Senior Manager & Chief Engineer, Interiors in Frimley

The Senior Manager & Chief Engineer, Interiors is responsible for the execution of all interior modification programmes across the Commercial Modifications Europe (CME) portfolio. This is a delivery-focused leadership role operating within a matrix organisation. The role does not own engineering resource directly; instead, it drives programme performance by working in close partnership with functional leadership to ensure interior projects are staffed with the right combination of capabilities and capacities at the right point in the programme lifecycle. Reporting to the Engineering Integration Leader, the role leads the Interior Engineering IPT, owns technical risk and opportunity management, and holds single-point responsibility for on-time and on-budget delivery of interior modification programmes from contract award through to certification and entry into service.

Key Responsibilities:

• Own on-time and on-budget delivery of all interior modification programmes across the CME portfolio.
• Lead the Interior Engineering IPT, setting pace and direction across all active and pipeline projects.
• Apply a maturity-gated, hybrid agile/waterfall execution strategy; ensure engineering flow is driven by technical readiness, not task lists, and that full kit is available before downstream disciplines are engaged.
• Monitor and own the Tier 2 and Tier 3 performance metrics for interior programmes, including Design Maturity and Certification Maturity milestone achievement and freeze sequence compliance.
• Own the engineering baseline for all interiors projects, maintaining configuration integrity from concept through to certification.

Capability and Capacity Management in a Matrix:

• Work closely with functional senior managers to ensure interior programmes have access to the right engineering capabilities at the right time.
• Identify resource requirements early in the programme lifecycle, translate them into clear demand signals, and escalate gaps before they become schedule threats.
• Influence functional workforce planning by providing forward-looking visibility of interior programme demand across disciplines.
• Where capability gaps cannot be resolved internally, work with functional leadership and the Engineering Integration Leader to identify and action solutions, whether through upskilling, reallocation, or external resource.
• Hold functional teams accountable for delivery commitments once resource is allocated, escalating performance issues through the appropriate leadership channel.

Technical Risk and Opportunity Management:

• Own the technical risk and issue register for all interior programmes, maintaining an accurate, current, and prioritised view of the RIO landscape.
• Lead structured root cause analysis and corrective action for technical issues affecting schedule, budget, or airworthiness compliance.
• Identify technical opportunities to improve delivery performance, reduce rework, or increase engineering maturity at key milestones, and drive them to resolution.
• Escalate risks to the Engineering Integration Leader with clear impact assessment and recommended mitigation, not just problem statements.
• Ensure that technical decisions are traceable, documented, and aligned to the applicable airworthiness requirements under EASA Part 21J.

Airworthiness and Certification:

• Ensure all interior modification programmes are planned and executed in compliance with EASA Part 21J design organisation requirements and applicable certification basis.
• Work closely with the Airworthiness Manager to ensure Compliance Reports, ICA deliverables, and certification documentation are produced on schedule and to the required standard.
• Support or lead customer and authority interactions at key certification milestones, acting as the technical voice of the interior IPT.
• Maintain awareness of evolving airworthiness requirements and ensure their implications for interior programmes are understood and addressed early.

Stakeholder Engagement:

• Act as the primary engineering interface for interior programmes with customers, suppliers, and regulatory authorities.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with CME functional leads, the Airworthiness function, Proposals, and the broader Integration leadership team.
• Provide clear, concise programme performance reporting to the Engineering Integration Leader, including honest assessment of schedule, cost, risk, and corrective action status.
• Represent CME engineering credibly in internal and external forums, including programme reviews, customer sessions, and authority interactions.

Team Leadership:

• Lead a direct team of Project Engineers and Manufacturing Engineers embedded within the Interior IPT, providing line management, development, and performance oversight.
• Use Project Engineers as the primary programme execution agents: each assigned project must have clear ownership, a maintained schedule, and an accurate RIO register driven by a named Project Engineer accountable to this role.
• Build the team's capability deliberately: identify development needs early, create stretch opportunities, and ensure each team member has a clear picture of what good performance looks like and how they are tracking against it.
• Set clear expectations, provide regular and candid feedback, and address performance issues directly and fairly, without delay.
• Role-model the CME leadership standard: own the outcome, not just the task; communicate with clarity; and hold the line on quality and airworthiness.

Basic Qualifications:

• Significant experience in aerospace engineering, with a substantial portion in commercial aircraft modification, MRO, or OEM environments.
• Demonstrated experience leading a team of Project Engineers and/or Manufacturing Engineers in an IPT or programme context, with direct accountability for schedule and budget performance.
• 5+ years of leadership experience.
• Proven ability to work across functional boundaries to secure resource, resolve gaps, and drive cross-functional delivery commitments.
• Strong working knowledge of EASA Part 21J design organisation requirements and airworthiness processes.
• Experience managing technical risk in a complex, multi-discipline programme environment, with structured use of RIO registers and corrective action processes.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Hands-on experience across interior modification disciplines including cabin structures, cabin safety, and cabin systems.
• Familiarity with lean programme execution and maturity-gated engineering frameworks, including freeze sequence management.

The Boeing benefits package goes above and beyond, focusing on your physical, emotional, financial, and social well-being. Here’s a snapshot of what we offer:

• Competitive salary and annual incentive plans.
• Continuous learning - you’ll develop the approach and skills to navigate whatever comes next.
• Success as defined by you - we’ll provide the tools and flexibility, so you can make a meaningful impact, your way.
• An inclusive culture - you’ll be embraced for who you are and empowered to use your voice to help others find theirs.
• Excellent Adoption and Parental leave options.
• 23 days plus UK public holidays and a Winter Break between Christmas and New Year.
• Pension Plan with up to 10% employer contribution.
• Company paid BUPA Medical Plan.
• Short Term Sickness: 100% pay for the first 26 weeks.
• Long Term Sickness: 66.67% of annual salary from 27th week.
• 6x annual salary life insurance.
• Learning Together Programme to support your ongoing personal and career development.
• Access to Boeing’s Well Being Programs, tools and incentives.

This is a fully onsite role based in Frimley, UK. This position may offer visa sponsorship and relocation.