{"id":2332608,"url":"https://alion.io/job/gkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling","title":"Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling","company":{"id":1833182,"name":"GKN Aerospace","domain":"gknaerospace.com","url":"https://alion.io/company/gknaerospace-com","size_band":"5000+","is_staffing_agency":false,"employer_type":"direct","is_intermediary":false,"listed_via":null,"ats_vendor":"SuccessFactors","truth_index":null},"role":"Industrial Engineering","role_family":"Industrial Engineering","seniority":"lead","employment_type":null,"work_mode":"on_site","remote_scope":null,"remote_scope_basis":null,"remote_working_hours":null,"hiring_geo_confidence":"structured","locations":["Luton, United Kingdom"],"countries":["GB"],"hiring_countries":[],"hiring_countries_total":0,"salary":null,"salary_estimate":{"min_usd":62000,"max_usd":104000,"period":"year","method":"role_seniority_country_remote_cell","sample_n":98},"experience_years_min":null,"visa_sponsorship":false,"relocation_package":false,"has_equity":false,"technologies":[{"name":"Agile","optional":true}],"status":"live","first_seen_at":"2026-10-09T02:00:00Z","employer_posted_date":"2026-10-09","last_verified_at":"2026-10-13T01:36:03Z","board_verified":false,"closed_at":null,"days_open":6,"trust":{"level":"ok","repost_count":null,"flags":[],"days_open":6},"description":"Fantastic challenges. Amazing opportunities.\nGKN Aerospace is reimagining air travel: going further, faster and greener! Fuelled by great people whose expertise and creativity sets the standards in our industry, we’re inspired by the opportunities to innovate and break boundaries. We’re proud to play a part in protecting the world’s democracies. And we’re committed to putting sustainability at the centre of everything we do, opening up and protecting our planet. With over 16,000 employees across 33 manufacturing sites in 12 countries we serve over 90% of the world’s aircraft and engine manufacturers and achieved sales of £3.35 bn.in 2023. There are no limits to where you can take your career.\nJob Summary\nEstablished in 1993, GKN Aerospace in Luton is a world leader in commercial and military ice protection systems and transparencies. Offering a full range of capabilities; design, analysis, testing, certification and manufacture of electro-thermal ice protection, military fast jet canopies and flight deck windows to over 20 programmes including: Boeing 787, Dreamliner, Airbus A320, AgustaWestland, AW101, Eurofighter Typhoon and Lockheed, Martin F-22 Raptor. Our customers include Boeing, Airbus, Lockheed Martin, Bell Helicopters, Textron, BAE Systems, Pratt & Whitney, Leonardo. Our Luton site is home to 370+ employees and onsite facilities including onsite parking, food hub and vending machines.\nBased at our Luton Manufacturing site as the Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling you’ll be working across both our Defence and Civil business lines. You will provide and lead a team of Tooling and Cad Engineers in the design, manufacture and maintenance and control of all Site Tools.\nThis will involve the technical capability to create and design tools as solutions to support the manufacturing operations. You’ll be accountable for delivering robust, capable manufacturing process technology as it applies to materials, tooling, part fabrication and assembly. The role involves the creation of significant tooling designs from initial concept through to production for the production of aircraft transparencies and Ice Protection Tooling, jigs and fixtures.\nAmong other activities, this will include responsibilities for 4 large CNC machines on site and calibration of current and the development of new or existing tooling. Supporting Manufacturing Engineering teams may also be required. The successful candidate will be experienced in a relevant engineering discipline and have a “hands on” approach, be able to prioritise jobs, be comfortable liaising with suppliers and other departments.\nFurthermore responsibilities for Manufacturing Engineering Configuration control, using SAP and more traditional documentation such as Specifications and Routings.\nThe role will also provide leadership, coaching and mentoring to a small team of Tooling Engineers on the Luton site, supporting the Manufacturing Engineering Managers in matters of staff performance and development. The role will also be responsible for the overall load and capacity management of the tooling team members and provide reports and updates on tooling work plans as required by the Manufacturing Engineering Managers and/or Site Head of ME.\nCore operational hours at our Luton site are: 07:30 - 16:30 Monday to Thursday & 07:30 - 12:30 Friday. There is the requirement for flexibility for occasional travel in the UK.\nJob Responsibilities\nExemplifying a safety-first mind-set and ensuring compliance with the GKN Aerospace Health, Safety and Environmental policies and standards.\nResponsible for the development and support with technical solutions to complex problems within GKN Aerospace environment, our customers and suppliers by utilizing root cause analysis, preventative and corrective action to reduce and support to eliminate non-conformances.\nMaintain positive, team relationships with internal and external customers, as well as co-workers\nResponsible for tool fabrication quotes, tooling design and input for new product quotes, tooling configuration changes that involve cost estimation and schedule coordination and New Projects Introduction support.\nAct as key interface between external tooling suppliers and internal customers such as Program Managers and Engineering Managers\nManage and maintain Tooling Engineers workload, skill and development, EHS and welfare to ensure tooling work is sufficiently resourced by the business with appropriate metrics and KPI’s\nLeadership of CNC Engineers and technicians to support production processes on large 5 axis CNC machines\nConfiguration control of Manufacturing documentation to support operations, costings, BOMs routings and specifications.\nCreation, control and maintenance of master tooling registers for both customer and domestically owned tooling suites\nWhat You'll Bring\nTo 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:\nEssential:\nTechnical expertise in Tooling solutions (Engineering), with a professional qualification (BEng, BSc, HNC) or strong background in engineering (Aerospace, Mechanical, or Automotive).\nWorking knowledge of design for manufacture principles and tool/component manufacturing methods and able to provide technical input at all levels of work.\nAbility to create engineering drawings with an understanding of geometric tolerances and datum features.\nOrganised and structured approach to tasks.\nExperience in tooling for composites and/or transparencies.\nExperienced in CAD 3D modelling and drafting (Catia V5).\nUnderstanding of inspection/calibration methods and interrogation of results.\nBe compliant with the Company’s Environmental, Health & Safety and Energy procedures.\nBe proficient in English language, both written and spoken.\nDesirable:\nProject Management experience.\nUnderstanding of export control and compliance and security marking requirements.\nWorking knowledge of quality system models such as ISO9000, AS9100, or D1-9000.\nExperience of New Product/process Introduction (Industrialisation) & existing production process improvements.\nWe 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. The Manufacturing Engineering Manager Tooling will have the ability to be agile and shift focus on competing priorities. The successful person will be a self-starter, able to manage own workload with excellent communication skills.\nNote: Some GKN programmes are subject to regulatory restrictions which may impact certain nationalities. As part of the application process you will be asked to declare when applying for this role.\nWhat We'll Offer\nOnce you’re on board you’ll get the following perks and benefits:\nCompetitive salary dependent on experience\nThe opportunity to earn up to 15% bonus\nIndustry Leading Pension Scheme = we’ll match your contributions up to 8% on a 1 : 1.5 basis\nLife Assurance 8 x salary\n185 hours holiday + bank holidays\nIncome protection\nShopping discounts\nCycle To Work Scheme\nEmployee Assistance Programme\nVirtual GP Clinic for you and immediate family\nFree onsite parking\nLocal gym discount\nFree airport parking\nDiscount with local nursery and preschool childcare setting\nEnhanced family friendly leave\nA collaborative, dynamic working environment\nAs 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!\nJoin us and keep the world moving … click on the link below to apply\n#LI-ONSITE\n#LI-CH1\nWe’ll offer you fantastic challenges and amazing opportunities. This is your chance to be part of an organisation that has proven itself to be at the cutting edge of our industry; and is committed to pushing the boundaries even further. And with some of the best training on offer in the industry, who knows how far you can go?\nA Great Place to work needs a Great Way of Working\nEveryone is welcome to apply to GKN. We believe that we can only achieve our ambitions through a coming together of diverse minds who enjoy collaborating in an inspirational environment. Through our commitment to diversity, inclusion and belonging and by living our five powerful principles we’ve created a culture where everyone feels welcome to contribute. It’s a culture that won us ‘The Best Workplace Culture Award’. By embracing and celebrating what makes us unique we encourage everyone to bring their full self to work.\nWe’re also committed to providing an accessible recruitment process, so if you require reasonable adjustments at any stage during our recruitment process please get in touch and let us know.\nWe are the place where human dreams, plus human endeavour, shape the future of aerospace innovation and technology.","description_format":"text","description_chars":9022,"description_truncated":false,"requirements":{"experience_years_min":null,"management_years_min":null,"team_size_min":null,"manages_managers":false,"education":{"level":"bachelor","optional":false},"security_clearance":false,"languages":[{"language":"English","level":"Advanced (C1)","optional":false}]},"benefits":[],"hiring_locations":[],"hiring_excludes":[],"relocation_offered":false,"industries":["Industrial Engineering","Aerospace Manufacturing","Aircraft Manufacturing"],"lifecycle":[{"event":"open","at":"2026-10-12T09:24:10Z"}],"visa":[{"country":"GB","licensed_sponsor":true,"evidence":"Licensed UK visa sponsor (Senior or Specialist Worker, Skilled Worker, Graduate Trainee)","filings_12m":null,"filings_prev_12m":null,"green_card_filings_12m":null,"median_offered_wage_usd":null,"route":"Global Business Mobility: Senior or Specialist Worker; Skilled Worker; Global Business Mobility: Graduate Trainee","cap_exempt":false,"checked_at":"2026-10-15T06:21:15+00:00","sources":["UK Home Office: register of licensed sponsors (workers)"],"filings_for_role_12m":0}],"liveness":{"score":78,"band":"hot","label":"Hiring now","p_open":0.9,"p_active":0.868,"p_room":1,"age_days":6,"expected_fill_days":29,"reasons":["conf:52","velocity","win:early","comp:brand"],"computed_at":"2026-10-15T05:46:00Z"},"pay":null,"html_url":"https://alion.io/job/gkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling","json_url":"https://alion.io/job/gkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling.json","meta":{"generated_at":"2026-10-15T21:33:30Z","cache_seconds":300,"methodology":"https://alion.io/methodology","terms":"https://alion.io/terms","contact":"https://alion.io/contact","api":"https://alion.io/developers","about":"Alion is a live layer of people, companies and AI agents: who they are, whether they are real and active right now, what they do and how to work with them, readable by people and by agents and paid per call.","catalog":"https://alion.io/catalog.json","usage":{"tier":"crawler_verified","counted_by":"address","units_charged":1,"used_today":32772,"day_limit":null,"remaining_today":null,"minute_limit":300,"resets_at":"2026-10-16T00:00:00Z"}},"offers":[{"id":"company.slices","title":"One company in depth, by slice","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002,"plus_per_slice":{"credits":0.05,"usd":0.005}},"unit":"per company, plus each slice with data","note":"the employer in depth","call":{"mcp_tool":"get_company","arguments":{"id":1833182},"rest":"https://alion.io/mcp/rest/get_company?id=1833182"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.slices&for=job%2Fgkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling"},{"id":"market.stats","title":"A market slice: pay, demand and time to fill","status":"live","price":{"credits":1,"usd":0.1},"unit":"per slice","note":"pay, demand and time to fill for this role and place","call":{"mcp_tool":"market_stats"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=market.stats&for=job%2Fgkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling"},{"id":"job.search","title":"Open jobs by role, technology, place, pay and visa","status":"live","price":{"credits":0.02,"usd":0.002},"unit":"per posting in a list","note":"similar open postings","call":{"mcp_tool":"search_jobs"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=job.search&for=job%2Fgkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling"},{"id":"company.verify","title":"Is this company real and active right now","status":"pilot","price":null,"unit":"per company","request":{"url":"https://alion.io/catalog/request","method":"POST","body":"{\"offer\": \"company.verify\", \"for\": \"job/gkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling\", \"note\": \"what you need it for\"}"},"human":"https://alion.io/catalog?offer=company.verify&for=job%2Fgkn-aerospace-manufacturing-engineering-manager-tooling"}]}