Guided by our purpose, core values, and leadership principles, we are creating an airline people love. Our corporate teams set the strategies and operational plans to ensure the success of our company. Whether we use our expertise in accounting, human resources, finance, planning, legal, marketing, or any of our operational divisions, our shared passion for travel and our guests is what motivates us to achieve excellence each day. If you share our passion for creating an airline people love, we want to hear from you.

Role Summary

The Director, Maintenance Planning sets the long-term strategy and oversees the financial performance of M&E planning functions at Alaska Airlines. As a people leader, this role establishes strategic goals and direction for a team of leaders to develop and execute line maintenance planning and aircraft routing strategic objectives. This role leads the M&E division as a transformation change agent.

Key Duties

Establish strategic goals and direction for team of planners to design and deliver a harmonized Planning and Routing process that minimizes aircraft downtime and optimizes the maintenance program factors (parts, tools, staffing, etc.) for both short-term and long-term planning into an actionable schedule that maximizes aircraft health over the long term -- achieving safety, compliance, financial, and performance metrics and consistently improving workforce efficiency.
Set the strategy for delivering a forecast for M&E that supports safety and compliance, balances demand and capacity and work with key stakeholders (including operations and network planning) on a strategic roadmap to ensure that M&E has the right mix of personnel, tooling, parts, and workspace to achieve organizational objectives
Use a evidence based approach to identify areas of inefficiency and ineffectiveness in both daily and long-term maintenance planning and partner with key stakeholders (Engineering, Line MX Parts & Materials, QA, etc.) to swiftly address and capitalize on opportunities to maximize resource utilization and minimize costs
Coordinate efforts to ensure successful planning and execution for special projects, including engineering efforts, aircraft modifications, aircraft lease returns, NRFO, FCF, flight charter approval process, and aircraft equipment swaps.
Monitor emerging maintenance planning and aircraft operation industry trends and analyze current practices to recommend revision, adoption, modification.
Develop people through effective performance management and ongoing feedback, focusing on fostering strategic and systems thinking, development of talent, and succession planning.
Work with ITS and the Operations Research and Analysis (ORA) team to develop and deploy appropriate tools, dashboards, scorecards, and reports that support M&E production system.
Leverage technology to enhance department performance and productivity

Job-Specific Experience, Education & Skills

Required

8 years of experience in airline operations, maintenance planning, or relevant experience supporting airline operations.
5 years of leadership experience, with at least 2 of those years directly leading people.
Bachelor’s degree, or an additional two years of relevant training/experience in lieu of this degree.
FAA Airframe & Powerplant certificate
Proven ability to identify/trouble shoot a complex problem, swiftly analyze relevant data, devise a logical solution, inspire confidence, and drive through to execution
Proficient with Microsoft Office applications (e.g., Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook).
Excellent communication skills: verbal (both informal working teams and formal executive presentations), and in clear/concise written documents.
Strong interpersonal skills – foster collaborative relationships with key stakeholders (both internal and external to Alaska) that drive mutually beneficial outcomes
High school diploma or equivalent is required.
Minimum age of 18.
Must be authorized to work in the U.S.

Preferred

Experience using a hands-on approach to lead a high performing team to meet critical deadlines, defining and documenting processes that ensure consistent results, and coaching team members for best performance
Proficient with systems used in aviation maintenance (similar to TRAX, Vismaint, Tableau, etc.)
3 years of project management and/or continuous improvement experience

Job-Specific Leadership Expectations

Embody our values to own safety, do the right thing, be caring and kind, and deliver performance.
Exceptional integrity, with impeccable ethics in safety and compliance.
Innovative, apolitical, resilient, fact-based and creative solutions-focused mindset, with ability to thrive in a rapidly changing, collaborative environment and to manage conflict.
Demonstrated ability to quickly scope situations, develop an accurate understanding of risks, and develop plans responsive to those risks

Salary Range

$167,050 - $258,950 / year

Salary Details

The pay range and total target compensation package listed above is the expected pay offered for this position at the start of employment. Your pay will be based on multiple factors, including and not limited to location, your relevant experience/level, experience level, and skillset while balancing internal equity relative to other Alaska/Horizon employees. Alaska/Horizon is committed to fair, unbiased compensation along with competitive benefits in all locations in which we operate.

Note: We don't typically hire at the top of the range.

Total Rewards

Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines and Horizon Air pay and benefits can vary by company, location, number of regularly scheduled hours worked, length of employment, and employment status.

Free stand-by travel privileges on Alaska Airlines, Hawaiian Airlines & Horizon Air with high priority status
Select number of confirmed travel credits provided annually
Comprehensive well-being programs including medical, dental and vision benefits
Generous 401k match program
Quarterly and annual bonus plans
Generous holiday and paid time off

For more information about Alaska/Hawaiian/Horizon Total Rewards please visit our career site and view benefits.

FLSA Status Exempt
Employment Type Full-Time
Regular/Temporary Regular
Requisition Type Management
Apply by 7:00 PM Pacific Time on 8/11/2025