Industrial Strategy Director

Job description

Are you interested in working at the business end of Aerospace, where airline brand meets innovative passenger experience? Then your next opportunity could be with Safran Seats, an industry award winning, premium designer and manufacturer of First and Business Class seating and technology. Our passenger experience prides itself on innovation, customization, quality and industrial design.

At Safran Seats, we are unique within aerospace, as we interface with both the world's biggest airlines and airframers alike, with the largest seats portfolio of all seats suppliers. One day you could be liaising with one of the world's largest airframers, and the next, some of the biggest airline brands around the world!

In the UK, Safran Seats specialises solely in the First Class and Business Class seating markets for wide body aircraft, with industrial and engineering teams in Cwmbran and Newport, Wales and Brackley, England.

The purpose of this role is to to collaborate with the VP of Industrial and assume the role of Industrial Strategy Director. The Industrial Strategy Director will be responsible for developing, implementing, and overseeing the company's industrial strategy. This role involves aligning our industrial activities with broader Safran Seats goals, fostering innovation, optimising production processes, and ensuring sustainable growth. The ideal candidate will have a deep understanding of industry trends, a strong strategic mind-set, and the ability to lead cross-functional
team


Key Responsibilities will include:
Strategic Development: Develop and refine the company's industrial strategy, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives. Identify opportunities for growth, diversification, and innovation within the industrial strategy.
Market Analysis: Conduct comprehensive analysis of market trends, industry disruptions, and competitive landscapes to inform strategic decisions. Identify emerging technologies and processes that can enhance operational efficiency and product offerings.
Innovation Leadership: Champion innovation initiatives, including the adoption of advanced manufacturing technologies, automation, and Industry 4.0 principles. Collaborate with R&D and engineering teams to integrate new technologies into production processes.
Operational Excellence: Work closely with operations and supply chain teams to optimise manufacturing processes, improve productivity, and reduce costs. Ensure that industrial activities meet quality, safety, and environmental standards.
Sustainability Initiatives: Lead efforts to integrate sustainable practices into the company's industrial operations. Develop strategies to reduce the environmental impact of production processes and promote the use of sustainable materials and energy sources.
Stakeholder Engagement: Engage with key stakeholders, including senior leadership, suppliers and regulatory bodies, to ensure alignment and support for the industrial strategy.


Our in-house design studio co-creates the most innovative experiences in the sky with our airline customers and partners. Our dedicated engineering, production and in-service support facilities are integral to delivering a high-end quality product that we keep flying throughout the life of programme. We are fully supported by a wide team of support functions, from HR to Finance, to Business Development and Planning and Logistics, our team is built to give Safran Seats an end-to-end capability in house in the UK.

We focus on:

Our people
These are our four People Fundamentals that underpin everything we do at Safran:
* We believe in and fostering the conditions for diversity and inclusion to thrive
* We develop our colleagues skills and build opportunities so you can shape our future
* We create a trustworthy work place to support you, as you dare to act and innovate
* We encourage collaboration and mutual support between you and your colleagues
So you'll be supported every step of the way!

Sustainability
Our people are at the heart of our success, as we work together to achieve our mission: contributing to a safer and more sustainable aviation. We are tackling the biggest challenges in aerospace, with a commitment to work to decarbonise the industry by 2050.

Global Mobility
As part of the Safran Group, across our businesses we are market leaders in aerospace, defence and space; there is always potential for future mobility in the UK and internationally.

As a valued member of our team, these are just a few of the benefits you'll receive:
* 25 days holiday + UK Bank Holidays
* Benefits Programme, with a number of schemes such as cycle to work, technology savings, retail discounts and access to private healthcare
* Career Progressions opportunities such as company sponsorship and further training courses
* Family friendly policies including maternity, paternity, adoptive parents, shared parental leave, parental leave and flexible working
* Equality & Diversity initiatives with internal groups for workplace engagement and involvement
* STEM engagement with schools, colleges and universities and Charitable activities for all

Desired profile

Candidate Skills:
Medium term planning at a business level
Strategic Industrial management
Compliance to interested parties
Finance literacy
Industry 4.0
Competitive advantage
Management of SLT'S
Minimum of 10 years of experience in industrial strategy, operations management, or a related field
Proven track record of developing and implementing successful industrial strategies in a manufacturing or industrial setting
Deep understanding of industry trends, market dynamics, and emerging technologies
Leadership Experience:-
Strategic leadership
Change management
High performance teams
Culture of continuous improvement
Culture of empowerment
Working within an Executive team at BU level
Training and Qualifications:-
Industrial engineering
ILM Level 5 diploma or equivalent
Risk management

About Safran UK

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defence and space markets. Its core purpose is to contribute to a safer, more sustainable world, where air transport is more environmentally friendly, comfortable and accessible. Safran has a global presence, with 92,000 employees and sales of 23.2 billion euros in 2023, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets. Safran undertakes research and development programs to maintain the environmental priorities of its R&T and innovation roadmap.
Safran is in the 1st place in the aerospace and defence industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2023" ranking.

With over one million seats equipping the fleets of the major airlines, Safran Seats is one of the world's leading suppliers of seating for passengers, crews and helicopters thanks to innovative and high added-value solutions.