Head of Product Development (Aerospace)

Head of Product Development (Aerospace)
Location: Crick
Reports to: Technical Director
Up to £85k
The Opportunity
My award winning aerospace client are looking for an experienced and visionary Head of Product Development to lead their multi-disciplinary engineering team. You’ll be responsible for driving the successful development of aerospace products — from early concept through to launch — ensuring safety, regulatory compliance, innovation, and commercial viability.
You’ll play a crucial role in delivering their product roadmap and customer programme commitments, while fostering a culture of engineering excellence and continuous improvement.
Key Responsibilities

• Lead and manage the Product Development Team to deliver safe, compliant, and competitive aircraft seating solutions on time and within budget.
  
• Define and embed best practices in product design and development across mechanical and electrical engineering disciplines.
  
• Collaborate with the Principal Engineering Project Lead to assign resources and ensure alignment with programme objectives (weight, cost, quality, compliance, and schedule).
  
• Support the resolution of resource conflicts and planning challenges across multiple programmes.
  
• Develop and maintain the Product Roadmap in collaboration with Commercial and Engineering stakeholders.
  
• Contribute to strategic planning, including budget input and organisational design for the engineering function.
  
• Provide technical input and risk assessments during the sales and bid process, supporting innovation in new product features.
  
• Lead initiatives that drive continuous improvement, engineering excellence, and cross-functional collaboration.
  What You’ll Bring
  
• Degree in Mechanical Engineering or a related discipline.
  
• Proven experience leading technical development of complex, safety-critical products.
  
• A strong track record of delivering engineering solutions within defined cost, time, and quality parameters.
  
• Excellent leadership and communication skills, with the ability to influence at senior levels.
  
• Skilled in negotiation, decision-making, and resource management across multiple projects.
  
• A flexible, results-driven mindset with the ability to thrive in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
  
• Willingness to travel occasionally within the UK and internationally
  The clients Values
  
• Accountability: We do the right thing and own our actions.
  
• Collaboration: We build trusted relationships and deliver through high-performing teams.
  
• Respect: We develop our people and care for the environment.
  
• Outstanding: We relentlessly drive improvement and are obsessed with innovation.
  Apply now and bring your expertise to an award-winning, ambitious engineering team