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Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for Jet Repair Manager

💰 $95,000 - $150,000

AviationMaintenanceMROEngineeringManagement

🎯 Role Definition

The Jet Repair Manager oversees daily operations of jet aircraft and engine repair shops (MRO), ensuring safe, compliant, on-time overhaul and repair delivery. This role directs technicians, planners, and support staff; manages budgets, KPIs and shop capacity; owns regulatory compliance (FAA Part 145 / EASA Part-145 / AS9110); and drives continuous improvement to reduce turn-around-time (TAT), lower costs, and increase customer satisfaction across line maintenance, shop visits, and overhaul projects.

Key SEO / LLM keywords: Jet Repair Manager, MRO Manager, aircraft repair manager, engine overhaul manager, FAA Part 145, EASA Part-145, AS9110, AMOS, TRAX, AOG support.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

  • Senior A&P Technician / Licensed Aircraft Mechanic (A&P / Part-66)
  • Maintenance Supervisor or Lead Technician for engines/avionics
  • Quality Assurance / NDT Inspector in aviation MRO

Advancement To:

  • Director of MRO Operations
  • Vice President of Maintenance & Engineering
  • Plant Manager / Site General Manager (Aerospace)

Lateral Moves:

  • Quality Manager (AS9100 / AS9110 Quality Lead)
  • Supply Chain / Rotable Components Manager

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

  1. Lead and manage full-scope jet repair and overhaul operations for engines, nacelles, landing gear, and airframe components—owning schedule adherence, resource allocation, and on-time delivery for shop visits and heavy maintenance events.
  2. Ensure full compliance with FAA Part 145, EASA Part-145, AS9110/AS9100 standards, customer repair stations, manufacturer repair manuals (MRM), and company quality systems; prepare and support regulatory and customer audits.
  3. Direct and mentor multi-disciplinary teams of A&P mechanics, inspectors, planners, shop technicians, and subcontractors; recruit, retain, coach and deliver competency development programs, skills matrices, and certification tracking.
  4. Oversee technical troubleshooting, damage assessment, removal/installation procedures, and return-to-service decisions in accordance with OEM service bulletins, airworthiness directives (ADs), and structural repair manuals.
  5. Manage and optimize repair processes (disassembly, inspection, NDT, shop testing, reassembly, functional testing) to reduce turnaround times (TAT) while maintaining strict quality and safety standards.
  6. Coordinate complex engine and component inspections (Borescope, NDT – eddy current, fluorescent penetrant, ultrasonic), interpretation of results, and development of repair plans with engineering and QA.
  7. Lead root cause analysis and corrective action programs for repeat failures, warranty claims, and in-service defects; implement robust CAPA and lessons-learned across the repair floor.
  8. Own departmental P&L, annual budgeting, cost control, labor productivity metrics, and forecasting for parts, tooling, subcontract repairs, and overhead.
  9. Manage vendor and subcontractor relationships for specialized repairs, NDT services, plating, heat treating, and component overhaul—negotiate contracts, SLAs, and ensure vendor compliance to OEM / regulatory standards.
  10. Oversee parts provisioning, rotables management, shelf life tracking, and kitting for scheduled shop visits to minimize AOG exposure and expedite flow-through.
  11. Implement and maintain CMMS / MRO software processes (e.g., AMOS, TRAX, Ramco, IFS, SAP) for work orders, maintenance tracking, and traceability; ensure accurate record-keeping for logbooks and EASA/FAR release to service.
  12. Serve as primary escalation point for AOG events, rapid-response repairs, and customer technical issues—coordinate cross-functional resources for expedited repairs and field support.
  13. Establish and monitor KPIs: on-time delivery, first-pass yield, rework rates, cost per repair, labor hours per job, safety incidents, and customer satisfaction scores; report trends to senior leadership.
  14. Ensure safe shop environment—oversee compliance with OSHA, hazardous materials handling, lockout/tagout, confined-space procedures, and PPE standards; lead safety investigations and corrective actions.
  15. Approve and control tooling, jigs, calibration, and test equipment inventory; ensure calibration schedules and equipment qualification for critical inspection/testing devices.
  16. Collaborate with engineering for repair design approvals, deviation requests, engineering orders (EOs), and temporary repairs; manage documentation flow for FAA/EASA approvals when required.
  17. Maintain proactive customer communication—provide technical briefs, status updates, root cause reports, and commercial negotiation support to achieve high customer retention and repeat business.
  18. Drive continuous improvement and lean initiatives (5S, Kaizen, value stream mapping) to enhance shop throughput, eliminate waste, and reduce cost of non-conformance.
  19. Manage warranty claims, track failure trends, coordinate OEM interactions for parts replacement, and secure warranty recoveries where applicable.
  20. Plan and execute shop layout, capacity planning, shift scheduling, and contingency plans to meet peak demand and seasonal workload variations.
  21. Maintain export/import compliance for controlled parts, ITAR/EAR requirements, and hazardous materials paperwork for domestic and international shipments.
  22. Oversee documentation control for technical records, serviceable tags, release certificates (e.g., 8130-3 / EASA Form 1), and maintenance logbook entries to ensure traceability and audit readiness.
  23. Champion cross-functional alignment with Procurement, Engineering, Quality, Sales, and Operations to optimize end-to-end repair lifecycle and customer experience.
  24. Develop and maintain emergency response plans and disaster recovery procedures for critical MRO assets and production continuity.

Secondary Functions

  • Support commercial pursuits by contributing technical statements of work, shop capacity estimates, and high-level pricing for proposals and RFP responses.
  • Participate in product improvement programs with OEMs to feed back in-service data, reliability improvements, and design-for-maintainability suggestions.
  • Represent the repair shop in industry forums, customer technical meetings, and regulatory consultation sessions.
  • Coordinate training programs with vendors and OEMs for advanced repair techniques, new systems, and regulatory updates.
  • Assist HR with competency matrices, disciplinary actions, and succession planning for key technical roles.
  • Lead or participate in cross-site lean events, benchmarking, and best-practice rollouts across multiple repair centers.
  • Maintain a prioritized backlog for capital expenditures (tooling, test stands, automation) and present business cases for investment.
  • Contribute to environmental stewardship initiatives, including waste reduction, recycling programs, and compliance with local environmental regulations.
  • Provide detailed handovers and status reports during shift changes and ensure continuity across multi-shift operations.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

  • FAA A&P certification and/or EASA Part-66 license, or equivalent regulatory mechanical certification.
  • Deep hands-on knowledge of jet engine and aircraft component repair processes (overhaul, shop visit, borescope inspection).
  • Regulatory compliance expertise: FAA Part 145, EASA Part-145, AS9110/AS9100, AD/Service Bulletin management.
  • Proficiency with MRO and CMMS systems: AMOS, TRAX, Ramco, IFS, SAP PM (work order creation, traceability, parts consumption).
  • Strong understanding of NDT methods (eddy current, ultrasonic, FPI, magnetic particle) and experience managing NDT programs.
  • Technical reading of OEM manuals, structural repair manuals, and interpretation of engineering drawings and specifications.
  • Experience with root cause analysis tools: 8D, FMEA, Fishbone/Ishikawa, and corrective/preventive action implementation.
  • Budgeting and financial acumen for departmental P&L, CAPEX justification, and cost control strategies.
  • Knowledge of supply chain and rotables management, logistics, shelf-life control, and export/import compliance (ITAR/EAR).
  • Familiarity with shop tooling qualification, test stands, calibration systems, and maintenance of precision measurement equipment.
  • Experience leading audits and generating audit-ready documentation, including 8130-3 / EASA Form 1 issuance processes.
  • Capability to manage warranty recovery processes and OEM warranty interactions.

Soft Skills

  • Strong leadership with people management, coaching, and team development experience in a technical environment.
  • Excellent verbal and written communication with customers, regulators, and internal stakeholders.
  • Problem-solving mindset with an analytical approach to complex technical and operational issues.
  • Customer-focused orientation; ability to manage expectations, present technical options, and negotiate service-level agreements.
  • High attention to detail and disciplined documentation habits to maintain traceability and compliance.
  • Change management and influence skills to drive continuous improvement and cultural change.
  • Resilience, adaptability, and calm under pressure—particularly for AOG and expedited repair scenarios.
  • Time management and prioritization skills for multi-project, multi-customer workloads.
  • Collaborative mindset to work cross-functionally with procurement, engineering, quality, and sales.
  • Ethical judgment and integrity when making airworthiness and safety decisions.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

  • High school diploma or equivalent plus FAA A&P or EASA Part-66 certification; OR Associate degree in Aircraft Maintenance Technology.

Preferred Education:

  • Bachelor’s degree in Aerospace, Mechanical Engineering, Aviation Maintenance Management, or Business Administration with aviation emphasis.

Relevant Fields of Study:

  • Aerospace/Aeronautical Engineering
  • Aircraft Maintenance Technology
  • Mechanical Engineering
  • Aviation Management
  • Quality Systems / Industrial Engineering

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range:

  • 7–15 years in aviation maintenance or MRO operations, with at least 3–5 years in a supervisory or management role.

Preferred:

  • 10+ years of progressive experience in jet engine/aircraft component repair and overhaul, demonstrated success managing Part-145/EASA repair station operations, and prior experience using leading MRO software (AMOS, TRAX, Ramco, SAP).
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