General Manager

A UK manufacturer supplying the aerospace and defence sectors. The business operates secure manufacturing capability and delivers complex composite components into major defence and aerospace programmes.

With turnover of c£21m and forecast growth towards £30m, market conditions are strong and programme demand is secure. Customers include leading Tier 1 organisations such as BAE Systems and Lockheed Martin. The focus now is execution, margin discipline and operational structure.

The facility is the core UK manufacturing site and the engine room of the operation.

The Opportunity

We are seeking a General Manager to take full P&L responsibility for the site.

This role carries accountability for c180 employees across manufacturing, engineering, supply chain, quality and support functions. The site includes secure clean room capability and full composite production processes, including filament winding and resin infusion.

The appointment has been created to allow the Managing Director to focus on wider group strategy, acquisitions and footprint expansion. This role is therefore central to driving site performance, operational control and financial delivery.

The remit is clear.

Deliver. Improve margin. Strengthen structure.

Key Responsibilities

• Full P&L ownership of the facility
• Leadership of c180 employees within a technically complex, regulated environment
• Delivery performance across production, quality and supply chain
• Margin protection, overhead control and cost management
• Strengthening Manufacturing Engineering capability, particularly around NPI and programme introduction
• Embedding operational cadence and performance management discipline
• Operating effectively within a group matrix structure

In addition, this role contributes to wider group decisions including:

• Programme allocation across UK and Swedish entities
• Capacity and capability planning
• Margin and commercial assessment
• Security and compliance considerations

This is a hands on leadership role with clear accountability for making the site perform.

The Candidate

We are looking for a commercially aware manufacturing leader capable of running a technically complex aerospace or defence site.

Essential Experience

• Proven P&L responsibility within aerospace or defence manufacturing
• Leadership of 150 plus employees
• Exposure to regulated or secure manufacturing environments
• Strong financial acumen with demonstrable cost and margin control
• Experience strengthening Manufacturing Engineering and leading NPI activity

Desirable

• Composite manufacturing experience
• Experience operating within a matrix structure
• Exposure to Tier 1 aerospace customers

This role requires operational grip, financial control and the ability to contribute credibly at group level.

Package

£100,000 plus package.

North Yorkshire - great committing areas across Durham & Darlington and parts of Yorkshire

Full details available upon confidential discussion.