Strategic Obsolescence Manager

Manage the obsolescence activities to minimise risk to the Project(s) and to deliver coherent and relevant Obsolescence Strategy, Policy, Plans and Reports on time, within budget and meeting quality standards. Interface between the Obsolescence Engineering function and the Project team and its customers.

Principal Relationships:

The job holder has dual reporting lines in a matrix organisation. For project performance the reporting line is through to the Project Manager, or as otherwise determined. For functional aspects the reporting line is through to the Function Manager.

The jobholder is required to develop networks & build key relationships to obtain 'buy-in' and cooperation in order to achieve objectives and fulfil responsibilities. Interfaces and communication shall be with all stakeholders and include, but not limited to:

Internal Relationships:

• Functional Management


• Project Managers


• Service Engineering Managers


• Project Controllers


• Subcontract Managers


• Contracts personnel


• Project Team


• Bid Team


• Industrial Services


• UK Services


• Design Authorities


• Obsolescence and Component Engineering teams


• UK and Group service providers


External Relationships:

• Customers


• Partners


• Manufacturers/Suppliers/Distributors


• Brokers, Maintaining a genuine commitment to our customers while ensuring that all obsolescence activities are effectively and efficiently delivered on time


• Managing the budgets relating to multiple work packages, ensuring that the required resources are allocated and available when needed


• Leading, defining and maintaining the obsolescence strategy relating to the projects managed


• Working closely with different teams to identify, manage and report risk


• Pro-actively monitor equipment lists for potential obsolescence issues, taking responsibility for recommending and implementing appropriate mitigation activities as required


• Liaising with internal and external customers to ensure that expectations are appropriately managed


• Undertaking business development activities supported by your areas of technical expertise


• Provide support to associated bids and proposals including:

+ Technical review of solution
+ Generation and review of obsolescence proposals
+ Generation and review of obsolescence related estimates

• Additional Project-specific activities and responsibilities as agreed with the Project and Functional Managers


• Upon reasonable notice being given and in accordance with local working agreements, individuals will need to be mobile / flexible enough to visit other sites both in the UK and internationally.


Key performance Indicators against Responsibilities and Tasks:


• All project report / bid deliverables are delivered on time.


• Ensure all variances to budget and forecast of the latest re-baseline are completed and reported to work package owner.


• Improve the forecasting accuracy to ensure that a saving of 5% is made on obsolescence work packages.


• Capture all LTB's that arises within scheduled obsolescence sweeps.


• Ensure any obsolescence risks are raised within the Programme risk log.
  
  Higher national or better education or alternatively significant/relevant experience


• A good understanding of obsolescence and obsolescence management strategies


• Sound knowledge of Microsoft Office.


• Strong interpersonal, organisational and communication skills with specific strengths in the ability to write coherent reports explaining potentially complex subject matter


• Genuine team player with the ability to influence decisions


• The confidence and discipline to work under your own initiative and within agreed frameworks


• Business aware and customer oriented with an up-to-date organisational and commercial awareness


Values & Behaviours:


• Excellent communication skills (written and oral) and an ability to work co-operatively with others, creating and harnessing a team spirit within and across other company sites.


• Ability to work as a team player, able to listen and to discuss solutions with other members of the team


• Ability to work under pressure and meet tight deadlines with a high attention to detail


• Develop others in the team through mentoring & sharing knowledge


• Drives to achieve high standards, actively seeks improvement


• Flexible and adaptable to fast paced changing environments


• Attention to detail, a high level of accuracy, self-motivating and the ability to plan and organise own tasks


• Promotes company interests at all times helping to create a positive working environment


• Demonstrate behaviours appropriate to the LR grade and consistent with Thales Key values
  
  In fast changing markets, customers worldwide rely on Thales. Thales is a business where brilliant people from all over the world come together to share ideas and inspire each other. In aerospace, transportation, defence, security and space, our architects design innovative solutions that make our tomorrow's possible.


Together we offer fantastic opportunities for committed employees to learn and develop their career with us. At Thales UK, we research, develop, and supply technology and services that impact the lives of millions of people each day to make life better, and keep us safer. We innovate across five major industries; Aerospace, Defence, Ground Transportation, Security and Space. Your health and well-being matters to us and that's why we offer you the flexibility to do what's important to you; whether that's part time hours, job sharing, home working, or the ability to flex your start and finish times. Where possible, we support a working pattern that suits your lifestyle and helps you reach your ambitions.

Thales people design solutions that enable two thirds of planes to take off and land safely. We create in-flight entertainment systems that engross 50 million fliers every year and we develop the avionics that control the world's largest commercial aircraft. In the UK, our simulators train the next generation of pilots for fighter jets, transporters and search and rescue helicopters. And, together, each and every member of our aerospace team makes a difference.

Working closely with engineers, project teams and our customers, this role offers the challenge of managing a diverse and evolving range of products. You will manage the activities required to minimise obsolescence risk, generate deliverables on time/budget and to the highest standards. In addition, you will be looking to develop networks and build key relationships to help Thales teams find new and better ways of working., At Thales we provide CAREERS and not only jobs. With Thales employing 80,000 employees in 68 countries our mobility policy enables thousands of employees each year to develop their careers at home and abroad, in their existing areas of expertise or by branching out into new fields. Together we believe that embracing flexibility is a smarter way of working.