Product Change Manager

Role summary

Product Change Manager is a role at General Dynamics Missions System International in Hastings, England, United Kingdom (hybrid). Posted 2026-08-14. Experience level: 5-10.

Job title

Product Change Manager

Company

General Dynamics Missions System International

Location

Hastings, England, United Kingdom

Work arrangement

hybrid

Category

Software Engineering

Experience level

5-10

Date posted

2026-08-14

Job description

Company Description

General Dynamics Mission Systems engineers a diverse portfolio of high technology solutions, products and services that enable customers to successfully execute missions across all domains of operation. With a global team of more than 13,000 top professionals, we partner with the best in industry to expand the bounds of innovation in the defence and scientific arenas. In the UK, we are leading the way in avionics and communication systems. Given the nature of our work and who we are, we value trust, honesty, alignment and transparency.

General Dynamics in St Leonards-on-Sea currently provide avionic mission computing systems for a wide range of military fast jets, helicopters, and UAV’s. Recent success has resulted in General Dynamics developing the next generation of Advanced High Performance, Safety Critical Mission Computer Systems to meet the needs of latest platforms in development by several aircraft manufacturers. These Mission Computing Systems provide the functionality that integrates aircraft systems, sensor systems and stores management systems with the information and control systems required by the aircrew to meet the demanding operational needs of these aircraft.

Job Description

We are seeking an experienced and organised Product Change Manager to join our Core Technologies team in Hastings, United Kingdom. Reporting to the Engineering Manager - Core Technologies, you will have a high level of autonomy in overseeing the change management system within the team. In this position, you will be responsible for establishing and maintaining governance frameworks for product changes, ensuring that the correct level of rigour is applied to all change requests, and guaranteeing that approved changes are carried through to successful end delivery. You will play a pivotal role in bridging the gap between product development and operational implementation across our defence customer base, whilst maintaining a focus on organisational readiness, user adoption, and cross-functional alignment.

Key Responsibilities:

Establish and oversee the change management system first within the Core Technologies team with an expectation to the responsibility growing across the company, defining governance frameworks and approval processes that ensure appropriate scrutiny of all change requests

Conduct thorough impact analyses to identify potential risks, dependencies, and stakeholder concerns related to product changes, with particular attention to manufacturing implications, commercial viability, and after-sales service delivery

Manage and coordinate stakeholder engagement across customer project teams, commercial teams, manufacturing teams, and after-sales/RM&T teams, understanding their unique priorities and ensuring their concerns are addressed throughout the change lifecycle

Create and maintain detailed change documentation, including communication plans tailored to each stakeholder group, training materials, and implementation timelines that account for manufacturing lead times and customer project schedules

Engage with customer project teams to ensure product changes align with project timelines and customer expectations, minimising disruption to ongoing defence customer deliverables

Liaise with commercial teams to assess market implications, pricing considerations, and customer communication strategies related to product changes

Collaborate with manufacturing teams to evaluate production feasibility, supply chain impacts, and implementation timelines for product modifications

Work with after-sales/RM&T teams to identify service delivery implications, warranty considerations, and technical support requirements arising from product changes

Design and deliver stakeholder communication plans, ensuring clear and timely dissemination of change-related information appropriate to each audience

Develop and deliver training programmes and induction materials to support user adoption across all stakeholder groups and minimise resistance to change

Monitor change implementation progress, track key metrics, and provide regular status updates to senior leadership, highlighting cross-team dependencies and potential bottlenecks

Identify and mitigate risks throughout the change process, implementing contingency plans as necessary, with particular focus on manufacturing, commercial, and customer project impacts

Gather feedback from all stakeholder groups and end-users, analysing data to inform continuous improvement of change processes and cross-functional coordination

Collaborate with project managers to ensure change management activities are integrated into broader product delivery timelines and aligned with manufacturing and commercial schedules

Maintain detailed documentation of all change initiatives for future reference and organisational learning, ensuring traceability and accountability throughout the change lifecycle

Qualifications

Required Skills & Experience

Excellent stakeholder management and people skills - essential to this role, with the ability to engage and influence diverse teams across customer projects, commercial, manufacturing, and after-sales functions

Proven experience in change management within product or technology environments

Experience using change management tools and software

Strong written and verbal communication skills with the ability to tailor messaging for diverse audiences

Demonstrated ability to analyse complex situations and develop strategic solutions

Proficiency in project management with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously

Expertise in risk assessment, mitigation planning, and contingency management

Excellent organisational skills with meticulous attention to detail

Preferred Skills & Experience:

Strong knowledge of change management methodologies and frameworks (such as ADKAR or Kotter), including user adoption strategies and change resistance management

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