Manufacturing Operations Lead – Poland

Overview

Cambridge Aerospace are looking for a Manufacturing Operations Lead
– to own end-to-end manufacturing operations Poland, from industrialisation and production planning through to delivery, quality, and cost performance. You will combine strategic leadership with hands-on operational oversight, working closely with our UK and European engineering, supply chain, and programme teams ensuring our Polish manufacturing operations are integrated into a single, high-performing network. To be successful, you will ideally be an experienced manufacturing leader with understanding of factory scaling in a high-compliance and high-reliability environment.

Please note, this role will be based on site in Warsaw.

• Build, lead, and develop the manufacturing organisation in Poland, including production, industrial engineering, maintenance, and manufacturing support functions.
• Own delivery, quality, cost, and safety KPIs for the Polish site(s), ensuring reliable execution against customer and internal commitments.
• Lead the industrialisation of new products, including transfer of work, NPI ramp-up, and scaling to serial production in close collaboration with design and programme teams.
• Implement and continuously improve manufacturing systems and processes (Lean, Six Sigma, 5S, standard work, visual management) to drive productivity and yield.
• Ensure compliance with all relevant standards and regulations (e.g. ISO 9001/AS9100, defence export controls, HSE requirements) in a defence/aerospace context.
• Oversee capacity planning, resource allocation, and capital investment to support current programmes and future growth.
• Partner with Supply Chain and Quality to secure material availability, supplier performance, and robust incoming and in-process quality control.
• Establish a strong safety culture, ensuring that EHS policies are implemented, understood, and continuously improved.
• Prepare and manage the manufacturing budget, including cost control, make/buy optimisation, and productivity improvement roadmaps.
• Represent the Polish manufacturing operations to internal and external stakeholders, including customers, partners, and regulatory bodies, as required.

• Strong manufacturing leadership experience ideally from complex, high-reliability industries such as aerospace, defence, automotive, or equivalent sectors.
• Strong operational leadership capability, including full accountability for manufacturing sites, production facilities, or major value streams.
• Demonstrated experience in industrialising new products and scaling from prototype to serial production.
• Expertise in modern manufacturing methodologies, including Lean Manufacturing, Continuous Improvement, performance management, KPI development, and data-driven operational decision-making.
• In-depth knowledge of quality management systems and regulatory compliance standards, including ISO 9001, AS9100, or equivalent frameworks within audited manufacturing environments.
• Fluent Polish and professional-level English communication skills, both written and verbal.

• Opportunity to build and shape a key manufacturing hub for a fast-growing defence and aerospace company in Europe.
• High degree of autonomy and direct impact on strategic and operational decisions.
• Competitive compensation package with performance-based components.
• Private medical care and other benefits aligned with senior leadership roles in Poland.
• An environment that values initiative, transparency, and continuous improvement.

The mission of Cambridge Aerospace is to eliminate the risk of existential war in Europe. That risk comes from the air - low-cost drones and cruise missiles now manufactured in colossal volumes by our adversaries, ballistic missiles capable…