Head of Quality Transformation

Company : Safran Seats Job field : Quality Location : Cwmbran, Wales, United Kingdom Contract type : Permanent Contract duration : Full-time Professional status : Professional, Engineer & Manager

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 lead and drive transformative quality initiatives across our Safran aerospace operations.

Key Responsibilities will include:
• Develop and implement a strategic roadmap for quality transformation aligned with organisational objectives.
• Drive the adoption of lean, Six Sigma, and other CI methodologies across the quality organisation and wider business.
• Data analysis (MRB), customer quality etc , review quality KPIs and implement improvement measure.
• Facilitate cultural change towards proactive quality management and problem prevention.
• Champion the rollout and maturity of APQP across product lifecycles, ensuring robust planning, process control, and risk mitigation.
• Collaborate with engineering, program management, and manufacturing to embed APQP principles from design through delivery.
• Define and track key metrics related to CoNQ (Cost of Non-Quality), including scrap, rework, warranty, and customer returns.
• Drive root cause analysis and corrective actions to reduce failure costs and improve first-time yield.
• Partner with operations, engineering, procurement, and supply chain to ensure alignment of quality objectives.
• Engage with customers and regulatory bodies such as CAA, EASA to ensure compliance and satisfaction.
• Train and develop quality analytical tools such as 8D, 5Y, Ishikawa diagram.
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high performing quality team.
• Foster a culture of continuous learning and improvement within the quality function.
• Review and transfer best practice from other Safran BU's and best in class operations.
• Leverage digital tools and data analytics to drive insights, monitor trends, and inform decision making.
• Ensure effective use of quality management systems (QMS) and CI toolsets.

Complementary Description

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!

This role is subject to pre-employment checks, including but not limited to criminal record checks. While having unspent convictions may not necessarily prevent you from being employed, you are required to disclose any unspent convictions during the recruitment process. Only candidates who successfully pass these checks will be considered for employment.

Job Requirements

Bachelor's or Master's degree in Engineering, Quality Management, or related discipline.
Minimum 10 years of experience in aerospace or a similarly complex, regulated industry.
Proven track record in quality transformation, including leading large-scale CI and APQP implementations.
Strong knowledge of aerospace quality standards (e.g., AS9100, NADCAP).
Expertise in Lean, Six Sigma (Black Belt preferred), and other CI tools and techniques.
Demonstrated success in reducing CoNQ and driving performance improvements.
Excellent leadership, communication, and stakeholder management skills.
Experience working with cross-functional and cross-site teams in a matrixed organisation.

No candidate will meet every single desired qualification. If your experience looks a little different from what we've identified and you think you can bring value to the role, we'd love to hear from you!

As a valued member of our team, these are just a few of the benefits you'll receive:
• 33 days holiday (including bank holidays)
• Industry leading pension scheme with salary sacrifice employer contributions up to 10%.
• Private medical cover (to include Digital GP and rapid access Physio with no excess) with ability to upgrade level of benefit and cover family members.
• Access to salary sacrifice benefits scheme including cycle to work and Octopus EV Scheme
• 4 x Life Assurance
• Interactive benefits platform including wide range of discretionary benefits including technology, retail benefits, income protection.
• Enhanced family friendly policies and benefits (enhanced maternity and paternity leave) and employee assistance programme
• Annual shares save schemes.
• Option for hybrid and flexible working arrangements
• Opportunities for career advancement and personal growth. Benefit from support through Safran University and our internal Training and Development Schools
• Get involved in our corporate social responsibility activities from sustainability initiatives, charity and fundraising, volunteering days, or supporting STEM activities at local schools and colleges nurturing the next generation of talent

But what else? (advantages, specific features, etc.)

Travel may be required to other Safran sites (UK / International)

Company Information

Safran is an international high-technology group, operating in the aviation (propulsion, equipment and interiors), defense 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 100,000 employees and sales of 27.3 billion euros in 2024, and holds, alone or in partnership, world or regional leadership positions in its core markets.
Safran is in the 2nd place in the aerospace and defense industry in TIME magazine's "World's best companies 2024" ranking.

Safran Seats is one of the world's leading manufacturers of aircraft seats, for both crew and passengers. 1 million Safran Seats-manufactured aircraft seats are currently in service with air fleets around the world.

Number of countries where Safran is located