Lead Cost Engineer

POWERED BY TEAMWORK. Are you ready to be part of a team that drives big ideas and even bigger wins? At Safran, we believe in the power of both collaboration and individual contributions. We understand that it takes diverse perspectives, problem-solving skills, dependability, and trust to push each other forward and achieve great success. For us, working here is more than just a job; it's a passion. There's the unique opportunity to lead the way in aerospace and defense and contribute to creating a safer and more sustainable world.

1. Occupational Summary (Position Objective & Authorities)

Objective:
Under minimal supervision and within the Costing Management team, the Product Line Costing Leader is responsible for costing the Recurring Cost for parts, assemblies and overall seats. This role has the objective to support the Sales team with the RFQ process and the organization in achieving the cost target that has been defined, meaning the Engineering team in choosing the appropriate concept, the Purchasing team in negotiating with suppliers, the Operations team for the make/buy process and labor efficiency and the program team in the RC/profitability monitoring.
This role drives continuous cost improvement using company root cause and corrective action processes.

2. Essential Functions (Duties and Responsibilities)

Main Function Responsibilities:
• Lead cost reduction activities, with the appropriate owners (product line manager, program manager, Program Purchasing, Commodity Manager, Design Engineer, Architect and Manufacturing Engineer).
• Optimize the full family of parts to optimize the cost on the full product line
• Responsible of giving the recurring costs estimates for bids, advanced projects and developments, including aftermarket costs
• Create standardize parametric recurring costs models and tools per commodity with the support from research & technology, Program Purchasing and Commodity manager and aftermarket departments. Once created, improve them.
• Support all change control boards' activities with the assessment of costs impacts of considered changes.

• Support the make/buy decision and make sure the strategy is optimized to obtain the best costs
• Responsible for ensuring continuity of our costs commitments across the lifecycle of our products, from advanced projects and initial offer to final delivery. By monitoring the RC through the lifecycle and by putting in place the action plan to mitigate any deviation).
• Participate in the definition of tools and referential for production costs within Safran Seats.
• Improve globally the costing activity tools & methods.
• Monitor and update the RFQ template / RC including all options of the product line (with the inputs of the technical data from the product line team)
• Accountable for confirming the RC for a full LOPA on new RFQ
• Support design to cost.
• Create the adequate processes, work instructions and KPI.
• Lead continuous improvement project - Steer such projects when agreed with relevant owner.

3. Qualification Requirements

A. Education & Qualification-
• A Bachelor Degree in Business Management. Manufacturing Management, Engineering or related degree is required. Or equivalent (6 years) training and experience is required.

B. Work Experience - Technical knowledge-
• Additional 10 years of experience in manufacturing, costing, project or program management required.
• Basic Knowledge of key financial principles (growth margin, business plan, etc.) required
• This position requires an individual with an engineering or manufacturing background.
• Proven experience within a comparable manufacturing industry (automotive, aerospace etc) is preferred.
• Knowledge of several manufacturing processes and understanding of their cost structure with regard to both design and manufacturing work instruction highly recommended.
• Experience of commercial process preferred.
• Experience with design to cost methodologies preferred
• In-depth knowledge of cost management and relationships between departments within a design to cost and manufacturing environment preferred

C. Professional Skills-
• Superior oral and written communication skills.
• Must be able to operate personal computer software/hardware used for communications.
• Ability to read, review and comprehend written communication.
• Have a very good working knowledge of the standard suite of office software products (MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, et. al.)

D. Behavioral Skills-
• Ability to convince, Ability to take initiative, Accept responsibility, Adaptability-flexibility, Autonomy, Availability for others, Building Relationships, Creativity, Leadership.
• Must be able to interact and work closely with other Business Units (France and UK)
• Customer focused
• Ability to interact with all functions of development and manufacturing process.
• Team Player
• Must be comfortable with multiple tasks

E. Desirable Aspects-
• Lean-Sigma certified

4.Travel-
• Ability to travel domestically and/or internationally up to ten percent (10%) or more of the time, as required.

SAFRAN is an equal opportunity employer. We celebrate diversity and are committed to creating an inclusive environment for all employees. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or protected veteran status.

Safran es un grupo internacional de alta tecnología que opera en los campos de la aeronáutica (propulsión, equipamiento e interiores), espacio y defensa. Su misión: contribuir de forma duradera a un mundo más seguro, donde el transporte aéreo sea cada vez más respetuoso con el medio ambiente, más cómodo y más accesible. Establecido en todos los continentes, el Grupo emplea a 100.000 personas para una facturación de 27.3 mil millones de euros en 2024, y ocupa, solo o en asociación, posiciones de liderazgo mundial o europeo en sus mercados.
Safran es la segunda empresa del sector aeronáutico y de la defensa que figura en la lista de «World's Best Companies» de 2024 de la revista TIME.

Safran Seats es uno de los principales fabricantes de asientos de aeronaves, tanto para la tripulación como para pasajeros, a nivel mundial. Actualmente, 1 millón de asientos de aeronaves, fabricados por Safran Seats, se encuentran en servicio en diversas flotas aéreas de todo el mundo.