jobholder is expected to work additional hours to ensure that targets and deadlines are achieved to schedule.
• The jobholder may be required to travel both within the UK and International as determined by program requirements, often at short notice.
• The jobholder must continually promote by example an environment of continual improvement in a world class manufacturing company.

In line with Thales' Baseline Security requirements, candidates will be asked to provide evidence of identity, eligibility to work in the UK and employment and/or education history for up to three years. Some vacancies may require full Security Clearance which can require further evidence to be provided . click apply for full job details