Aircraft Senior Production Manager

Our Mission

At Vertical Aerospace, we are pioneering the way for electric aviation. The Valo, our eVTOL (electric, vertical, take-off and landing) 'zero emissions' aircraft will set a new safety standard for how we will navigate the sky. We won’t realise our mission following the same legacy processes and traditions our predecessors followed. Instead, we want to 'redefine' aerospace best practices. We are growing quickly from a prototype business to a scaling SME, and the next few years will be critical to our success and delivering on our ambitious goals.

Valo is targeting airliner-level safety certification in 2028 ahead of entering service with our airline and operator customers.

The Senior Aircraft Production Manager is responsible for leading and managing the end-to-end aircraft production process for an eVTOL Type Certification programme and ongoing low-to-high-rate production. This role oversees aircraft and test asset production, production facility set-up and readiness, and the leadership of multidisciplinary production teams, ensuring safe, compliant, and efficient delivery of aircraft in line with programme milestones. This role is pivotal in establishing and scaling production capabilities, process optimization, and integration of advanced manufacturing technologies.

The ideal candidate will have deep experience in aerospace production environments and a strong understanding of eVTOL-specific challenges.

• Liaise with other stakeholders to develop and implement the company’s certification aircraft production strategy.
• Oversee the entire production lifecycle, from component assembly to final aircraft integration.
• Support long-term production strategy, including workforce growth, facility expansion, and industrialisation planning.
• Identify operational risks, constraints, and opportunities for improvement, driving corrective actions where required.
• Provide regular production status, KPI, risk, and recovery reporting to senior leadership.
• In liaison with the Engineering Test team, manage the build, delivery, & ongoing maintenance of conforming test articles for certification and validation programmes.
• Coordinate with engineering and testing teams to ensure timely availability of assets.

• Ensure accurate configuration control, build records, and production documentation required for certification evidence.
• Work closely with Quality, Manufacturing Engineering, and Certification teams to implement robust quality control systems to ensure compliant production attestation.
• Support audits, conformity inspections, and regulatory engagement.
• Work with other stakeholders to apply, establish and maintain compliance with a POA as well as other aerospace quality standards (AS9100, Part 21, etc.).
• Drive improvements in production processes, efficiency, cost, data quality, and standardisation through continuous improvement initiatives.
• Ensure management of non-conformities, concessions and subsequent process improvements.

• Build and manage a high-performing production team, including supervisors and technicians, setting clear objectives, performance expectations, and development plans.
• Foster a culture of teamwork, accountability, and continuous improvement.

• Work closely with engineering, supply chain, quality assurance, and program management teams to build a culture of safety, quality, and accountability across all production operations.
• Liaise with manufacturing engineering teams to ensure quality work instructions and a suitable delivery system.
• Ensure seamless integration of design changes into production processes.

• Liaise with other stakeholders to assist with design, planning, and commissioning of production facilities for low and higher rate production.
• Ensure compliance with aerospace standards, safety regulations, and environmental requirements.
• Establish processes, workflows, tooling, and equipment to support scalable production.

• Bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering, manufacturing engineering, or related field.
• Sig…