NPI Manufacturing Coordinator in Gloucester

At Dowty (a GE Aerospace company), we design, manufacture and support cutting edge aerospace systems that power the future of flight. The NPI Production Coordinator is a hands‑on shop‑floor role that keeps new product articles moving through the manufacturing line. You will co‑ordinate work with operators and work closely with Manufacturing Engineering (ME) and Operations to unblock issues and maintain flow, helping deliver safe, high quality parts on time. You will also support basic manufacturing engineering activities, such as updating work instructions, collecting data and helping implement simple process changes under guidance from ME. This role suits a strong operator, technician or team member who enjoys being on the shop floor, solving day‑to‑day problems and helping the team work safely and efficiently on new and developing products.

Job Description

• Production management
  • Coordinate production articles on the shop floor, ensuring timely progress through each stage of the manufacturing process.
  • Coordinate and support operators working on NPI articles, helping them understand priorities and resolve day‑to‑day issues.
  • Monitor work‑in‑progress, anticipate bottlenecks and elevate issues promptly to keep delivery on track.
  • Support planning and scheduling activities by providing clear, accurate status updates from the line.
• Sustaining and continuous improvement
  • Capture and maintain lessons learned from day‑to‑day issues to prevent repeat problems and speed up product maturation.
  • Participate in structured problem‑solving activities (for example with ME, Quality and Operations) to improve throughput, yield and cycle time.
  • Help implement process improvements on the shop floor, ensuring changes are practical, clearly communicated and consistently followed.
  • Collect and organise shop‑floor data (such as defects, rework and downtime) to support ME and Quality in root‑cause analysis.
• Design for manufacturability and ME support
  • Provide shop‑floor feedback to Manufacturing and Design Engineering on buildability, tooling, ergonomics and process robustness.
  • Support trial builds and process prove‑outs, ensuring operators have the information, tools and support they need.
  • Assist in refining the sequence of operations for low‑volume prototype parts, checking that the sequence is workable in practice.
  • Create and maintain clear work instructions and visual aids, documenting safe, ergonomic and repeatable processes.
  • Support Manufacturing Engineers with basic tasks such as updating routings or work instructions, collecting process data and trialling minor process changes under guidance.
• Leadership and collaboration
  • Provide day‑to‑day coordination and guidance to operators on NPI work, supporting them in prioritising tasks and following standard work.
  • Foster collaboration across Operations, EHS, Planning and Quality to remove blockers and maintain Safety, Quality, Delivery and Cost (SQDC) performance.
  • Share best practices with colleagues and encourage a culture of safe, disciplined execution.
  • Reinforce good housekeeping and standard work, ensuring the area is always audit‑ready.
• Compliance and documentation
  • Maintain a safe and compliant work area, consistently following and reinforcing regulatory and internal procedures.
  • Identify and elevate safety and quality concerns quickly to the appropriate teams (EHS, Quality, ME) and support corrective actions.
  • Contribute to identifying equipment and training needs for new product introductions, working with ME, EHS and Training.
  • Support the maintenance of safety documentation and checklists on the line, ensuring operators understand and follow them.

Qualifications / Requirements

• Minimum Level 3 qualification, or equivalent relevant experience, in an engineering, manufacturing, or technical discipline.
• Experience as a skilled operator, technician or team member in a manufacturing environment (aerospace, composites or precision machining desirable).
• Previous experience coordinating work or supporting colleagues on the shop floor is beneficial.
• Demonstrated ability to follow and support manufacturing processes, solve practical shop‑floor issues and contribute to improvements in throughput, quality and availability.
• Comfortable using basic production data (for example counts, scrap, rework) to support decisions.
• A self‑starter who is comfortable working with limited supervision, can spot issues early and takes ownership to drive them to resolution.
• Enjoys working in a hands‑on, shop‑floor environment and leading by example.

Desired Skills

• Exposure to New Product Introduction (NPI) processes and/or production planning.
• Familiarity with problem‑solving methodologies such as Lean, Six Sigma, 8D or Red X, and basic APQP concepts.
• Experience with composite processes (CFRP/RTM) and/or high‑tolerance machined parts.
• Awareness of 3D printing or rapid prototyping tools and part production.
• Experience working in highly regulated industries (aviation preferred but not essential).
• Understanding of line balancing and operator efficiency, and how layout and work content affect flow.

Flexible Working

GE supports and encourages flexible working arrangements, where possible, and recognises the benefits to employees of having a positive work‑life balance.

Total Reward

At GE Aerospace we understand the importance of Total Reward. Our flexible benefits plan, called FlexChoice, gives you freedom, choice and flexibility in the way you receive your benefits, as well as giving you the opportunity to make savings where possible.

Security Clearance

Baseline Personnel Security Standard (BPSS) clearance is required and must be maintained for this role. Please note that in the event that BPSS clearance cannot be obtained, you may not be eligible for the role and/or any offer of employment may be withdrawn on grounds of national security.

Right to Work

Applications from job seekers who require sponsorship to work in the UK are welcome and will be considered alongside all other applications. However, under the applicable UK immigration rules as may be in place from time to time, it may be that candidates who do not currently have the right to work in the UK may not be appointed to a post if a suitably qualified, experienced and skilled candidate who does not require sponsorship is available to take up the post.