Head of Airworthiness

Job Description:

We have an exciting opportunity to recruit for a Head of Airworthiness to suit someone with extensive experience in airworthiness, design and leadership to join us at the Home of British Helicopters.

You will have the prospect of shaping this role within our organisation in order to manage the compliance of the design organisation with the regulatory requirements of the relevant Airworthiness Authorities, in all aspects of design airworthiness, safety management and continuing airworthiness management. 

As the successful candidate, you will manage and approve the certificates for flight trials, ensuring all flight activity is conducted within safe operating limitations. On behalf of the UK Head of the Design Organisation, you will provide independent assurance of the design airworthiness and certification aspects of the UK Military helicopter platforms as required by the MAA in Regulatory Article RA5850.

You will be responsible for conducting system safety analysis for all products and modifications to Leonardo Helicopter rotary wing products within the Military Aircraft UK, throughout the whole life cycle of the aircraft.

Lead and manage the Airworthiness function including flight clearance, Independent Verification team, and System Safety team Ensure that Design Organisation (DO) expositions are prepared and updated in accordance with MAA Regulatory Publications and CAA British Civil Aviation Regulations Ensure that a Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation exposition is prepared and updated in accordance with MAA Regulatory Publications Ensure that the processes of the DO and Continuing Airworthiness Management Organisation (CAMO) are aligned to the relevant regulations and assessing the impact of regulatory change on Air Safety Ensure that an appropriate basis of certification is declared for all design changes and verify that the technical evidence is complete and complies to a sufficient level with these requirements Provide independent assurance that all designs comply with an agreed basis for certification Obtain MOD sponsorship and approval to operate Military Registered Civil Owned Aircraft in accordance with MAA RA 1121 Ensure that Certificates for Flight Trials (Form59, CFT, MFTP, MPTF) are prepared, in compliance with regulations and company processes On behalf of the UK Head of Design Office, ensure that all activities in support of continued airworthiness including safety arisings are driven to a satisfactory conclusion for all UK platforms Ensure that a satisfactory safety programme plan is established in accordance with the applicable basis of certification and the contract requirements Ensure that safety assessment reports and other safety artefacts are issued and demonstrate compliance with safety targets Approve all changes to design approval signatories in the Leonardo Helicopters (UK) DO and CAMO Assess the acceptability of risk to life, as a standing member of the Flight Risk Review Board assess for the flight test activities of the Leonardo Helicopters (UK) Flying Organisation Represent airworthiness at Safety Working Groups, Safety Action Groups and Executive Safety Board Represent Leonardo Helicopters (UK) as a member of UK industrial trade organisation (ADS) airworthiness boards and committees (Airworthiness Board, and Military and Civil Aviation Safety Groups) and MAA airworthiness panels (Type Airworthiness Advisory Group, Joint Air Safety Committee, DEF STAN 00-970 Working Group) Degree in a relevant subject (e.g. aeronautical engineering, other engineering, science or mathematics) Considerable years’ experience, in the design, development, qualification and certification of air systems An in-depth knowledge of airworthiness regulations and system safety for air systems Ability to understand complex engineering processes and the inter-dependency of the process components Ability to understand business requirements and to develop people, roles and organisation to meets these needs Ability to lead and direct departments with different functions and manage the co-ordination and interaction between them Ability to manage and direct a number of engineering projects and tasks carried out across a group of departments and disciplines Strong interpersonal skills, with proven ability to develop customer/supplier relationships A broad understanding of the business environment, including customer issues, competitor capabilities and the associated economics. Ability to make complex technical decisions based on a range of dissimilar information assimilated from a number of technical experts. A broad understanding of the business environment, including customer capability requirements, contract frameworks, competitor products/capabilities and the associated financial aspects. Capability to identify and direct improvements to complex technical and business processes, judging the balance between the cost and impact of change and its resulting benefits. Experience in both civil and military aviation Chartered Engineer status

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Life at Leonardo

With a company funded benefits package, a commitment to learning and development, and a flexible approach to working hours focused on the needs of both our employees and customers, a career with Leonardo has never offered as many opportunities or been more accessible to as many people.

Flexible Working: Flexible hours with hybrid working options. For part time opportunities, please talk to us Company funded flexible benefits: We offer award-winning flexible benefits plan, having won the Best Flexible Working Policy Award, Best Flexible Benefits Strategy and Best Flexible Benefits Plan in 2023. These include; access to private healthcare, dental schemes, Workplace ISA, Go Green Car Scheme, technology and lifestyle options (£500 annual allowance) Holidays: 25 days plus bank holidays, option to buy/sell leave and to accrue up to 12 additional flexi leave days per year Pension: Award winning pension scheme (up to 15% employer contribution) Wellbeing:  Employee Assistance Programme with access to free mental health support, financial wellbeing support and network groups to demonstrate our ongoing commitment to diversity & inclusion (Enable, Pride, Equalise, Reservists, Carers) Lifestyle: Discounted Gym membership, Cycle to work scheme Training: Free access to more than 4000 online courses via Coursera Referral Incentive: You can earn a reward for successfully referring a friend or family member Bonus: Scheme in place for all employees at management level and below

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