Manager, Engineering Aircraft Technical Services

The job responsibilities outlined in this document are not exhaustive and may evolve over time and be reviewed according to business needs.

ROLE DESCRIPTION 

The Manager, Project Engineering within the Aircraft Technical Services (ATS) department leads and develops the project engineering team responsible for project oversight, schedules, and associated budgets supporting the development of Supplemental Type Certificates (STCs) for the installation of inflight connectivity equipment on commercial aircraft worldwide. The role oversees the day-to-day operations of the team and holds accountability for the performance and results of the assigned project portfolio, including on-time and on-cost delivery, certification performance, and quality of project deliverables. Working closely with the ATS Senior leadership, the Manager sets and maintains standards for how project engineering work is planned, documented, and reported, balances resource capacity against growth demand, drives cross-functional coordination inside ATS and with external stakeholders, and builds team capability through recruiting, mentoring, and professional development.

As a Manager, Project Engineering, you will be responsible to :

ATS Project Portfolio Oversight (approx. 35%)

• Oversee the day-to-day operations of the project engineering team, ensuring adherence to high levels of industry standards, customer service, and on-time and on-cost performance.
• Manage ongoing operating performance for the team's projects against plans and budgets on a weekly, monthly, and quarterly basis.
• Support project related decisions and engage others as needed for issues that fall outside established policies, referring any ideas that would change the nature of current operating procedures to the ATS senior leadership.
• Manage and improve operational performance on key dimensions such as project completion, cross-functional communication, certification performance, and employee satisfaction and morale.

Team Leadership & Development (approx. 30%)

• Provide leadership, professional development, mentoring, and technical guidance to the project engi-neers on the team.
• Help recruit, hire, train, and develop employees to meet the objectives of the Aircraft Technical Services department, balancing the quality and quantity of available resources to meet growth demand and achieve overall business goals.
• Manage a team of technical professionals and adapt team objectives and priorities to address resource and operational challenges across concurrent programs.
• Inspire the team to engage with and adopt the company goals, identity, and culture.

Reporting & Process Standards (approx. 20%)

• Provide timely and accurate reporting of operating results, special projects, and team performance, with accountability for the results of the team.
• Work with the senior leadership to establish and maintain processes and standards for the ATS Project Engineering department.
• Identify continuous improvement opportunities across departmental teams and drive them through to implementation.

Compliance & Cross-Functional Coordination (approx. 15%)

• Ensure the organization meets all airline, government, and corporate regulations and policies on an on-going basis, and address potential deviations immediately.
• Promote cross-functional coordination and collaboration within the Aircraft Technical Services team and with external stakeholders.

COMPETENCIES

• People leadership: demonstrable experience selecting, managing, developing, and motivating techni-cally diverse teams.
• Team management: able to manage a team of professionals and adapt team objectives and priorities to address resource and operational challenges.
• Influence and rapport: proven people management skills with the ability to win instant respect and rap-port at all levels of the organization.
• Communication: an excellent communicator, verbal and written, internally and externally, able to repre-sent the company to the highest standards and report effectively to the Aircraft Technical Services senior management team.
• Stakeholder management: experience working with senior management, design teams, and various in-ternal and external customers, as well as experience across a range of engineering and operations ac-tivities.
• Technical acumen: strong working knowledge of structural and electrical engineering disciplines and of aircraft certification processes.
• Continuous improvement: identifies improvement opportunities across departmental teams and follows through on implementation.

QUALIFICATIONS & EXPERIENCE

Required:

• Bachelor's degree in Engineering or a related technical field.
• 7-10+ years of industry experience.
• Strong knowledge in both structural and electrical engineering disciplines.
• Solid experience in project management, project planning, and budget management.
• Strong project management leadership background.
• Demonstrable experience selecting, managing, developing, and motivating technically diverse teams.
• Experience working with senior management, design teams, and various internal and external custom-ers, as well as experience in various engineering and operations activities.
• Ability to travel 5-10%, including occasional international travel.

Preferred / Nice to Have:

• Advanced degree in Engineering, Management. or a related technical field.
• An in-depth understanding of engineering and certification processes.
• Strong knowledge in developing engineering teams.
• Experience with the FAA and international equivalents, including experience developing Supplemental Type Certificate (STC) packages and working with FAA regulators including ODAs.
• Knowledge of wireless and SATCOM airborne equipment and its use onboard commercial aircraft.
• A track record of successful leadership experiences leading highly skilled engineering teams.
• Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) or an equivalent professional certification.

OTHER KEY REQUIREMENTS / COMMENTS

Key Performance Indicators:

• On-time and on-budget delivery of the team's project portfolio against established project baselines.
• Certification milestone performance and quality of engineering deliverables across assigned STC programs.
• Timeliness and accuracy of operating results and project reporting to Aircraft Technical Services senior management.
• Team retention, engagement, and demonstrated development of project engineering staff.
• Compliance with airline, government, and corporate regulations with no unaddressed deviations.

Main Interfaces:

• Internal: Project Engineering, Certification, Program Management, Operations, Supply Chain, and ATS senior management.
• External: Aircraft OEMs, MROs, FAA and international regulators, DERs and ODAs, airline customers, and technical or supply chain vendors.

Additional Notes:

• This is an ITAR-designated position.
• Travel requirement: 5-10%, including occasional international travel.
• Complexity: actions guided by team strategies. Follows established processes and operational policies. Initiatives have functional focus. Analyzes and solves problems with some established precedent.
• Management focus: execution.
• Scope: manages goals and budget to meet schedules and objectives. Manages the activities of a unit or function.