Senior Manager Industrial Design

The Senior Manager Industrial Design will lead the creative direction and passenger experience vision for TAS. This is a senior leadership role for a design leader who can balance aesthetics, ergonomics, manufacturability, certification requirements, and commercial priorities to create a world‑class passenger experience, ensuring every product combines passenger comfort, visual appeal, technical feasibility, airline brand requirements, and long‑term durability.

Responsibilities

• Define and deliver the organisation’s industrial design strategy aligned with business and programme objectives
• Lead, mentor, and develop a high‑performing industrial design team (designers, CAD specialists, UX specialists where applicable)
• Act as the Industrial Design subject matter expert across programmes, ensuring consistency, quality, and innovation
• Actively contribute to long‑term innovation roadmaps and R&D initiatives
• Guide design work from research, sketching, concept development, digital visualisation, CAD modelling, prototyping, mock‑ups, and customer presentations
• Oversee colour, material, and finish strategy, ensuring selections meet brand, durability, cleaning, fire, weight, and certification requirements
• Champion human‑centred design, usability, and passenger experience
• Contribute to thought leadership through conferences, publications, and industry engagement
• Partner with airline customers & OEMs teams to interpret briefs, develop compelling design proposals, and support bids, RFPs, and customer engagement activities
• Collaborate with commercial, engineering, marketing, manufacturing, quality, and certification teams to ensure design intent is translated into technically robust, certifiable, cost‑effective and production‑ready solutions
• Introduce emerging technologies, materials, and processes (e.g. sustainable materials, digital design tools)
• Monitor aviation interiors, automotive, premium travel, hospitality, materials, technology, and sustainability trends to inform future product direction

Reward

• Competitive salary
• Annual bonus (linked to company performance)
• 33 days annual leave (increase after 5 years' service)
• 37.5 hours per week
• Flexi time working
• £5,000 employee referral bonus
• Health cash plan
• Contributory Salary Sacrifice Pension Scheme
• Holiday Purchase Scheme – Salary Sacrifice
• Electric Car Scheme – Salary Sacrifice
• Cycle to Work Scheme
• Life Assurance Scheme at x4 gross salary
• Competitive enhanced Maternity and Paternity pay
• IVF & Assisted Conception Policy
• Women in Business – Corporate Member
• Wellbeing Initiatives
• Employee Recognition scheme
• Service Awards
• Local charity / sponsorship activities
• Dedicated employee parking
• Discounted Gym membership
• Learning and development opportunities
• Career progression

Requirements

Essential

• Degree in Industrial Design, Product Design, Engineering, or related discipline
• Extensive experience in industrial design within aerospace
• Proven leadership experience managing and developing multidisciplinary design teams
• Strong understanding of aerospace design principles, materials, ergonomics, and certification requirements
• Expertise in CAD tools (e.g. CATIA, Siemens NX or similar) and design development processes
• Demonstrated ability to deliver complex design programmes from concept to production
• Strong stakeholder engagement skills, including senior leadership and external customers
• Strategic thinker with a strong commercial mindset
• Highly creative with a passion for innovation and design excellence
• Strong leadership, influencing, and decision‑making capability
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex, regulated environment
• Excellent communication and presentation skills

Desirable

• Postgraduate qualification or professional certification (e.g. CEng, CSD)
• Minimum 5‑10+ years experience in cabin interiors, preferably aircraft seating
• Knowledge of sustainability and lightweight design approaches
• Experience with key UK aerospace OEMs or Tier 1 suppliers
• Familiarity with digital engineering, PLM systems, and Industry 4.0 practices

We reserve the right to enhance criteria on shortlisting.

Thompson Aero Seating is an Equal Opportunities employer.