About the role

The Product Industrialisation Manager owns the end-to-end industrialisation of products across the full product lifecycle, ensuring that product designs translate into efficient, scalable, and sustainable production solutions.

This role leads the definition of production and maintenance processes, facility establishment, commissioning, and handover to Operations. The incumbent develops and tables industrialisation strategies for existing and new products, provides structured input into planning, costing, and budgeting, and guides decisions on new business opportunities and production transfers to external partners.

The role is also responsible for driving automation and digitalisation of production systems to ensure manufacturing remains competitive and aligned with business objectives.

Qualification and experience

• Minimum BEng (Mechanical), BEng (Hons), BEng Management or similar qualification.

• Strong background in Opto-Electro-Mechanical Product Design and Development.

• Solid understanding of System Acquisition and Product Life Cycle principles and their application in a business environment.

• Well versed in General and Engineering Management principles and practice.

• Minimum 8 years’ experience (preferably 10+ years) in:

  • Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA / DFMAS)

  • Design and process optimisation

  • Manufacturing technologies

  • Supplier development

• Proven understanding of the end-to-end supply value chain, from business front end to shipping, with a strong product life cycle focus.

Key technical skills

• Strong knowledge of System Acquisition and Life Cycle frameworks and tailoring them to business needs.

• Proven experience in Design for Manufacture and Assembly (DFMA/DFMAS), including applied tools, techniques, and design optimisation.

• Strong grounding in general and engineering management principles and processes.

• Skilled in Production Aid Documentation and MBL/SBL Baseline definition.

• Experience with Boothroyd-Dewhurst DFMA, LEAN, and HENSOLDT best practice.

• Solid understanding of concurrent engineering, product development processes, and review gates.

• Ability to extract and translate Product Life Cycle requirements into practical industrialisation solutions.

• Familiarity with a broad range of manufacturing, assembly, and quality control techniques.

Key responsibilities:

1. Industrialisation governance and standards

• Establish, institutionalise, and continuously improve Product Industrialisation processes in line with the HENSOLDT value chain, international best practice, and relevant lifecycle standards.

• Ensure consistent application of methodologies, tools, and governance structures to enable multidisciplinary collaboration and predictable business outcomes.

2. Industrialisation strategy and planning

• Define and consolidate industrialisation and production solution requirements into coherent, executable strategies supporting Business Lines and Projects.

• Provide structured input into high-level planning, scope definition, and industrialisation roadmaps, ensuring alignment between Engineering, Programmes, and Operations.

3. Multidisciplinary integration and execution

• Lead and facilitate effective engagement across multidisciplinary teams, ensuring clarity on industrialisation objectives, assumptions, and execution responsibilities.

• Support Project Managers in defining scope, structure, and delivery plans, and resolve cross-functional dependency, capacity, and capability constraints.

4. Manufacturing readiness, commissioning and acceptance

• Guide the development of Manufacturing and Support Baselines (MBL/SBL), including build-to, test-to, operate-to, quality, repair, training, and facility requirements.

• Provide management oversight during commissioning and acceptance, coordinating resources, facility readiness, equipment procurement, audits, and compliance to ensure smooth transition into Operations.

5. People leadership and capability development

• Build, lead, and sustain a high-performing Product Industrialisation team through workforce planning, recruitment, performance management, coaching, and succession planning.

• Define and implement skills development frameworks, training pathways, and on-the-job coaching aligned to current and future business needs.

• Act as a role model for company values, driving accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement.
  
  

Our recruitment values:

HENSOLDT South Africa focuses on diversity, equity, and inclusion in our organizational strategy. We are committed to building a diverse and inclusive corporate culture that benefits our employees and delivers better outcomes for our clients. In line with our commitment to equal employment opportunities and our focus on diversity in the operational environment, we welcome applications from all ethnic groups. In line with HENSOLDT's commitment to equal employment opportunities and our focus on diversity in the operational environment, preference will be given to suitable candidates from designated groups.

Application Deadline: 19 February 2026. 

How to Apply:

Please submit your CV by applying directly on the HENSOLDT Careers page.

If you have not been contacted within 14 days of the closing date, please consider your application