/ Position: Director of Maintenance, Special Missions
/ Location: Bournemouth OR Gloucester Airport - with regular trips to SM sites as required
/ Working Hours: Full-Time, 40 Hours per week
Due to continued growth within our MRO and Special Missions business units, we are pleased to invite candidates to apply for the position of Director of Maintenance, Special Missions. Based at either our Bournemouth or Gloucester site, with regular travel to Special Mission maintenance locations, this role will provide commercial, operational and technical leadership of our Special Missions maintenance contracts.
The role ensures effective service delivery, contractual aircraft availability, financial performance and operational efficiency across the fleet. Working closely with Account Managers and Engineering leadership, the postholder will provide strategic oversight of maintenance planning, resource alignment and service delivery to ensure safe, sustainable delivery and customer confidence in line with contractual and budgetary expectations.
/ About us:
[Company] is a hugely diverse business that offers much more than perhaps its name would suggest. Yes, we fly but we also save lives, provide mission critical intelligence, and build systems that deliver decisive advantage.
With operations in the UK, Jersey, Europe and the Middle East, a career with us can offer travel, personal growth opportunities and the ability for long-term progression in a fast paced and dynamic service industry.
/ Responsibilities:
Strategic Maintenance Planning
Own and produce short and long term rolling maintenance plans for the Special Missions fleet.
Align maintenance capacity, workforce planning and resource allocation to forecast demand.
Support long term planning to ensure operational resilience and customer continuity.
Operational Leadership & Service Delivery
Daily oversight of Special Mission fleet activity in close collaboration with Base Maintenance Managers.
Ensure aircraft availability meets or exceeds contractual SLAs.
Work closely with Account Managers to protect contract performance and customer relationships for Special Missions fleet.
Ensure effective engineering service delivery through close collaboration and coordination between Planning, Supply Chain, Resource and operational teams.
Drive alignment between CAMO and MRO to optimise maintenance programme planning, reliability and service improvements.
Identify operational risks and delivery constraints and implement corrective actions where required.
Develop, promote and ensure adherence to Gama Part 145 requirements and Health & Safety policies.
Provide senior level oversight to ensure daily operations remain aligned with regulatory frameworks.
Commercial & Financial Performance
Own budgets across the Special Missions, including (but not limited to):
- Wales Air Ambulance Operation
- Compass
- NPAS - East Midlands
- Bond Helicopters
- Scottish Air Ambulance
- Other Special Mission projects as applicable
Ensure financial controls are observed and operations remain within agreed budgets.
Drive cost control initiatives and service improvement programmes, without compromising service delivery or compliance.
Protect margin and long term contract sustainability.
Provide technical and operational input into contract bids, negotiations and renewals.
/ Skills, Qualifications and Experience required:
Significant experience within Aviation Maintenance and MRO environments
Demonstrable leadership experience within a Part-145 organisation
Recognised Licensed Aircraft Engineer Licence or relevant degree (ideally within aeronautical or aircraft maintenance engineering)
In-depth working knowledge of Part 145 regulations and practices
Strong leadership and people management skills
Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders across operational and commercial functions
Strong commercial acumen with budget ownership experience
Excellent reporting and analytical capability
UK national with eligibility to obtain Security Clearance (SC)
/ In addition to a Competitive Salary, we will offer you:
Competitive Group Pension Scheme
Comprehensive Life Assurance *
Comprehensive Income Protection *
Comprehensive Travel Insurance *
Comprehensive Private Healthcare (after successful passing of probation) *
Free Car Parking
2 Paid Volunteering Days each calendar year (subject to line manager approval)
Investment in Training, Qualifications and Professional Development
*(Subject to insurance underwriting)
Due to the volume of applications received, only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. If you do not hear from us within 20 working days then your application has been unsuccessful on this occasion.