Job Description
Thales is a global technology leader with more than 83,000 employees on five continents. With over 7,500 people in the UK, operating across defence, space, aerospace, and digital security, we help build a future we can all trust. Thales supports the security and stability of our nation by providing extraordinary technology to our customers, as well as delivering social value to the UK with our products and services.
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 the major industries of Aerospace, Defence, 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.NPI Planner – Land Sector
Are you passionate about turning innovative designs into production-ready solutions? We’re looking for an NPI Planner to play a leading role in delivering complex Land sector programmes, guiding products seamlessly from prototype through to full-scale production.
In this role, you’ll bring structure, clarity and momentum to industrialisation activities across the full project lifecycle. Working with a broad range of stakeholders, you’ll help ensure delivery against schedule, quality and regulatory requirements—while continuously improving how we work.
This is a great opportunity for someone who enjoys solving complex problems, collaborating across functions, and making a tangible impact on project success.
What you’ll be doing
As and NPI Planner, you will:
Develop and maintain a robust, end-to-end industrialisation plan aligned to the overall Project schedule
Coordinate closely with design, engineering, manufacturing, quality, supply chain and project teams to ensure manufacturing readiness
Plan and oversee tooling, equipment, facilities and resource requirements to support industrialisation
Lead risk identification and mitigation activities related to process ramp-up and production launch
Coordinate pilot builds, first article inspections and manufacturing qualification runs
Work with engineers and manufacturing teams to optimise processes for cost, quality and delivery
Monitor progress, proactively flag risks or delays, and communicate clear mitigation plans to stakeholders
Ensure compliance with regulatory, safety and quality standards throughout the project lifecycle
Capture lessons learned and drive continuous improvement for future projects
Maintain accurate project documentation, including schedules, risk logs and validation records
What we’re looking for
Bachelor’s degree in Engineering, Manufacturing, Planning or a related discipline
Proven experience managing or supporting industrialisation phases for complex projects
Strong project management capability with confidence managing multiple interfaces and dependencies
Clear, inclusive and effective communication and stakeholder engagement skills
Good understanding of manufacturing processes, quality controls and regulatory compliance
Experience using project planning tools and ERP/MRP systems
Ability to analyse production data and translate it into actionable plans
Essential experience
Transitioning products from prototype or pilot to full-scale manufacturing
Coordinating pilot runs and process validation activities
Using manufacturing or project data to identify risks and bottlenecks
Knowledge of manufacturing systems and ERP/MES principles
Supply chain experience (planning, purchasing, logistics or delivery)
Continuous improvement and structured problem-solving techniques
Strong IT skills
Regulatory and compliance awareness (AS9100, ISO9001 or equivalent)
Our values in action
We’re looking for someone who demonstrates our core behaviours:
Shape solutions out of complexity
Be ambitious and accountable
Perform through cooperation
Influence and engage key stakeholders
Manage self and support others
Engage, develop and collaborate with teams
Show agility and adaptability in a changing environment
We’re committed to building an inclusive workplace where everyone can thrive. We welcome applications from all backgrounds and encourage you to apply even if you don’t meet every requirement—your perspective and potential matter.
If this sounds like a role where you could make a real difference, we’d love to hear from you.
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At Thales, we ensure equal opportunities, pay and working conditions for all. The benefits we offer include private medical insurance, buying or selling annual leave, cycle to work schemes, employee discounts, paid volunteering day, stocks and shares, annual bonus and much more depending on the role. Read more about our benefits here.
We are committed to creating a workplace where everyone feels valued for who they are and the unique strengths they bring. Discover more about our programmes, employee networks, wellbeing policies, and inclusive features here.
If this role isn’t quite right for you, we encourage you to join our talent community where your details will be shared with our recruitment teams for other potential opportunities.
Join the Talent Community here.
Join Thales in the UK – Innovate with us and shape the future!
